Week 10 of Nutrition Expedition: A Good Hair Day!

November 9-13, 2015

A Good Hair Day!

It was a good hair WEEK in Nutrition Expedition! We had a very stimulating lesson on our hair, the role it plays on our body, and how it grows.

After some research, we learned that we have hair all over our body! Some we can see, like the hair on our head, eyebrows and eyelashes, while other hair is nearly invisible, like the hair on our cheek. Hair plays a very important role; it keeps us warm, keeps dirt and germs out of our eyes (eyelashes), and sweat from running into our eyes (eyebrows)! 

The older children wanted to know what hair was made out of, so we investigated and found out that it is made up of a protein called keratin. Cells begin sticking together, forming the keratin at the root of the hair, found in the subcutaneous layer of our skin. As the hair grows, it travels upward through the follicle (or tube that contains each strand of hair) and passes through the oil glands in our dermis layer, which gives our hair shine and a soft texture. Once it passes through the epidermis, the hair dies, but continues to grow for up to 6 years. That's why it doesn't hurt to get a hair cut! The children were also fascinated to find out that a person sheds 50-100 hairs every day! Incredible! It's a good thing a new strand grows in its place :) Click on the link if you'd like more information:  KidsHealth.org

After our findings, we started the process of growing our own "hair"! I gave each child a cup with their picture on it, some dirt, and a handful of grass seeds. They filled their cups with dirt, sprinkled some seeds on top, and we gave it a healthy drink of water. With any luck, we'll have "hair" growing in a week or two. It'll sure be fun to see them give their little grass people a haircut :) 

Super Sleuth Questions

1. What kind of hair protects our eyes from dirt, germs, and bright light? (answer:  eyelashes)

2. How many hairs do we lose every day? (answer:  around 50-100)

3. What makes our hair soft and shiny? (answer:  oil from our oil glands)

4. How can we take care of our hair and keep it healthy? (answer:  keep it clean and eat nutritious food)