Lesson Plan | Active Methodology | Human Body: Digestive System

Premises: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class duration, prior student study both with the Book and the beginning of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be carried out during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a large part of the available time.

Objective

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

Setting clear objectives is essential to ensure both students and teachers remain focused on specific learning outcomes. By outlining what is expected to be achieved, this section helps make sure that both preparation and execution of classroom activities meet students' learning needs. Furthermore, these objectives act as benchmarks for evaluating students' grasp of the digestive system.

Objective Utama:

1. Identify and describe the main components of the human digestive system, including the stomach, mouth, and intestines.

2. Explain the functions of each of these components in the digestion process, from chewing to nutrient absorption.

Objective Tambahan:

1. Encourage students to connect theory learnt at home with practical application in the classroom through engaging and interactive activities.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction is designed to engage students and connect what they already know with the new content they’ll explore in class. The problem-based situations motivate students to think critically about what they have learned, while the contextualization ignites their curiosity through fascinating facts and real-life applications of the digestive system. This approach is aimed at preparing students for a more dynamic and meaningful learning experience during practical exercises.

Problem-Based Situation

1. Imagine you’re in a cooking competition and need to whip up a dish for a top chef. Before you start cooking, what sequence of events in the digestive system would help you extract the maximum nutrients from your food?

2. You're a group of scientists on an expedition in the Arctic who discover a new plant species used as food by locals. How would this plant be digested in the human digestive system, and what potential perks or risks could there be for those who eat it?

Contextualization

The digestive system is crucial for our health, but it also has an intriguing history. For instance, did you know that the stomach can contract and expand to hold large amounts of food, and that the small intestine has an internal surface area comparable to a tennis court for nutrient absorption? These intriguing facts not only highlight the complexity of the digestive system but also illustrate how it adapts to our everyday needs.

Development

Duration: (65 - 75 minutes)

The development phase is crafted for students to actively and interactively apply the concepts they studied at home regarding the digestive system. Through hands-on activities, students will creatively explore the functions and interactions of digestive organs, cementing their understanding through simulations and experiments, while also promoting teamwork and effective communication. Each activity is thoughtfully designed to engage students of varied comprehension levels, ensuring an inclusive and thorough learning experience.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Digestive Chef: The Great Cooking Competition

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand the stages of digestion and their roles in the digestive system in an interactive and fun way.

- Description: Students will be grouped into teams of up to 5 and assume the role of chefs in a cooking competition. Each team will be tasked with 'preparing' a dish using components that simulate the stages of digestion, from 'chewing' to 'nutrient absorption'. Ingredients like crushed biscuits (mimicking chewing), mixed with fizzy drink (representing gastric juice) and wrapped in gauze (simulating the intestine) will be used.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will receive a kit with 'ingredients' representing the different stages of digestion.

• Follow the instructions to 'prepare' the dish, simulating the phases of digestion.

• Present the final dish, explaining how each component represents a part of the digestive system and its role.

• Vote for the most creative dish that best illustrates the digestive process.

Activity 2 - The Mystery of the Small Intestine

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Analyse the anatomy of the digestive system and understand how the structures contribute to digestion and nutrient absorption.

- Description: In groups, students will receive a 'cadaver' (a mannequin representing the human body) with a small amount of 'food' already 'digested' (crushed biscuits mixed with fizzy drink). They’ll need to 'dissect' the cadaver to uncover a 'treasure' (beans representing nutrients) hidden in the 'small intestine'. Each group will describe the anatomical structures they find and explain how these contribute to digestion and nutrient absorption.

- Instructions:

• Form small groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will get a 'cadaver' and a list of digestive system structures to identify.

• Perform the 'dissection' of the cadaver to find the 'treasure' in the 'small intestine'.

• Describe the structures you find and explain their function in digestion.

• Prepare a presentation for the class to share your findings.

Activity 3 - The Digestion Factory

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Visualize and understand the various stages of the digestive system collaboratively and interactively.

- Description: In this activity, students will transform the classroom into a 'digestion factory'. Each station will represent a part of the digestive system. Divided into groups, students will follow the 'path of food', beginning with 'chewing' (crushed biscuits), passing through the 'stomach' (gastric juice), and reaching the 'small intestine' (gauze). Each station will host a specific activity, and groups must complete all stations to 'produce' nutrients (beans) at the end.

- Instructions:

• Split into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will start at a different station in the 'digestion factory'.

• Complete the proposed activity at each station, following the 'path of food'.

• Gather at the end to discuss how each station represents a part of the digestive system.

• Present the findings and processes from the 'production' of nutrients.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The feedback session is essential for solidifying students' learning. It provides them with the opportunity to reflect on the practical activities they engaged in and articulate their newly acquired knowledge alongside the theoretical content previously studied. This phase helps to pinpoint any gaps in understanding and reinforces key concepts of the digestive system, while also fostering communication and argumentation skills. Through group discussion, students are encouraged to think critically and draw meaningful conclusions based on their observations and experiences.

Group Discussion

Kick off the group discussion by inviting each team to share their experiences and findings from the activities. You can guide the discussion as follows: Ask each group to describe the process they simulated and explain how each phase of digestion was represented. Then, have them share their key learnings, any challenges they faced, and how they overcame those hurdles. Encourage students to compare their activities and identify noticeable patterns or differences.

Key Questions

1. What were the main challenges you faced while simulating the different parts of the digestive system, and how did you tackle them?

2. How did the practical activities reinforce your theoretical knowledge about the digestive system?

3. Did you discover anything surprising during the activities that changed your understanding of the digestive system?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The conclusion aims to consolidate students' learning, helping them link the knowledge they've gained to real-world applications and understand the significance of the digestive system in their lives. By summarizing the key points, the teacher assists students in retaining the most critical information and appreciating the relevance of the topic beyond the classroom. This section is vital to ensure that students leave the lesson with a clear and lasting understanding of the subject matter.

Summary

To wrap up, the teacher should summarise the key points discussed about the digestive system, recapping the functions of each component from the mouth down to the intestines, and succinctly outlining the stages of digestion. It’s crucial that students consolidate the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the lesson.

Theory Connection

Discuss how the practical activities conducted in class reinforced the connection between the theory previously studied and what they observed in practice. Emphasize how simulating the stages of digestion, performing the 'dissection' of the 'cadaver', and transforming the class into a 'digestion factory' enabled students to visualize and engage with digestive processes, thereby making learning more impactful and memorable.

Closing

Finally, stress the importance of the digestive system for daily health and well-being. Discuss how insights into digestion can influence eating habits and foster a better understanding of how our bodies process food to derive essential nutrients. This reflective moment is crucial for students to recognize the relevance of their learning in daily life.