GaSTRoiNTesTiNaL SYSTeM!

Basically, it performs 6 steps:

1. Ingestion
2. mastication
3. digestion
4. secretion
5. absorption
6. excretion.

So the mouth chews food and mixes it with saliva; forms food into bolus and swallows. The esophagus then moves bolus to the stomach through peristalsis. The stomach will store and churn food while the food mixes with digestive juices. When the “food” is in the small intestine, the small intestine will secret enzymes, receive secretions from the pancreas and liver, neutralize the acidity in chime, and absorb nutrients into the bloodstream and lymphatic system. The large intestine will finally create and absorb fat-soluble vitamins, reabsorbs water, forms and eliminates feces.

The Lymphatic and Immune Systems

Let’s start with the lymphatic system first.

So the lymphatic system is both the transport system and barracks of the immune system. It recycles lost fluids form the cardiovascular system, transports pathogens to the lymph nodes where they can be destroyed, store and mature some types of WBC and absorbs glycerol and fatty acids from food.

It consists of lymph capillaries, vessels, trunks and ducts containing lymphatic fluid and lymph nodes.


The immune system…

Ok.., its function is to ignore self-antigens and respond to non-self antigens. It is divided to innate and adaptive immunity.

Innate immunity is nonspecific, has no memory and cannot improve performance with experience. Adaptive immunity, on the other hand, is exactly the opposite of immunity. (I Suppose)

So what else? The immune system uses different types of cells to fight pathogens. There are also barriers that can be either physical or chemical (like the skin and tears).

I think illustrations, graph and other visual aids will help in teaching this lesson.

Respiratory System (It’s a Gas!)

Our lesson is all about the respiratory system.

So what have I learned? Here they are…

• The respiratory system is consists of 2 lungs, upper and lower airways, terminal air sacs (alveoli), a thoracic cage and muscles of breathing

• There are two processes of breathing: ventilation and respiration.

• The upper airways of the respiratory tract are in charge for initially conditioning the inhaled air.

• The lower respiratory tract? Hmm... I can’t recall anything about it...

• The diaphragm is the main muscle of breathing.

Ok… I guess that’s all I can remember right now.

Well… teaching suggestions? Illustrations will be very helpful especially in discussing about the process of breathing itself 