UNIFIED LEARNING ACTIVITIES SHEETS

Science 8, Quarter 4, Week 1

Name of Learner: ______________________________ Section: ______________

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Explain ingestion, absorption, assimilation and excretion. S8LT-IVa-13

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Identify the different processes involved in digestion;

2. Demonstrate how the digestive processes work; and
3. Express how important the different processes of digestion served
to provide energy in the body.

TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 hours

Key Concepts:

 Digestion is the process of breaking down food into smaller molecules to be

absorbed by the body. The journey of food starting from the mouth down to
the anus can be summarized by a sequence of events namely: ingestion,
propulsion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, and excretion.
 The first stage is Ingestion. It is the process of taking in food into the mouth
and the gastrointestinal tract. The action of the saliva and physical
breakdown of food is part of ingestion. Initially, the smell of food signals the
salivary glands to produce saliva. Tasting the food increases the amount of
secretion. Food must then be moved from the mouth into the
gastrointestinal tract. This movement involves a process called propulsion.
The act of swallowing food is a voluntary type of propulsion.
 Digestion can be divided into two: mechanical and chemical digestion.
Mechanical digestion is the process of breaking down food physically into
smaller pieces without chemical reactions taking place. The mastication of
food done by teeth is an example of mechanical digestion. Mixing food with
digestive juices by the stomach movements, or churning, is also considered
as mechanical digestion. Segmentation is another example of mechanical
digestion done by the small intestinal muscles. It is the action of moving food
back and forth the intestine. This action helps food to mix with digestive
juices for further degradation in preparation for absorption.
Chemical digestion, on the other hand, is the breakdown of larger molecules
into their smaller building blocks via chemical reactions. Just like
mechanical digestion, chemical digestion also starts in the mouth by the
action of saliva. But most of the chemical digestion takes place in the

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
 stomach and small intestines, with the help of the accessory organs (salivary
glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas) and their secretions.

 Absorption in the small intestine happens when nutrients coming from the
digested food are absorbed and transported into the bloodstream. The
capillaries and lacteals present in the villi and microvilli absorb these
nutrients. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that absorb water-soluble
nutrients such as glucose and amino acids. Lacteals are lymphatic vessels
which absorb fatty acids and glycerol. These lymphatic vessels are
responsible for carrying fatty acids, which are not carried normally by blood.
As the building blocks of the nutrients are absorbed and are transported
into the bloodstream, these are built up again as complex substances.
Molecules such as vitamins and minerals do not undergo digestion and are
easily absorbed by the small intestine. The stomach also absorbs some of the
water, minerals, and alcohol. Chyme \’kìm\ is also moved from the small
intestine into the large intestine through peristalsis. The large intestine
absorbs most of the water and some vitamins.

Photo source: https://pt.slideshare.net

Figure 1. Villi, microvilli, and lacteals responsible for nutrient

absorption.

 Assimilation is the opposite of absorption. It is the process of building up

complex substances after absorption. It involves the movement of nutrients
absorbed by the blood. Fatty acids accumulate into the cells to form fats,
amino acids to form proteins, and monosaccharides to form polysaccharides
(glycogen for animals). Assimilation is an important process for the synthesis
of essential compounds, such as hormones and enzymes, for the body to
function well.
 Excretion or egestion. Feces is formed upon the absorption of excess water in
the chyme. Feces contains indigestible materials like cellulosic fiber from
plants, small amounts of water, mucus, and a large number of bacteria.
Peristaltic movement in the large intestine moves the feces into the rectum.
Mass movements are slow and long contractions within the large areas of the
large intestine. As feces fills the rectum, a defecation reflex, an involuntary

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
 evacuation of fecal material from the rectum, then signals excretion.
Excretion in the intestine happens as the feces are pushed through the anus
and are eliminated from the body.

Photo source: image.slidesharecdn.com Photo source: https://brainly.in/question/3201476

Figure 2. The flow of digestive process.

