Shaunquetta N. Johnson
I intend to teach students the relationship between their diet and digestive system. My unit will delve into the process foods go through in the large intestine and how bacteria help to break down food particles. My unit will stretch into understanding how gas forms when certain foods cannot be digested and the process gas goes through to finally get released.
My goal for the unit is to get students asking questions about a subject that they find humorous and shy away from because it's an "uncomfortable" incident to talk about. My intention is to reassure students that flatulence deserves discussion because it is a part of health that we must keep in mind when making choices about what food and drinks we put into our bodies and how everyone's digestive systems are not the same. This unit will encourage students to examine how the digestive system functions and analyze how the breakdown of food may affect others differently. I anticipate students' curiosity to expand since the effect of foods and gas differs from person to person. Students should probe, and conduct investigations to answer their question.
Students will learn how to effectively ask questions that extend beyond recall and definition. Students will research topics and information to distinguish facts from opinions. Hands-on activities and experiments will reinforce the functions of the digestive system to increase students' curiosity.
Additionally, my unit will connect with other academic subjects to increase more inquiry and further analysis about flatulence and the digestive system. Students can apply their mathematical skills by conducting investigations and tracking their data through tables, charts and graphs. Students can question and hypothesize if exercise during gym class affects their flatulence in any way. Further exploration and research can extend to animals and how flatulence develops in their digestive system. Students can compare and contrast human and animal flatulence, diets, and digestive systems. In writing, students will be able to compose expository reports to explain their findings and strengthen their writing communication skills. Lastly, my unit will excite students about reading nonfiction text to discern fact from opinion while researching.