Unit 5 Reflection

This unit covered the topics of metabolism, the digestive system, diabetes, the endocrine system, and the lymphatic system. I learned all about the different metabolic pathways and what happens to the food that enters your body. I also learned about the different causes of diabetes and how it can be treated. I learned about the functions of the endocrine system, and the lymphatic system. The essential themes relating to this unit include how all the different we learned about maintain homeostasis in our body.

This unit my definite weakness was keeping track of my notebook. The major reason for this was because I missed the first day of this unit. As a result I did miss a section of notes and keeping up with my notebook after that was difficult. My success was with my time management. This semester has been especially busy because of my extracurricular activities, despite this I have been able to successfully complete all my homework and study sufficiently for the temp checks that we have had.\

One interesting lab we did revolved around the digestive system. We used string to measure just how long the digestive system is. I found out the digestive system is around 14 meters long. I was amazed at how something that long can fit in our body.

I would like to learn more about the impact of the endocrine system on our muscular system. I would also like to learn more about the different functions of the hormones in the endocrine system.


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Digestive System



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Endocrine System

Digestive System Lab

1. Briefly recap what you did and what you main “take aways” were from the activity.  Include a copy of the data table on the previous page.

I basically cut different lengths of string to represent different parts of the digestive tract. I then attached them together to see the total length of the digestive system.

Mouth: 13cm (green)
Esophagus 41cm (red)
Stomach 18cm (gold )
Small Intestine 660cm (string)
Large Intestine 165cm (white)

2. How does the length of your digestive system compare to your height (if you know your height in feet and inches, convert your height to inches knowing that there are 12 inches in a foot, then multiply it by 0.0254 meters/inch to get your height in meters)? How do you think your digestive system is able to fit inside your abdomen?  

My digestive tract is roughly 8 times my height as it is around 13.7 meters and I am 1.7 meters tall. It is able to fit inside my abdomen as it is curled up. 

3. How long do you think it takes (on average) for food to move through your entire digestive system?  Write down your guess, and then look it up online from a credible source.  Compare your guess to the actual average.  What factors influence the time it takes?

I believe it takes an average of 6hrs for food to move completely through the digestive system. The actual average from eating to elimination is 53 hours. Some major actors that influence this time are the types of foods eaten, how many fluids are consumed, and if any exercise was done.

4. How is digestion different from absorption and what organs are involved in each?

Digestion is the breakdown of foods into smaller particles that can be absorbed by the body. Absorption is that taking in of those particles for the body to use. Organs involved in digestion include the small intestine and the stomach. Organs involved in absorption include, stomach, small intestine, anus, and large intestine.

5. What questions do you have or what things about the digestive system do you want to learn?

I am still baffled as how the whole digestive system is able to fit inside the human body. I want to learn more about the different functions of each of the organs in the digestive system 

Second Semester Goals

1. I will become more organized. I will organize my binders for school better and keep my room clean as well. I will make sure I am always on top of the things I need to do and complete them without being left behind. Some steps to doing this will be keeping my notebook more organized for anatomy, using my planner, and keeping my binders organized for my classes.

2. I will be more confident to take risks. I will step outside of my comfort zone more often and build courage to take risks. I will do this by interacting more with strangers and building my confidence. I will do this by challenging myself on a daily basis to not take the easy path to the solution. I will be adventurous and try new things.