Stuck Like Glue: It’s Constipated

Intended Grade Level: Middle School (6th-8th Grade)

Prior to this lesson, students should have a basic understanding of the gastrointestinal tract and its functions.

Overview:

Animals are likely to get constipated when they are not active because the body is not moving and thus isn’t digesting food as quickly.  Their stress levels are also higher than animals that are active which decreases the rate that food moves through the intestines due to increased sympathetic nervous system activity. This decreased gut motility makes food sit in the large intestine longer and dry out, making it harder to move and causing the animal to become constipated.
Exercise helps to decrease the risk of constipation because it decreases the time it takes for food to move through the large intestine, limiting the amount of water absorption since dry, hard stool is harder to pass. During exercise, endorphins and dopamine are released which decreases stress in animals. Because their stress levels are lowered, the speed that food can pass through the digestive system increases and prevents constipation. Exercise also increases breathing and heart rate which naturally stimulates the squeezing of intestines which helps to pass food through the digestive system.

Instructional Guide

This unit is designed to teach middle school students about how an animal’s gastrointestinal tract is affected by being immobile for long periods of time and how exercise prevents constipation.

Student Learning Objectives

• Learners should be able to list three reasons why inactivity may lead to constipation in animals and explain why each reason happens.
• Learners should be able to explain how to prevent and treat constipation in animals.

Lesson Format

Estimated Duration: one 50 minute class period
Students will spend the first part of the class period learning about why lack of exercise causes constipation in animals. Students will then play a matching game and a Kahoot to assess their understanding of the learning objectives after the lecture.

Resources

What Causes Constipation? Video

Slide Show Presentation (requires computer access and projector for instructor to broadcast the presentation while lecturing)

Gastrointestinal Kahoot (requires phone, iPad, or computer access for each student as well as a Kahoot account for the teacher (can get a free one))

Matching Game and Flashcards  (requires a phone, iPad or computer access for each student to practice identifying fight or flight (sympathetic) or rest and digest (parasympathetic) responses)

Assessment

Fight or Flight vs Rest and Digest Matching Game or Flashcards (See “Resources”)

Gastrointestinal Kahoot (See “Resources”)