Background

Objectives

Students will learn the names and functions of the digestive organs by creating a dance.
Students will discuss nutrition and health by examining food labels and comparing to the garden's food.

Materials

Food labels from various types of food.
Copy of Digestive System Diagram
2-liter bottle
Tube Sock
Orange
20-24ft of string
Cut-out of any vegetable

Season

Spring, Fall

Group Size

Individual and whole class

California State
Content Standards

L.S. 2.c

plum_jdv

Two main concepts are being introduced and learned in this lesson: Nutrition based on reading food labels and the digestive system. Once students understand how to decipher healthy foods from non-healthy foods, they can then go on to explore what happens to the food when they eat it. This is a great way to start a unit on the human body!

Vocabulary

Digestion: removing nutrients and water from the foods and liquids we eat.
Carbohydrates: foods such as sugars and starches; that are a major source of energy. (Note: plants make their own carbohydrates.)

Attention Grabber

Raise your hand if you like ________? Name many different types of food. Be sure to include food that may be healthy and not healthy. Then say, “Today we will be learning about healthy and non-healthy foods. Next class, we will also learn what happens to our food when we eat it.” Do not mention what is healthy and what is not. Students will use exploration in the activity to discern this on their own..

Garden Activity

Part 1 – Food labels

Have students create a snack using the plants grown in the garden. This could be a simple snack such as snap peas, carrots, broccoli, etc.

Bring in wrappers of popular foods for your students (Hot Cheetos, pudding, ice cream, snack packs, pretzels, etc.).

Have students compare the nutrition facts on these packages including fat, calories, sugar, and carbohydrates. (Prior to class find this information about the plants in the garden e.g., potatoes, tomatoes, corn, strawberries, rhubarb, lettuce, etc.). Have students compare the nutrition facts of the packaged food to the garden food.

Have a class discussion about healthy eating. This could include sorting the labels into different groups “healthy,” “not healthy.”

Note: Be sure to mention that the students are not “bad” if they like certain “un-healthy foods.” These foods can still be eaten in moderation.

Part 2 – The Digestive System

Using a the diagram (see attached), create a large poster (or draw on the board) of the digestive system, track a garden food through the digestive system, including mouth/teeth, esophagus/throat, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, colon.

Refer to the chart below to find the function, prop with interesting fact, and dance move for each organ. For each organ, discuss the function, use the prop, and teach the dance move. (You can also have students come up with the dance move!)

Then have the students dance! Each time they learn the new move and then add it to the moves they have already learned. Students should say the name of the organ with each move.

Move the garden food down the digestive track, as each organ is being discussed and danced.

After they have learned all of the organs and the appropriate dance moves, test them by doing a move and they say the organ (and vice versa). Have them do the moves in sequential order, without talking.

digestive_system_dance

Wrap Up

Provide each student with a cut out of a vegetable, fruit, or other object relating to healthy eating. Have the students write down one new thing they learned in class. Hang these on the string that represented the length of the small intestine.

What's Next?

Continue to explore the human body! Dances can be made for each system!
Have students keep a journal of all the foods they eat in a day, recording various information including sugar, fat, amount, taste, etc.
Visit a farmer’s market.

Download Materials

Lesson Materials

Digestive System Diagram

Digestive System Dance