Teaching of digestive system throuhg inquiry method

Topic: Teaching of Food and Digestion through Inquiry Method. Course:
Teaching Of Science.
Submitted to: Dr. Uzair-Ul-Hassan.
Submitted by: Group 01.

MA. Education Sem. 3rd
Session 2012-2014
Department of Education. University of Sargodha.

Specific Objectives: students will be able to understand the process of digestions,
Digestion and application of Inquiry method.
NSTA (National science Teacher Association) defines scientific inquiry as
“The diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Scientific inquiry also refers to the activities through which students develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world.”
One method for structuring an inquiry-based instructional approach is based on a model developed by Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS). This model employs the 5Es—engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate—and is based on a constructivist philosophy of learning.
Engaging: At this stage, teachers introduce a topic or concept with an intriguing, fascinating, or challenging question or demonstration or story e.g. At this stage, teachers do not seek a “right answer;” rather they prompt students to explore the concepts by their own observation and knowledge.
Example of Application this step: to engage the students I told them the example of crushing stone factory that how large stones are broken down into small particles in the factory and uses of these crushed stones in constructing roads, highways, bridge and buildings e.g. and prompted students to think about a system (digestive system) in the human body.
Exploring: During exploration, students conduct various hands-on or problem solving activities and experiments designed to help them explore the topic and make connections to related concepts, often within groups or teams.
Students share common experiences and the teacher role is to facilitate the students at this level in problem solving activities.
Application: After the step engaging the students shared their common experiences with their fellows and explored the digestive system and I further asked them to describe the organs of this system and the students respond to this in naming the different parts to the digestive system.
Explaining: At this stage, teachers help students observe patterns, analyze results, and/or draw conclusions based on their activities and investigations. Teachers also define relevant vocabulary.
Application: At this stage I introduced the topic (The digestive system) to the students in general and taught them about the functions of different organs like, mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, large and small intestine etc.
Elaborating: In this stage, students build on the concepts or ideas they have learned and make connections to other related concepts and new situations and teacher provides some specific examples and activities.

Application: at this stage I provided students the diagram of digestive system without labels and asked them to identify the names of different organs of digestive system. The students discussed in groups and wrote down the names of the organs. The responses of the students
.
were much satisfactory

Evaluating: In the final stage, teachers evaluate, or assess, students’ understanding of the topic studied. This evaluation can be formal or informal but should demonstrate a clear understanding of what students have learned throughout the course of the lesson.
Application: at this final stage I evaluated students in an informal way by asking questions about the topic and function of different organs of digestive system. My questions were:
Why must food be digested?
2 What do enzymes do?
3 How long does it take food to pass through the digestive system?
4 What is peristalsis?
5 What food types are broken down by these enzymes:
a) Protease?
b) Amylase?
c) Lipase?
6 Describe what happens in the a) large intestine. b) Rectum.
Answers:
Digestion: 1. Food consists of large molecules which cannot be dissolved. These must be broken down or digested into smaller soluble molecules, so that they can be easily absorbed into the blood.
2. Enzymes help to break down the large food molecules, thereby bringing about digestion of food.
3. About 24 hours.
4. The muscles in the walls of the digestive tract contract and relax rhythmically in order to push food along. This movement is called peristalsis. 5. a) proteins
b) carbohydrates c) fats 6.
a) Water is absorbed from the waste leaving semi-solid faeces.
b) Faeces is stored in the rectum. Muscles in the wall control when the faeces is released.

Contents: Only very small molecules of food can be absorbed by the body and pass into the bloodstream. Even after a lot of chewing, food still consists of large pieces which cannot be dissolved. These must be broken down or digested into smaller, soluble molecules. Digestion takes place in the digestive system and is brought about by the action of chemicals called enzymes. The enzymes concerned with digestion are contained in the digestive juices, mixed with food at various points along the digestive system.

The Human Digestive System Gullet- muscles in the walls contract and relax to push food along. This movement is called peristalsis.
Liver- produces bile which emulsifies fats (breaks them into tiny droplets) and neutralizes stomach acid. Bile is stored in the gall bladder.
Small intestine-more proteases. carbohydrase and lipase are produced here to finish off digestion. Digested food absorbed through the walls into the bloodstream.
Mouth- food is chewed and mixed with slippery saliva. This makes food easy to swallow. Saliva contains an enzyme called amylase to digest starch.
Stomach- muscular walls churn up the food and mix it with gastric juice. Gastric juice contains hydrochloric acid to kill bacteria. And protease enzymes to digest protein.
Pancreas-produces three enzymes: amylase to digest starch protease to digest protein lipase to digest fat.
Large intestine- water is absorbed from the waste leaving semi-solid faeces.
Rectum- faeces are stored here. Muscles in the wall control when the faeces are released.
Did you know?
The human digestive system is a continuous tube running from mouth to anus. It is about 10 m long and food takes about 24 hours to pass from one end to the other.
Anus-a hole