CIS Secondary｜STEAM in Secondary: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Digestive System

In our recent STEAM unit, students explored a complex and compelling question: How does the digestive system work, and what happens when something disrupts it?

The unit began with a detailed scientific investigation of digestion. Students traced the pathway of food from the mouth through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, analyzing how mechanical and chemical processes work together to break food down. 

They examined how nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream and how supporting organs such as the liver and pancreas contribute to overall function. Rather than memorizing diagrams, students explained systems in terms of structure, function, and cause and effect.

We then connected biology to a real-world safety issue: choking in infants and young children. Students researched common objects that babies accidentally swallow, including small batteries, bones, grapes, and thick foods such as peanut butter. 

This inquiry prompted an important question: If a foreign object becomes lodged in the digestive tract, how can it be removed safely without causing further damage?

To answer this, students moved into engineering design.They first investigated electrical conductivity, testing which materials act as conductors and which serve as insulators. Using this knowledge, they constructed closed circuits and learned how a circuit is completed and broken.

Students then applied their understanding to design and build a working simulation inspired by the classic Operation game. Each team constructed a narrow “baby digestive tract” using precisely measured aluminium wire. Metal tweezers served as surgical tools. When the tweezers touched the wire, the circuit closed and a buzzer sounded, signaling that the “operation” had failed.