One of the many things I love about working at IFS is the freedom we have in delivering the curriculum. We are required like every other college in the country to follow the syllabus set by the Board of Studies. How we go about delivering it is up to us.
Our latest project in Stage 3 is about passing wind (gases) and the digestive system. In this project students have been investigating the organs that make up the digestive system, how the digestive system works and why we pass wind and/or burp. The driving question behind our project is, “As an athlete, how can having an understanding of our digestive system help us?”
Throughout our investigation, we have learnt many things. We have learnt about the three states of matter (solids, liquids and gases) and how gases either enter our bodies or are created in our bodies, and that while we all seem to think it very funny, passing wind is an extremely normal part of life. We have learnt about the different organs that make up the digestive system, and that they are the same in every single human being.
Students today were given a choice of taking part in a scientific observation of their own. If they chose to do so, and most did, each student was given a spoonful of corn niblets to eat. They had to record the date and time they ate the corn in their journals, and now they have to wait and watch. They will be keeping a close watch on their bowel movements to see when the corn reappears. What will the students learn from this? – how long their body takes to digest food. Interesting. I wonder if the time frame will be the same for everyone?
As a teacher, am I happy with the way the project is progressing? Absolutely. The students are so engaged in their learning. I am told often how much they are enjoying this project and students are bringing in books from home to help with their investigations.
As an end product of this project, students have been asked to create a digital presentation that will demonstrate their understanding of the topics within this project. So far they are looking fantastic. I can’t wait to see them when they are all done.
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