Year 6 Science: The Journey of Digestion
This week, Year 6 became scientists as they investigated how the human body transports vital water and nutrients to stay healthy and strong. To understand this complex internal process, the pupils rolled up their sleeves and created a brilliant hands-on model of the human digestive system.
Step 1: Breaking It Down
The experiment began with the mouth and stomach. The children used a fork to vigorously break up food particles, simulating the mechanical digestion that happens when we chew. They added a splash of water to the mixture, beautifully demonstrating how saliva and stomach fluids help to dissolve and transport food down the digestive tract.
Step 2: Entering the Intestines
Next, the pupils explored how the body separates the good stuff from the waste. They carefully poured their crushed food mixture into a pair of tights. In this clever model, the tights represented the small and large intestines.
Step 3: Absorbing into the Bloodstream
The real magic happened when the children squeezed the tights over a plate. As they applied pressure, water and nutrients seeped through the tiny gaps in the fabric and collected on the plate below.
This perfectly demonstrated how the walls of the small and large intestines allow essential nutrients and water to absorb through into the bloodstream, leaving the solid waste behind. It was a fantastic—and wonderfully messy—way to see human biology in action!
Year 6 Science: The Circulatory System
