Finally, our blog is taking off! We are going to travel back in time to our first class!
For our digestive system demonstration, we brought in Bob (actually Steve Bob Kevin, according to the kids). (Is that his name, kids? There was quite a bit of debate about it. If we are mistaken, please tell us Bob's correct name down in the comments! And don't forget to write down your name so you know who you are.)
This is Bob:
Thank you Bob for letting us mess up with your digestive system!
We laid Bob on the floor, fed him, and followed the food from his mouth to the other end, where the kids kindly collected the result of the digestion ... of a piece of playdough. Never was fake poop so exciting. The food was a layered playdough cake that looked exactly like the real mini cakes that the kids were eating to keep Bob company.
Digesting is quite a lot of work and the kids did it for Bob. Those near his salivary glands injected "saliva" into his mouth. That's how they added the first set of "enzymes," those scissor-like molecules that, in the mouth, break down carbs into smaller bits.
These are our model carbs. Like them?
STARCH
Those kids near the stomach injected "stomach acid" and other "enzymes" that break down large proteins into smaller proteins and into individual amino acids.
OUR DELICIOUS PROTEINS
Once the food reached the small intestine, the kids injected enzymes that break down DNA. (Yes, we eat a lot of DNA, every day, since every living organism--plant, animal, fungus, bacteria--has DNA.)
The kids also added fluids from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, with different types of enzymes that break down the remaining proteins, carbs and fats.
PRETTY FATS
Those at the end collected the poop, pretty dry after the water was reabsorbed. And that was the end of the journey.
And now, KTS students: for the chance to be Graciela's assistant for one class and get to choose which fun, silly video we'll watch at the end of class, answer the following question.
How long it takes a giant Galápagos tortoise to digest food? (Meaning, how long it takes the food to move from the tortoise's mouth to its rear end and come out as poop.)
Choose an answer (A, B, C or D) and write it in the comments box down below, and don't forget to tell us who you are!
A) About a day
B) About a week
C) About a month
D) About 3 months
Stay tuned!