We learnt about the different processes involved in digestion and then conducted a very hands-on experiment to recreate the human digestive system.
First, we crumbled up some dry Weetabix into a bowl - this represented our teeth chomping on our food.
Secondly, we added water to the crumbled Weetabix in place of our saliva. This helped to break down the food, allowing it to pass down our oesophogus and into our stomach.
Next, we spooned our Weetabix mixture into a pop sock and added vinegar, pretending this was our gastric juices. Did you know, the acid in our stomach actually cleans the food to ensure bacteria is not passed around the body?
Then, we discussed the next stage in the human digestive system - the small intestine. Here, vitamins and minerals are absorbed into our blood.
After the small intestine, the food passes through into the large intestine. Here, water and salt are removed leaving only waste product. In order to show this, we squeezed all of the liquid out of the weetabix mixture. It was VERY messy!
Finally, we made a small incision in the bottom of the pop sock and pushed the mixture out into a tray. This was the waste product passing to the rectum and being excreted from our body.
Why don’t you try this experiment at home to help you understand the human digestive system? As you can see from our faces, we had great fun!
