Human Digestion Learning Activities (Distance Learning)

This zip file contains 9 different activities which can be used to compose a unit for biology students introducing them to basic concepts about Human Nutrition with the major focus on digestion. While these lessons were originally designed to correlate to the performance indicators of the New York State Living Environment/Biology curriculum, the components of this lesson may be easily used in other biology courses as well. Specifically the packet contains the following items with all files except the PowerPoint posted in both pdf and word format for easy edit for specific teacher needs. These documents are well suited for use in distance learning environments. 

Contents: 

• Marzano self assessment scale for students specific to this unit
• Cloze completion notes handout for students with learning goals (6 pages)
• 28 frame PowerPoint to accompany the cloze notes which includes two bell ringers with answers
• Nutrition worksheet 1 with key (1 page)
• Nutrition worksheet 2 with key (contains 24 multiple choice and organ naming with two pages)
• Human Nutrition Practice Exam (contains 45 multiple choice questions, 9 diagram labeling questions and 13 statements to match to the digestion diagram questions) for students with key (a total of 9 pages)
• Human Nutrition Test with Key containing 33 multiple choice and short written response questions (a total of 6 pages with answer sheet)
• Nutrient and Indicator Test Lab Activity with key (4 pages)
• Human Digestion crossword puzzle with key (21 clues -- 2 pages)
• Curriculum Correlations including learning goals, NGSS standard, Common Core standard and correlation to the NY State Living Environment Core Curriculum (2 pages) 

Nutrition Learning Goals 

Upon completion of this unit the student will: 

1. define the terms nutrition, ingestion, and digestion.

2. define the terms autotroph and heterotroph.

3, explain the composition of roughage (fiber) and list a reason the body needs this.

4. recognize that carbohydrates should provide at least 50% of the energy needs of the body.

5. explain why large molecules require chemical digestion.

6. list the hydrolytic breakdown products of complete carbohydrate, protein, and lipid digestion, as well as the enzymes facilitating this process.

7. explain the difference between mechanical and chemical digestion.

8. state the chief role(s) of the following in the human digestive process; mouth, oral cavity, tongue, teeth, and salivary glands.

9. define the term peristalsis and recognize that it begins in the esophagus in humans.

10. describe the role of the epiglottis and esophagus in human digestion.

11. describe the appearance and role of the stomach in human digestion.

12. recognize it is the job of the liver to make bile and the gall bladder to temporarily store bile.

13. recognize the function of bile is to emulsify lipids in the small intestine.

14. describe the role of pancreatic juice in the digestive process in the small intestine.

15. explain how bile and pancreatic juice are carried to the small intestine.

16. describe the roles of the small intestine in digestion..

17. discuss the role of the folding of the small intestine and the villi which line its surface.

18. state the chief function of the large intestine, rectum, and anus in humans.

19. given a diagram of the human digestive system, label the major organs of the human digestive system. 

NGSS Standard 

HS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms. 

Common Core State Standards Connections: 

ELA/Literacy 

SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. 

NY State Living Environment Core Curriculum 

Performance Indicator 1.2 

Describe and explain the structures and functions of the human body at different organizational levels (e.g., systems, tissues, cells, organelles). 

Major Understandings 

1.2a Important levels of organization for structure and function include organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and whole organisms. 

1.2b Humans are complex organisms. They require multiple systems for digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, movement, coordination, and immunity. The systems interact to perform the life functions. 

1.2c The components of the human body, from organ systems to cell organelles, interact to maintain a balanced internal environment. To successfully accomplish this, organisms possess a diversity of control mechanisms that detect deviations and make corrective actions. 

1.2d If there is a disruption in any human system, there may be a corresponding imbalance in homeostasis. 

1.2e The organs and systems of the body help to provide all the cells with their basic needs. The cells of the body are of different kinds and are grouped in ways that enhance how they function together. 

Appendix A Lab Skills 

¥ Follows directions to correctly use and interpret chemical indicators 

Bundle and Save

Many more biology materials are available from Monday's Rescue.   The Biology/Life Science Course contains 22 units which can be used to develop a full year course.   A purchase of the Biology/Life Science Course provides significant savings of over 70% compared to purchasing each of the 22 units individually.  This course is available for $24.99.   It contains over 900 pages of learning materials and 1500 plus PowerPoint slides. 

This year long course contains the following units:

• Life Processes and Introduction to Classification Learning Activities
• Cell Structure and Function Lesson Activities
• Membrane and Membrane Processes Learning Activities
• Introduction to Biochemistry and Enzymes Lesson Activities
• Human Nutrition Learning Activities
• Human Circulation Learning Activities
• Immunity Lesson and Lab Activities
• Human Respiration Learning Activities
• Introduction to Cell Respiration Learning Activities
• Introduction to Human Excretion and Human Locomotion Learning Activities
• Nervous and Endocrine Systems Lesson Activities
• Introduction to Mitosis and Asexual Reproduction Lesson Activities
• Introduction to Meiosis Lesson Activities
• Reproduction and Development Lesson Activities
• Plant Systems and Adaptations Lesson Activities
• Photosynthesis Learning Activities
• Plant Reproduction and Development Lesson Activities
• Classical Genetics Learning Activities (Mendelian and Beyond Mendel)
• Introduction to DNA, RNA, Protein Synthesis and Biotechnology Lesson Activities
• Introduction to Evolution Lesson Activities
• Ecology Lesson Activities
• Human Ecology Learning Activities
• Complete NY State Living Environment Regents Review Packets with Answers 

View the contents of the whole year course in more detail at  Biology/Life Sciences Complete Course 

Terms of Use

Purchase of the product is for classroom use by the purchaser only. It is a violation for individuals, schools, and districts to redistribute or sell this item on the Internet or to other individuals. I do encourage you to use and edit these documents to suit your needs with your own students in distance learning environments.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.