Ward's® Investigating Digestive Processes Kit

With this kit, students discover how our bodies break down food.

• Students research how bodies process food by recreating digestive system
• Activities include altering enzymes, testing for digestion byproducts, and more
• Pre- and post-laboratory assessments included
• Material for six setups
• Estimated lab time–day one: 60 minutes, day two: 15 minutes
• Aligned to NGSS standards (MS/HS: PS3, LS1)

Before food can be used as fuel, certain enzymes in various parts of the body must break it down into a usable form. Students can re-create this process and observe the action of different types of enzymes found in the body.

They can alter pH and temperature to see how these factors affect the enzymes, determine where in the body starches, proteins, and fats are digested, and test for digestion byproducts. The kit includes a teacher’s guide, a student copymaster, and material for six setups.

The kit is also available for purchase with a link to a NewPath digital lesson, which includes a variety of resources on the topic, including background information, illustrations and self-assessments.

Ordering information: This kit includes pipets, pH test strips, indicator charts, iodine, olive oil, hydrochloric acid (1%), sodium hydroxide (0.1%), starch solution (1%), pancreatin, pepsin to make 1% solution, phenolphthalein solution, and test tubes with screwcaps. Hard-boiled eggs (one per group), an incubator, an ice bath, and test tube racks are required but not included.