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DRAFT

Do Cows Eat Burritos?

Anatomy and Physiology


Grade Level  
Standards Inquiry Skills
  Students will design and conduct scientific investigations
  Students will communicate scientific procedures and explanations
  Human Anatomy And Physiology Content
  Students will understand how the digestive system receives, modifies, and absorbs food, and eliminates solid wastes
Objectives Understanding of the gastric anatomy and function by the use of comparative anatomical techniques between ruminant and non-ruminant stomachs.
Materials and Activities
Engage What do they think the stomach of a sheep and pig look like? Would they have to be different, and if so, why?
Explore Have students in groups of four do a gross examination of the stomach and report observations of the stomachs using anatomical terminology. 

Students begin the study by performing a horizontal sagital cut through the length of the stomach. Flip over cut and observe: Compare to histologic slide of stomach mucosa. Have the student collect stomach contents and observe stomach and contents under a dissection scope.

Record observations.

Explain Point out rugae, sphincters, mucosa, and sub-mucosa. 

Demo a transverse cut through the stomach wall. 

Describe glandular structures on the histologic slide. 

Describe comparative anatomy between the ruminant and non-ruminant stomachs.

Elaborate Have students cut samples of muscle, blood vessels, mucosal tissue, stroma, and sphincter. 

Have them stretch and compress the tissue, and make an informal chart of comparison between the tissues. 

Evaluation Herbivore versus Omnivore comparative stomach differences researched and a concept map constructed.

Teacher notes/reminders:   This is the sixth lesson in a series of 6 utilizing an inquiry-based model. The lessons are:

1. The Digestive travels of a Burrito
2. Where Does a Burrito Go First?
3. How does Swallowing Effect the Burrito?
4. How Many Burritos Does a Stomach Hold?
5. What If That Burrito Was Bad?
6. Do Cows Eat Burritos?

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Updated 09/01
Last Reviewed 10/2001

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