Science Year 8

Unit 8A Food and digestion

About the unit Expectations

In this unit pupils learn: At the end of this unit
• about different foods and how they can be combined to produce a balanced diet in terms of scientific enquiry
• how food is broken down by digestion so it can be used by the body, for energy, growth and repair
most pupils will: use secondary sources of information to generate
In scientific enquiry pupils:
graphs or displays relevant to questions asked; recognise that
• consider the extent to which evidence about diet can lead to firm conclusions
interpretation of evidence about questions of health and diet may be
• use a model to explore digestion
difficult; identify and control relevant variables when investigating
• use chemical tests to identify food types
the action of an enzyme
• present and interpret data from secondary sources
• draw conclusions from observations and explain these using scientific knowledge some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: find
• investigate a question about nutrition using secondary sources of information information from selected secondary sources about food and diet;
generate graphs or displays relevant to questions asked; with help,
This unit is expected to take approximately 8 hours. control relevant variables when investigating the action of an enzyme
Where the unit fits in some pupils will have progressed further and will: choose secondary
sources to provide the information needed about food and diet;
This unit draws on ideas about food and nutrition developed in the key stage 2 programme of study. It builds on
explain why interpretation of evidence about questions of health and
unit 5A ‘Keeping healthy’ in the key stage 2 scheme of work and on unit 7A ‘Cells’.
diet may be difficult
The particle model of matter is introduced in unit 7G ‘Particle model of solids, liquids and gases’ and is revisited
in terms of life processes and living things
in this unit in the context of digestion.
most pupils will: name nutrients, fibre and water as part of a balanced
The unit relates to other units that focus on life processes in humans: unit 8B ‘Respiration’ and unit 9B ‘Fit and
healthy’, which revisits the concept of a healthy diet. diet, identifying examples of foods in which they are found, and
describe the role of the main nutrients in the body; use a model to
The energy transfer ideas of unit 7I ‘Energy resources’ are used in the context of digestion. Energy should be describe how large molecules are broken down during digestion and
distinguished from ‘stuff’ (food as the energy resource or fuel). describe the role of blood in transporting products of digestion
This unit relates to unit 8A(i) ‘Exploring materials (food)’ and unit 9A(i) ‘Selecting materials (food)’ in the around the body
design and technology scheme of work. some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: name some
groups of nutrients and identify some examples of foods in which
they are found; describe a balanced diet; recognise that blood
transports products of digestion around the body
some pupils will have progressed further and will: explain why some
nutrients have to be broken down before they can be used by the
body and why some foods cannot be digested by humans

Key stage 3 schemes of work

Prior learning Resources
It is helpful if pupils: Resources include:
• know that food is needed for activity and growth, and that an • secondary sources to explore the constituents of food, eg diet software,
adequate and varied diet is needed to maintain health CD-ROMs, dietary information leaflets, video clips of TV
• know that matter, including food, consists of particles, eg molecules, advertisements, other literature, which may include articles from
which can differ in size magazines
• recognise that food provides energy for the body • a range of foodstuffs for testing, sufficient to provide several samples
rich in each of the major chemical groups in food, including foods that
are found in the diet of other countries
Health and safety • illustrative material relating to advertising claims for foods, eg from
Risk assessments are required for any hazardous activity. In this unit magazines
pupils: • database and spreadsheet software
• carry out chemical tests on a range of foods • simulation software illustrating digestion and transport of substances
• investigate the effect of saliva on starch in the blood
• plan and carry out their own investigation into enzyme activity • a collection of food packaging, including cereal packets showing
Model risk assessments used by most employers for normal science nutritional contents
activities can be found in the publications listed in the Teacher’s guide. • media reports, magazine, newspaper and television advertisements
Teachers need to follow these as indicated in the guidance notes for the relating to food and diet
activities, and consider what modifications are needed for individual
classroom situations.
Out-of-school learning
Pupils could:
Language for learning • visit a supermarket to find out more about foods
Through the activities in this unit pupils will be able to understand, use • look at menus and labels in fast-food outlets
and spell correctly: • read articles in magazines and newspapers about issues relating to
• scientific words relating to the structure of organisms, eg intestine, food and diet, eg for athletes, pregnant women, very young children
villus • find out about conflicts in dietary advice, and world food shortages
• more specialised words relating to nutrition, eg carbohydrate, protein, • extend their ideas about diet during holidays and visits to other
enzyme families
• words and phrases with similar but distinct meanings, eg take in and • use the internet to find information and advice on food and diet,
absorb, feeding and digestion eg www.nutrition.org.uk
• words that extend their vocabulary, eg absorption
Through the activities pupils could:
• show relationships between ideas by using links which show purpose,
eg in order to, so that, and reservations, eg although, unless, if
• select relevant information and link to other information, from a
range of sources
• distinguish facts from hypotheses/theories/opinions and consider how
far information is complete and helpful

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 8A

1

What’s in food and why is it important?

• that foods are a source of raw • Use a true/false quiz to assess and revise pupils’ knowledge and understanding of • identify some reasons why food • Teachers will be aware of the need to
materials for the body food and diet. Provide a selection of terms used in the quiz and ask pupils to link is important, eg as raw material, treat issues about diet with sensitivity,
• that foods are the energy related terms together. These terms can be used again at the end of the unit when for growth, for energy including being aware of the diet in
resource to maintain the body’s reviewing work to monitor progress in learning. Ask them about work carried out other countries and cultures.
activities (growth, repair and in key stage 2. Review the main reasons why we need food. • This activity is designed to find out what
movement) pupils know and understand about food
and diet. Teachers will need to bear this
in mind in later work.
• In key stage 2, pupils are likely to have
grouped similar foods together and
discussed which provide materials for
growth and which are more immediate
sources of energy. Most pupils will not
have formally classified foods as proteins,
carbohydrates, etc.

• that foods contain a mix of • Ask pupils to use the nutritional information panel from cereal packets to identify • identify foods which are rich in • Extension: pupils could be asked to find out
proteins, carbohydrates, fats, the main nutrients contained in food, and establish that carbohydrates, pr oteins, particular nutrients about how mammals in desert conditions
vitamins, minerals, fibre and fats, fibre and water form the bulk of food. • use chemical tests to identify obtain sufficient water in their diet.
water • Demonstrate food tests to identify protein, starch, sugars, fats, and water, proteins, carbohydrates and fats Safety
• to use chemical tests to identify ensuring that pupils are aware of the health and safety requirements for these • work safely with chemicals – appropriate risk assessments should
proteins, carbohydrates and fats tests. • construct a Venn diagram be made in relation to the proteins,
• to work safely with chemicals • Provide a range of foods, eg 15 samples, and ask pupils working in groups to use showing the combinations of carbohydrates and fats used and the
• to present results to highlight the food tests to identify the presence of nutrients in the foods. Help pupils to nutrients in each food sample reagents used to test for them
significant points share results and produce a Venn diagram showing foods which have different tested – very dilute sodium hydroxide
combinations of the nutrients. (0.2 mol dm-3) should be used in the
• Discuss with pupils the importance of water in the diet, what the sour ces of water Biuret test for protein
are and whether it should or should not be counted as a nutrient. – Benedict’s (not Fehling’s) solution
should be used in the tests for sugars
– if ethanol (highly flammable) is used
to test for fats, ensure no naked
flames are used and remind pupils
how to heat a test tube of liquid safely
– pupils should not eat the food
tested because of possible
contamination
– beware of foods containing nuts.
If pupils with known allergies are
present, follow appropriate
procedures after risk assessment

