Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understanding the digestive system: The main objective of this lesson is to teach students about the digestive system, its parts, and the function of each. Students should be able to identify the main parts of the digestive system (mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus) and understand that each plays an important role in the process of digesting food.

2. Relating body parts to their functions: Through the study of the digestive system, students will learn to relate specific parts of the human body to their functions. They should understand that, for example, the mouth is where chewing begins and that the stomach is where food is broken down into smaller pieces so the body can absorb nutrients.

3. Promoting awareness of the importance of a healthy diet: In addition to learning about the digestive system and its functions, students should be encouraged to think about the importance of a healthy diet. The teacher should emphasize the idea that a balanced diet, with fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in appropriate proportions, is essential for the proper functioning of the digestive system and, consequently, for overall body health.

Introduction (10 - 12 minutes)

1. Recalling basic content: The teacher should start the lesson by reminding students of the basic content that is prerequisites for understanding the digestive system. This may include a brief review of the human body and its main parts, such as the head, trunk, and limbs. Additionally, the teacher can remind students of the importance of a healthy diet for the proper functioning of the body.

2. Problem-solving situations: The teacher can present two problem-solving situations to stimulate students' curiosity and interest in the subject. The first situation could be: 'Have you ever stopped to think about how the pasta we eat for lunch turns into energy to play and run in the park?' The second situation could be: 'Did you know that, before we can enjoy an ice cream, our body needs to work hard to turn it into energy?'

3. Contextualization: The teacher should explain that these situations are examples of how our body performs a very important process called digestion. He/she can mention that digestion is like the 'cooking' of food inside our body, where it is transformed into substances that our body can use to stay healthy and energized.

4. Capturing students' attention: To capture students' attention and introduce the topic in a fun way, the teacher can share some curiosities about the digestive system. For example, he/she can mention that the saliva we produce in our mouth to help chew food contains an enzyme that already starts breaking down carbohydrates. Another interesting curiosity is that if we were to stretch the digestive tube of an adult person, it could reach over 9 meters in length!

5. Presentation of the topic: Finally, the teacher should present the topic of the lesson clearly and objectively. He/she can say: 'Today, we will learn more about how our body transforms the food we eat into energy. Let's get to know the parts of our body that make this happen and understand how each contributes to the digestion process. Let's learn about the Digestive System!'

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

The teacher should choose from the proposed activities below, according to the classroom situation and what he/she believes is most suitable for the students.

Activity 1: Building the Digestive System

1. Materials needed:

   • Playdough in different colors.
   • Colored cardboard paper.
   • Markers.
   • Blunt scissors.

2. Procedure:

   1. Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students and provide each group with the necessary materials.
   2. Explain that together they will build the digestive system using playdough and cardboard paper. Each part of the system will be represented by a different color of playdough.
   3. While the groups work, the teacher should move around the classroom, providing guidance and clarifying doubts.
   4. After the construction is completed, each group should present their model to the class, identifying each part and briefly explaining its function.

Activity 2: Digestion Game

1. Materials needed:

   • Board game printed with the drawing of the digestive system and its components.
   • Cards with images of different foods.
   • Cards with the stages of digestion.

2. Procedure:

   1. Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students and provide each group with the necessary materials.
   2. Explain that the students will play a board game where they will have to go through the stages of digestion. The goal is for them to understand how the digestion process occurs.
   3. Each group receives a card with an image of a type of food. They must then, according to the stage they are on the board, describe what happens to the food at that stage and which part of the digestive system is involved.
   4. The teacher should facilitate the game, answering questions and guiding the students in each round.

Activity 3: Digestion Simulation

1. Materials needed:

   • A box of strawberry juice.
   • A box of saltine crackers.
   • Plastic bowls.
   • A blender.
   • A coffee filter.
   • Disposable gloves.

