N is for Natural

I've had this picture on my camera. I was trying to find the words to put with it that would make it all make sense.

Well, I don't know if it will ever make sense, but we DID make a connection today.

When we were learning about energy, we talked about how animals and plants get energy from food. We talked about the Food Guide Pyramid. Then, we talked about digestion. 

I'm sure you know where I'm going with this...

I decided not to post the picture because I don't want any text book companies hunting me down and suing me for copyright infringement.  Not that any textbook company people read this blog.

Anyway, I decided I will DESCRIBE the picture to you. Teammates: we will know exactly which picture I am talking about. You'll probably even know the page number...

The picture was of a little girl. On this picture of a little girl, there was an illustration of the digestive organs. It shows that food goes in the mouth, down the esophagus, then to the intestines. It showed the END of the intestines in a way that looks like a totally different body part.

I knew this subject was coming, so I gave this little speech: "Okay. We are going to read about how our bodies use food for energy and there is going to be a picture that is kind of...interesting.  You are going to want to laugh, but we need to be mature second graders (as I laugh inside)."

We then turn the page and see the "looks like a totally different body part" end of the intestines right away. The looks on their faces are extremely comical. Some kids (mostly boys) snicker into thier hands. All of the girls look confused. They are pretty sure girls DON'T have "those parts" in on in our bodies.

I explained all of the parts (except for the little, round, green thing that looks like a jelly bean- I'm not quite sure what that is). We talked about where are stomachs and intestines are. 

Someone asked this:

"So if we have a rumbly right here (lays hand on lower abdomen) then it's NOT our stomach?!" 

Another student answered:

"Nope...that rumble means you need to go to the bathroom. Unless it's gas."

We all eww!-ed and giggled. Then I calmed them down and said, "Alright you sillies, all of our bodies do this. IT'S NATURAL."

(By the way, I think they all answered this part of the test correctly.)

Flash forward to today.

A mounted deputy visited us for the Great American Teach In. He was explaining how he uses his horse for crowd control. He said (and I paraphrase) that if someone doesn't move for the side of the horse, he shows them the BACK side of the horse. He then turned the horse around to show us its backside. 

Princess says, "Eww! What if the horse poops on them?"

One sassy little darling shrugged her shoulders and said, "Be mature...IT'S NATURAL!"