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 8A

2

• that vitamins and minerals are • Extend pupils’ understanding of a balanced diet by providing software on diet • use ICT to produce graphs or • Pupils should be reminded that
present in smaller amounts than containing information about the nutritional content of a range of foods. displays relevant to the question information is normally given in terms of
the other constituents of food • Depending on the nature of information provided, help pupils to frame asked 100g of food and that this may not be a
• how to search for information in appropriate questions to investigate, eg Which foods contain starch and fat?, and • use data to show that vitamins standard portion. They could scale the
databases or spreadsheets to use the spreadsheet to produce and interpret graphs. Ask them to compare the and minerals are present in values up or down according to the
• to frame a question that can be results obtained with the Venn diagram from the previous activity and to suggest foods in smaller amounts than standard portions and assess the
investigated reasons for differences. the other nutrients nutritional value of a typical meal. This
• to decide whether to use • Help groups of pupils to use the results of their investigations to produce a • describe, eg in an information provides an opportunity to reinforce
first-hand or secondary data summary leaflet about one type of food constituent, including information about leaflet, good sources of one ideas about making fair comparisons.
• to use and interpret foods that are a good source of it and the role of this food constituent in the diet. nutrient and the importance of • Extension: pupils could use information
ICT-generated graphs • Bring together all the leaflets as a class booklet and establish the main role of each that nutrient in the diet in a database or spreadsheet to answer
• that protein is important for type of food in the diet. • identify the main role of questions, eg
growth and repair and that proteins, carbohydrates and fats – Are foods containing protein more
carbohydrates and fats more in the diet expensive than other foods?
commonly provide energy – What are the sources of protein for a
vegetarian?
– How does the nutritional content of a
prepared microwave meal compare
with that of a similar freshly prepared
cooked meal?

Which foods provide a balanced diet?

• that a healthy diet contains a • Introduce the idea that there are many different healthy and balanced diets by • explain that a healthy diet • Teachers will be aware of the need to
balance of foodstuffs inviting pupils from a variety of backgrounds to describe some of the main features contains a balance of six groups ensure that pupils are sensitive to
of their own or their family’s diet. Suggest that pupils ask senior members of their of chemicals (proteins, differences between each other’s
family to describe the type of diet they had when they were children. carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, individual diets as well as the diet of their
• Use food packaging, advertising claims, media reports, or recorded television minerals, fibre) and water families and friends.
advertisements as a stimulus to raise questions, eg • Whilst the concept of a balanced diet is
– Can too much salt be harmful? easy for pupils to understand, the media
– What is a healthy diet? present much conflicting dietary advice,
– Should children and adults have the same diet? which may be biased according to its
– Are low-calorie alternatives always preferable? source.
– How do diets of different cultures differ? • Extension: pupils could find out about
• Raise the issue of what exactly is meant by a ‘healthy’ balanced diet. the special diets of other pupils and
consider the reasons why the balance of
constituents within these diets is
different and important.

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 8A

3

• to distinguish facts from • Ask pupils to use information from a variety of secondary sources to find out more • critically assess the sources of • This provides an opportunity for
theories/hypotheses/opinions about one question from those already raised by pupils or others, eg secondary data, and use selected considering an area of science in which
• to show relationships between – What foods should you eat to reduce the chance of heart disease? sources for a purpose our knowledge is incomplete and
ideas, by using links which show – What do athletes eat at different stages of training? • identify factual information and interpretation of the available evidence is
purpose and reservations – What does a pregnant woman need in her diet? distinguish it from an opinion/ difficult.
– What are ‘organic’ foods and how are they different from other foods? claim, focusing on the language
– Are breakfast cereals really good for you? used
• Discuss with pupils what they have found out and the extent to which they have • recognise when presenting
confidence in the information they used. results that knowledge is
incomplete and interpretation of
evidence is difficult

• to select relevant information • Ask pupils to produce a report of their findings and conclusions in an interesting • select relevant information • Leaflets and posters providing
and link to other information and appropriate format, eg display work, an advisory leaflet for a particular target • indicate where knowledge is not information on diet are available from
from a range of sources group, a class debate, a radio interview script. sufficient to draw a firm many sources, including health
• to recognise where evidence is • Remind pupils about earlier work on food chains and contrast the diet of animals conclusion promotion units and health
not sufficient to draw firm with the range of the human diet. • represent information in a organisations, eg the British Heart
conclusions format appropriate to the Foundation, British Nutrition Foundation,
audience food manufacturers, food marketing
organisations, eg The National Dairy
Council, food retailers and the media.
• Many of these organisations also provide
internet sites presenting dietary
information. Pupils could be encouraged
to explore these.
• Extension: pupils could be asked to find
out about the diet of another mammal
and to compare the range of nutrients it
provides with those in the human diet.