2. Procedure:

   1. Divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students and distribute the materials among them.
   2. Explain that they will simulate the process of digestion using the provided materials. The strawberry juice will represent the food and the crackers, the saliva. The blender will be the mouth, the bowl the stomach, and the filter the small intestine.
   3. Each group puts some crackers in the bowl, pours the juice, and, with hands protected by gloves, mixes the 'food' as if they were chewing. Then, they put the mixture in the blender (mouth), blend it a bit, and pour it into the bowl (stomach). After that, they pass the mixture through the filter (small intestine) and observe the liquid that passed through the filter (nutrients) and what remained in the filter (waste).
   4. During the activity, the teacher should explain what is happening, relating the practical activity to the theory.

After conducting one of the practical activities, the teacher should propose a classroom discussion about the students' observations and learnings. This is an important moment to review the content and ensure that all students have understood how the digestive system works.

Return (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion: The teacher should gather all students in a large circle and ask each group to share their conclusions and learnings from the activity. Each group should have the opportunity to briefly present what they built (Activity 1), what they learned from the game (Activity 2), or what they observed in the simulation (Activity 3). During the presentations, the teacher should encourage other students to ask questions and make comments.

2. Connection with Theory: After the presentations, the teacher should revisit the theoretical concepts discussed at the beginning of the lesson and promote a collective reflection on how the practical activities relate to the theory. For example, the teacher can ask: 'How did the modeling activity (Activity 1) help to better understand the parts of the digestive system and their functions?' Or 'What did you learn from the game (Activity 2) that you didn't know before about the digestion process?'

3. Individual Reflection: After the group discussion, the teacher should encourage students to reflect individually on what they learned in the lesson. To do this, the teacher can propose two simple questions that stimulate students' reflection. The questions could be:

   • 'Which part of the digestive system did you find most interesting and why?'
   • 'After all we learned today, how can you apply this knowledge in your daily life?'

4. Note-taking: Finally, the teacher should guide students to record their answers to the reflection questions in their notebooks. This serves to reinforce learning and allows students to revisit these reflections in future lessons. The teacher should move around the classroom while students write, offering help and clarifying any doubts.

This return moment is crucial to assess the effectiveness of the lesson and ensure that all students have understood the topic. Additionally, it encourages reflection and critical thinking, important skills for students' continuous learning.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Summary of key points: The teacher should start the conclusion by summarizing the main points covered during the lesson. He/she can review the parts of the digestive system and their functions, the digestion process, and the importance of a healthy diet. For this, he/she can use the visual resources created during the practical activities, such as the playdough models (Activity 1) or the drawing of the digestive system on the game board (Activity 2).

2. Connection between theory, practice, and applications: The teacher should then explain how the lesson connected theory, practice, and applications. For example, he/she can say: 'We learned about the digestive system in theory, then in practice through the group activities, and finally, we discussed how this knowledge can be applied in our daily lives, especially when it comes to making healthy food choices.'

3. Additional materials: To enrich learning, the teacher can suggest additional materials for students. This may include children's books about the human body and digestion, educational videos available on the internet, or even interactive games that allow students to explore more about the digestive system in a playful and fun way.

4. Relevance of the content to daily life: Finally, the teacher should emphasize the importance of the content learned for students' daily lives. For example, he/she can mention that understanding how the digestive system works can help them make more conscious and healthy food decisions. Additionally, the teacher can explain that this knowledge is also useful for understanding how our body turns food into energy, which is essential for our health and well-being.

5. Closure: The teacher should end the lesson by thanking everyone for their participation and reinforcing the importance of learning about our body and how to take care of it. For example, he/she can say: 'I hope you enjoyed today's lesson and learned a little more about our amazing digestive system. Remember, it's always good to take good care of our body, and a healthy diet is essential for that. See you in the next lesson!'

The conclusion is a crucial step to consolidate learning and ensure that students leave the lesson with a clear and complete understanding of the topic. Additionally, by suggesting additional materials and highlighting the relevance of the content to daily life, the teacher encourages continuous learning and practical application of the acquired knowledge.