 There are different diseases starting from the mouth, down to the
gastrointestinal tract of the digestive system.
 Tooth decay or cavity is a common disease of teeth, especially in children. It
is characterized by the breakdown of teeth specifically on the enamel and
dentin layers.
 Another disease in the mouth is gingivitis. It is an early stage of gum disease
characterized by gum inflammation.
 A common disease of the digestive system is constipation. It is characterized
by irregular defecation or release of feces.
 Another common disease of the digestive system is diarrhea. It is the
opposite of constipation. Diarrhea is characterized by abnormally loose and
wet feces.
 Peptic ulcers are holes in the linings of the stomach or upper part of the
small intestine.
 Another disease similar to peptic ulcer is gastritis. It is the inflammation of
the mucosa or the protective layer of the stomach.
 Peptic ulcers may cause another problem of the digestive system called
indigestion. Indigestion (also called dyspepsia) is the recurring pain or
discomfort in the upper portion of the abdomen
 A balanced diet that contains the proper amount of macromolecules and
nutrients necessary for proper body function is important for good digestive
health.
 Healthy practices, such as exercise, also helps with digestive health.
 Malnutrition comes in two primary forms - protein-energy malnutrition and
micronutrient deficiency.

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
  The Philippines is one of the countries with a high incidence of malnutrition.
 Various deficiencies may also lead to other diseases like goiter or anemia.

Activity 1. Digest Me

Objective: Identify the different processes involved in digestion

What to do: Identify the key digestive process involved in each item. Select the
correct
answer inside the box. Write your answer on the space provided before
each number.

absorption digestion ingestion

assimilation excretion propulsion

______1. Food is
broken down into their building blocks through chemical means.
______2. Fatty acids accumulate within the cells to make fats, proteins, and
polysaccharides.
______3. Food is being swallowed and brought in by the mouth.
______4. Churning is a process of mixing food with digestive juices.
______5. Segmentation helps food to combine with digestive juices to prepare the
food for further degradation.
______6. Swallowing pushes the food from the mouth into the esophagus.
______7. Saliva breaks down carbohydrates within the food.
______8. Food particles are absorbed and transported into the bloodstream.
______9. Movements in the large intestine moving feces into the rectum.
______10. The stomach performs peristalsis by relaxing its upper portion to accept
the food from the esophagus.

Activity 2. Modeling the Digestive Processes

Objective: Demonstrate how the digestive processes work.

What you need: crackers, vinegar, plastic bag, cups, bread, old elastic sock or
stocking, water. Plastic/paper cup, candy (white rabbit)

What to do:

Note: Wash your hands properly before and after performing this activity. After the
activity, throw the wastes materials in the trash.

1. Mouth: chew a piece of cracker for 2 minutes without swallowing it. Record
the changes in texture and taste every minute for 2 minutes in the
worksheet below.

2. Stomach: take a piece of bread and a small cup of water. Place them in a
plastic bag and press gently until the bread is mushed (reduced to smaller

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
 pieces). Do this twice with different sizes for the plastic bags. Record your
observations and the time it took to mush the mixture to smaller pieces in
the worksheet below.

Photo source: sciencefix.co.uk/2019/05/

3. Stomach: immerse a piece of candy in water. Immerse another piece of

candy of the same size in vinegar. Record the size of each after 10 minutes.
Record your observations in the worksheet below.

Photo source: coffeecupsandcrayons.com

4. Small Intestine: cut one end of the plastic bag. Squeeze the contents of one
of the plastic bags from step 2 into an elastic sock or stocking and tilt until
the contents come out of the other end. Record your observations.

Photo source: sciencefix.co.uk/2019/05/

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
 5. Large Intestine: cut the toe off the stocking and squeeze the waste food out
into the plastic/paper cup (large intestine)

Photo source: youtube/7av19YhNkhE

Record your observations.

Observation

Table 1. Mouth, Taste and texture of the crackers

Time Observation

Taste Texture

0:00

1:00

2:00

Table 2. Stomach. Observation on the bread and Candy

OBSERVATION

Small plastic bag

Large Plastic bag

Size of candy in the

water

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
 Size of candy in the
Vinegar

Table 3. Small and Large Intestine, Observation on the contents of plastic bag.

