Lesson 1 - Monday, Feb 3
Today in science: We added more to version 2.0 of our Digestive System model today, but we also briefly looked at the model of the other class. You can see the latest version of both classes models in the Google Science Classroom. In today’s work, we focused in both classes on adding what we learned about “nutrients” in last week’s Exploring Science 8 textbook assignment (pp. 8-9) to our model.
Homework: There is no science homework tonight.
Lesson 2 - Tuesday, Feb 4
Today in science: To develop a more scientific understanding of the human digestive system, we used four carefully-selected videos to create a structure/function model of the human MOUTH. To bring the structures and functions of this mouth model to life, Dr. M presented a physical model to students in which the mouth–and its main structures–were represented by a medium-sized plastic bag, a plastic spoon, 2 plastic pipettes, water, and a hammer with two different metal shapes on its head.
Homework: There is no science homework tonight.
Lesson 3 - Wed, Feb 5 (D) & Thu, Feb 6 (E)
Today in science: To develop a more scientific understanding of the human digestive system, we used four carefully-selected videos to create a structure/function model of the human ESOPHAGUS and STOMACH. Unfortunately, we did not have time to see the esophagus/stomach model prepared by Dr. M, but in D period, Dr. M had time to recreate–by using his mouth!–a food bolus out of banana, yogurt, cracker, and water, which he then sent down an ‘esophagus’ (which he created with his hands) to a ‘stomach’ (which he created with a sealable glass jar filled with actual hydrochloric acid! The bolus will sit in the acid until Friday’s lesson, at which time D period students can see the effects on the acid on the semi-digested food.
Homework: There is no science homework tonight.
Lesson 4 - Friday, Feb 7
Today in science: Picking where Lesson 3 left off, and to bring the structures and functions of ESOPHAGUS and STOMACH model to life, Dr. M presented his physical model to students in which the esophagus (including the epiglotis) was represented by a red plastic tube which Dr. M manipulated with his hands. The stomach (including the two sphincters) was represented by a large-size plastic bag and the hands of two students, 2 plastic pipettes, uncolored water, colored water (red), and the stomach wall motions created by students’ hands.
On Monday, we will move our way from our Stomach model to our Small Intestine model.
Homework: There is no weekend science homework, but in D period Dr. M asked–if they wanted to–to find out the names of the three parts of the human small intestine before Monday’s science class and to write them on their new paper model tracker.
Announcements...
The DRIVING QUESTION of our current unit is: What happens to the food we eat?
D period homework collection days: Wednesday & Friday.
E period homework collection days: Tuesday & Thursday.
This week marks the second full week of the new Spring Semester.