Digestive System Experiments

digestive system experiments - TheHomeschoolScientist.com

Welcome to our study with Apologia’s Human Anatomy and Physiology. Today, we are on module 4 – the digestive system. We’ve done some easy, fun digestive system experiments that have taught us more about how parts of the system work together.

I have to admit. The kids had a little more fun studying the digestive system than I thought they were going to have. While my 6th grade daughter is actually the one taking the course, my 2nd-grade son got into the activities we did – mainly because of the gross factor. I mean spit, churned up food, and poop. What more can a boy ask for? yuck.

This lesson was full of fun hands-on projects for the kids to do. Each one really made an impression on the kids. You should hear our lunchtime digestions conversation. Maybe, they learned too much…

See Amylase In Action

Amylase is a digestive enzyme found in saliva that breaks down starches. We did a simple digestive system experiment to let the kids actually see and experience the way amylase works.

Put a small piece of saltine on the tongue.
Within seconds you should start to feel the cracker start to dissolve. That is the amylase breaking down the starch in the cracker.
Place a small piece of cheese on the tongue.
After 2o seconds remove the cheese and look at it. Besides being wet, there should be no change. There is no starch in cheese so the amylase had nothing to break down.

Create A Stomach

This is a great project to re-create the churning and breaking down of food that takes place in the stomach.

Place a piece of bread and 2-3 tbsp of water in a Ziploc bag.
Squeeze the bag with the hands simulating the action of the stomach-churning food.
Notice how the water and churning turn the piece of bread into an almost liquid form. This is similar to the chyme that is released by the stomach into the small intestine.

Notebooking Journal

The Notebooking Journal that goes with the Apologia Human Anatomy text is a great resource. It makes taking notes, learning and explaining information found in the text fun. Lesson 4 had lots of great activities, but making the digestion system comic was my daughter’s favorite.