Checking progress

• to generate questions about • Ask pupils to produce a quiz sheet to test knowledge and understanding about • generate appropriate questions
nutrients and diet food and diet and exchange with other pupils, who can use them to assess their together with answers related to
knowledge and understanding. the content of the unit

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 8A

4

What happens to food inside the digestive system?

• that the digestive system • Ask pupils for their ideas about what happens to food once it has been eaten. • describe how food passes along • Most pupils will not have studied
consists of a tube through which Develop the idea that food enters a tube running through the body, and that this, a digestive tube which runs digestion at key stage 2, although they
food passes and associated organs, make up the digestive system. Build up their suggestions through the body will have ideas about what happens to
• to interpret the relationship into a sequence of events commencing with feeding, followed by absorption and • offer suggestions about what food inside the body. This unit focuses
between a model gut and the ending with elimination of faeces. happens to food as it passes on what digestion involves and why it is
digestive system • Explain that what happens to food inside this tube can be explor ed using a model, through this tube necessary, rather than on the structure of
• to suggest explanations for eg a model gut made from visking tubing filled with a ‘starch meal’; a software • make links between the model the digestive system or on the detail of
observations simulation. Ask pupils about how they tested for starch earlier and help them to gut and the digestive system how and where particular foods are
test the contents of the ‘gut’ and the surrounding water for starch. Ask pupils to • use scientific knowledge to digested.
explain their observations and to consider the implications of nutrients fr om food explain observations • The use of the model gut will allow
entering the body. pupils to investigate the processes going
• Ask pupils to interpret their findings in the light of their previous assumptions. on inside the intestine, and to appreciate
the importance of the process. Using a
model such as a sieve with chickpeas and
sand may help some pupils.
• Pupils are introduced to the particle
model in unit 7G ‘Particle model of
solids, liquids and gases’ and to ideas
about atoms and molecules in unit 8E
‘Atoms and elements’.

• that foods contain starch, • Check pupils’ understanding of the relationship between size of food molecules • state that small molecules can • Plants’ production of starch from glucose
protein and fat, which have and ease of absorption, eg by showing them models representing molecules of pass through the wall of the for storage is introduced in unit 9A
molecules that are too large to starch, protein, fat, sugars, vitamins and minerals. Ask pupils which of these make small intestine ‘Inheritance and selection’. Minerals, eg
be absorbed by the body up most of the foods they eat and challenge them to suggest what must happen • explain that starch, protein and calcium, and vitamins, eg vitamin C, are
• that sugars, vitamins and to the large molecules. Ask them to predict which will be absorbed most easily, fat molecules are too large to be considered in more detail in unit 9B ‘Fit
minerals are generally smaller with reasons. absorbed and healthy’.
and can be absorbed by the • Establish that digestion involves breaking larger molecules into smaller ones. • explain that specific vitamins and • Interlocking bead models can be used to
body Introduce the idea that digestion involves enzymes which act on large, insoluble minerals are generally smaller represent large and small molecules and
• that large molecules are broken molecules to break them down into smaller, soluble molecules. Help pupils to set and can be absorbed by the to model the process of breakdown of
down by enzymes in the gut to up a model gut containing saliva and starch, and to test the contents of the water body molecules, such as starch into sugar
form smaller molecules, which for sugar and the contents of the model gut for starch. • produce a sequence of diagrams molecules. Although such models do not
pass through the wall of the to illustrate that larger molecules accurately represent the structure of fats,
small intestine are broken down to form smaller they do help to get across the idea of
• how models can be used to molecules in the gut complexity.
represent and explain complex Safety – ensure pupils use their own
processes saliva and that used test tubes are
placed in disinfectant. Staff who clean
apparatus should use gloves

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 8A

5

What do digestive enzymes do?