Observation

The appearance of the mushed (torn

into pieces) bread inside the plastic bag
(stomach)

Appearance of the mushed bread while

squeezing the elastic sock or stocking
(small intestine)

Appearance of the mushed bread in the

plastic or paper cup after squeezing the
elastic sock or stocking (large intestine)

Guide Questions:

1. Was it easier or harder to reduce the bread to mush with the smaller or the
larger plastic bag? Why?
2. What do the following terms represent in the digestive process?
a. Plastic bag
b. Elastic sock or stocking
c. Pressing gently the bread
d. Vinegar
e. Water
f. Plastic or Paper cup
3. Compare the procedure (What to do) with the events of the digestive
processes Identify the procedure that represents ingestion, absorption,
assimilation and excretion or egestion.

REFLECTION:

 Nutrients human requires is only accessible with the digestive system.

These nutrients are needed by our body and without them we can’t survive. We
must really have to take good care of our digestive system in order for the different
process to function well. Make an attractive poster that highlight healthy practices
for the digestive system.
Poster rubric

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
Your performance will be graded by the following rubric.

1 2 3 4
Below Needs Successful Exemplary
Criteria Expectation Improvement Performance Performance
0-49% 50-74% 75-99% 100%

CONTENT

Detailed facts Details not Details are Details are Details are
are presented. presented but not presented in an presented in an
presented well. Content organized. There organized organized
Content is not related to is manner. matter
related to the the some content Content is related that can be
task task. that to the task. easily
is not related to understood.
the Content is
task. related
to the task.
Additional
supporting
details
are presented.

Integrating
concepts in
digestive
health.

Subject matter
is
integrated and No concept of The concept of The concept of The concept of
properly digestive health digestive health digestive health digestive health
used in discussed in the was mentioned was properly was integrated
presenting task. but integrated into in
facts. not integrated the an organized
into task. and
the task. logical way.

Concepts were Additional

properly concepts about
presented the topics
in relation to the related
task. to the task were
presented

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra

School/Station: Surigao del Norte National High School
Division: Surigao del Norte Division
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
References for learners:

Books

Cecie Starr et al. Biology, 6th edition. Singapore: Pearson Education South, 2014
Neil Campbell, et al. 2013. Biology, 10th edition. Singapore: Pearson Education
South Asia Pte Ltd.
Today and Tomorrow, 4th edition. Singapore: Cengage Learning Pte Ltd.

Websites:

Kelly Ludwig. Lincoln Way High School. Accessed April 22, 2021 from
http://mypages.iit.edu/~smile/bi9706.html
The Digestion and Absorption Process. Accessed April 22, 2021 from
https://med.libretexts.org 
Villi, microvilli, and lacteals. Accessed April 22, 2021 from
https://pt.slideshare.net

Photo Sources:

https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/dissolving-candy-cane-science-experiment/
https://image.slidesharecdn.com/nutritioninhumans-150430112503-conversion-gate01/95/
nutrition-in-humans-9-638.jpg?cb=1430393671
https://www.sciencefix.co.uk/2019/05/make-a-digestive-system-model-using-crackers-and-
bananas/
ANSWER KEY
https://youtu.be/7av19YhNkhE
Activity 1.

1. Digestion 6. Propulsion
2. Assimilation 7. Ingestion
3. Ingestion 8. Absorption
4. Digestion 9. Excretion
5. Digestion 10. Propulsion

Activity 2

0:00 - Taste – original taste - Texture- crunchy

1:00 – Taste- sweet – Texture - soften
2:00 – Taste- sweeter-Texture- Melted

Author: Ma. Edylyn L. Noguerra OBSERVATION

Small plastic
School/Station: bag del Norte National
Surigao It tookHigh
longer to mush
School the bread in the small bag
Division: Surigao del Norte Division Less time to mush the
Large Plastic bag
Email Address: maedylyn.noguerra@deped.gov.ph
bread in the large bag
Size of candy in the After ten minutes the candy size is still bigger than the candy
water immersed in the vinegar
Size of candy in the After ten minutes the candy size is already smaller than the
vinegar candy immersed in the water