Biology Year 11 - Module 2 - Lesson 12

Absorption and Elimination — The Mystery Solved

Use this worksheet after reading the lesson to practise the key ideas and prove you can meet the success criteria.

Name
Date
Class

1. Key Ideas

Digestion breaks food down. Absorption gets it into the body. Follow a glucose molecule from the inside of your small intestine all the way to a liver cell — and find out exactly why our patient from Lesson 11 is malnourished despite eating well.

  • Describe the structure of villi and microvilli and explain their role
  • Absorption of nutrients, minerals, and water

2. Success Criteria

By the end, you should be able to:

  • Describe the structure of villi and microvilli and explain their role
  • Explain how glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and water are absorbed
  • Trace absorbed nutrients from intestinal lumen to bloodstream

3. Key Terms

think happens after glucoseproduced in the small intestine
why villi and microvilliessential using SA:V principle
maximises absorption surface areatested in nearly every HSC paper — 3–5 marks in Section II
solutionthe same: fold a large surface area into a small space
the small intestinenot smooth — it is thrown into large circular folds called
surface of each plicacovered in thousands of

4. Activity: Build the Lesson Map

Use the lesson to complete the table. Keep answers brief but specific.

PromptYour answer
Main concept
Important example
Common mistake to avoid
How this links to the next lesson

5. Short Answer Questions

1. Explain this lesson goal in your own words: "Describe the structure of villi and microvilli and explain their role". Use one specific example from the lesson.

Band 32 marks

2. Apply this idea to a new example: "Explain how glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and water are absorbed". Show your reasoning clearly.

Band 43 marks

3. Analyse why this idea matters for understanding Absorption and Elimination — The Mystery Solved: "Trace absorbed nutrients from intestinal lumen to bloodstream".

Band 54 marks

6. Extend: Apply the Idea

Band 5/65 marks

A student gives a memorised answer about Absorption and Elimination — The Mystery Solved but does not use evidence or reasoning.

Improve the answer by writing a stronger response that uses accurate terminology, a relevant example and a clear explanation.

7. Multiple Choice

1. What is the best first step when answering a question about Absorption and Elimination — The Mystery Solved?

A. Identify the key concept being tested

B. Write every fact from memory

C. Ignore the command word

D. Skip examples and evidence

2. Which answer would show stronger understanding of Absorption and Elimination — The Mystery Solved?

A. An answer with accurate terms and reasoning

B. A copied definition only

C. A single-word response

D. An answer with no example

3. What should you do if a question asks you to explain?

A. Link the idea to a reason or cause

B. List unrelated facts

C. Only draw a diagram

D. Write the shortest possible answer

8. Success Criteria Proof

Finish with evidence that you can do each success criterion.

Success criterion 1

Prove that you can: Describe the structure of villi and microvilli and explain their role

Band 32 marks
Success criterion 2

Prove that you can: Explain how glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and water are absorbed

Band 43 marks
Success criterion 3

Prove that you can: Trace absorbed nutrients from intestinal lumen to bloodstream

Band 54 marks

One thing I still need help with: