DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

EVERY CHILD STRONGER!

EVERY LIFE LONGER!

What is the Digestive System?

• The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract

• A series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus

• These organs help the body break down and absorb food

Why is it Important?

1. When you eat foods they are not in a form that the body can use as nourishment.

2. Food and drink must be broken down!

3. Digestion is the process by which food and drink are broken down so the body can use them for energy.

How is food digested?

• Digestion involves mixing food with digestive juices to keep making it smaller so the body can absorb it for fuel!

What are these juices like?

Wait...I thought it was just the stomach!

The digestive system is made up of these organs/structures:

1. Mouth

2. Esophogus

3. Stomach

4. Liver, Pancreas,

& Gallbladder

5. Small Intestine

6. Large Intestine

7. Colon

8. Rectum/Anus IN THAT ORDER!!!

MOUTH & ESOPHAGUS

Mouth- The mouth chews food to break up the large pieces to swallow and creates saliva to make it softer to swallow.

Esophagus- A long tube-like structure that propels the food from the mouth to the stomach.

The stomach has three main functions:

1. Store the food

2. Mix the food up

3. Slowly empty into the small intestine

STOMACH

Just like a cement mixer!!!e

What is absorbed here?

• Vitamins

• Minerals

• Proteins

• Fats

• Carbohydrates

• Water

• Salt

Small and Large Intestine

About 30 feet combined!!!

Colon- The last ditch effort for the body to absorb anything

Rectum- Where the waste sits until it is ready to be excreted

Anus- Flush!

Colon, Rectum, & Anus

• In your small groups, review what we discussed in class about your specific organ/structure.

Websites-

digestive.niddk.nih.gov

kidshealth.org

ACTIVITY TIME