• that food is digested by enzymes • Through questioning, elicit pupils’ ideas about digestive enzymes as a means of • state that food is digested by • Viewing animation of the process is very
in the gut to form smaller breaking down larger molecules. Establish that the water outside the tubing in the enzymes in the gut to form useful in helping pupils to internalise
molecules model represents the blood system. Ask them to explain the process, eg using smaller molecules and that these what is going on.
• to represent a complex process animations from CD-ROMs or video, or interlocking bead models of large pass into the blood • Extension: pupils could produce a
using diagrams and text molecules. Ask pupils to draw a sequence of diagrams and then write an • describe the processes involved, ‘flicker-book’ animation to represent the
explanation in their own words. eg by drawing diagrams, by process.
using models, in writing

• to identify factors relevant to a • Remind pupils of the range of food types with large molecules and explain that in • suggest relevant variables, eg • At this stage, pupils do not need to
particular context addition to enzymes the conditions inside the gut assist the breakdown of large pH, temperature know the names of specific digestive
• to plan how to control variables molecules, eg body temperature. Ask the pupils to discuss what other substances • identify a way to keep variables, enzymes, although some pupils might
• to explain their results using are found in the stomach. After the discussion inform the pupils that hydr ochloric eg temperature, constant find these out for themselves.
knowledge of the human acid is produced by the lining of the stomach. • identify the conditions under • In unit 7E ‘Acids and alkalis’ pupils may
digestive system • Provide them with an opportunity to investigate the action of a particular enzyme, which digestion occurs, eg at a have found out about the use of acid in
• to show relationships between eg trypsin acting on the gelatine of exposed and developed black-and-white temperature of 37ºC, and relate the human digestive system.
ideas by using links that show photographic film; protease acting on albumen. these to their results • The effect of pH changes on enzyme
purpose and reservation • Ask pupils to suggest what might affect how well the enzyme digests the food, eg activity could be monitored using ICT.
pH, temperature, and help them to plan an investigation, identifying what they ar e • Extension: pupils could find out which is
going to measure and which variables they will need to control. Ask pupils to the best washing powder for an egg yolk
produce an account of their investigation, relating what they found out to the stain, eg biological or non-biological. Be
conditions in the gut. aware that some pupils may be allergic
to biological washing powders.
Safety – pupils’ plans must be
checked for health and safety before
practical work begins. Remind pupils
how to safely heat test tubes of acid
and other substances

Where are the products of digestion used?

• that the products of digestion • Remind pupils about the way in which the body uses food, eg for energy, for • state that the blood transports • At key stage 2 pupils are likely to have
are transported in the blood to growth, and ask them how the products of digestion reach other parts of the products of digestion to every learnt about blood being pumped
other parts of the body body. Use secondary sources, eg video clips, ICT simulations, to show how simple cell in the body around the body by the heart, but not
• that some food material cannot molecules, eg glucose molecules, are transported to cells, eg in the muscles. • use models to describe how about the role of the blood in
be digested and is egested • Ask pupils which of the food types they hadn’t considered during the work on the smaller molecules are transporting the products of digestion to
products of digestion. Establish that fibre and undigested food is passed through transported in the blood other parts of the body. The body’s use
the gut and egested in faeces. • state that some food material of glucose in respiration is covered in unit
cannot be digested and is passed 8B ‘Respiration’.
out of the body as faeces • Extension: pupils could be asked to find
out why grass is not a source of food for
humans.

Key stage 3 schemes of work Science unit 8A

6

Reviewing work

• to relate knowledge and • Provide pupils with an appropriate selection of terms related to food and digestion • identify appropriate connections • A concept map can show connections
understanding of food types to and ask them to use these to make a concept map. Discuss pupils’ maps with between ideas in this unit and between different ideas in a particular
the processes of digestion them, asking them to identify areas of difficulty and challenging them to make and explain their reasoning topic. Pupils may have made concept
explain new connections. maps in key stage 2.

Ref: QCA/00/445 © Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) 2000 Science unit 8A