Digestive System

When you eat food, your body needs to break it down to get nutrients. This is called digestion.

The Journey of Food

1. Mouth — Teeth chop food, saliva starts breaking it down
2. Oesophagus — Muscular tube that pushes food to stomach
3. Stomach — Stretchy bag, stomach acid breaks down food, food stays 2-4 hours
4. Small Intestine — Long coiled tube (about 6 metres!), most nutrients absorbed here
5. Large Intestine — Absorbs water from leftover food
6. Rectum and Anus — Waste leaves the body

Types of Teeth

• Incisors (front) — for cutting and biting
• Canines (pointy) — for tearing
• Molars (back, flat) — for grinding and crushing

Activity: Model the Digestive System

Create a model using a ziplock bag (stomach), crackers + water + vinegar (food + acid), and a stocking (small intestine).

Key Vocabulary

• Digestion, Nutrients, Absorb, Peristalsis