Digestion: the digestive system

Digestion is the process that allows us to get the nutrients and water we need from food and drink. It is one of the four processes included in NUTRITION.

Digestion is carried out by the organs included in the digestive system:

Watch these videos about how the 
digestive system works:

Have a look at this website to learn more about the organs in the digestive system and their functions:

ACTIVITY: Complete the Digestive System Poster

1) Use these words for the flaps to label the organs:

In the large intestine

In the rest of the small intestine

In the mouth

In the stomach

In the esophagus

In the liver

In the rectum

In the first part of the small intestine

In the throat

2) Order the sentences about the stages of digestion: complete the missing information and write the sentences under the correct flaps.

1. Food travels down the  esophagus to the _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

2. We swallow and _ _ _ _ is moved to the esophagus 

from here.

3. It produces a liquid called _ _ _ _, which helps 

_ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ food in the first part of the 

_ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and which is stored in the  

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

4. Digestion starts here: the _ _ _ _ _ crush food and it mixes with _ _ _ _ _ _.

5. Food mixes with _ _ _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _ _ and becomes a paste.

6. Water from the digested food is absorbed here and

 _ _ _ _ _ _ are formed.

7. Unusable parts of the food or _ _ _ _ _ _ are stored here until they leave the body through the _ _ _ _.

8. Digestion is complete,  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ are absorbed and they pass into the _ _ _ _ _.

9. Here food is mixed with bile from the _ _ _ _ _ and other substances from the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ that help finish the digestion of food.

3) Draw the path of the food through your digestive system. Use red arrows.