CEDAR MONTESSORI
PRIMARY DEPARTMENT
GRADE 4 SUBJECT: SCIENCE
WEEK 4- WEEK 5 NOTE
STRAND 3: SYSTEMS SUB-STRAND 1: HUMAN BODY SYSTEM
B4.3.1.1.1 The organs of the digestive system and their functions
INTRODUCTION:
Digestion is one among many life processes observed in nearly all living
organisms. The process involves breaking down complex molecules into simpler
molecules that can be readily absorbed by the body. In higher organisms such as
humans, a “tube” exists for the purpose of digestion. Once the food molecules
are broken down into simple molecules, they are absorbed into the blood plasma.
Your digestive system sends food on an incredible journey through your body.
Digestion is a complicated process. It involves many organs working together.
These organs pull the nutrients from what you eat and drink that your body
needs. Keeping your digestive system healthy and working well supports your
overall health.
Digestion is the process of breaking down complex, insoluble molecules of
food into smaller, simpler molecules which can then be readily absorbed by
the body.
What happens in the digestive process?
The digestive process involves lots of steps and several stops as food and liquid
move through your digestive system:
1. Digestion starts even before you take that first bite of food. When you see and
smell food, your salivary glands get to work. They release saliva you have some
spit in your mouth to moisten food when you start chewing.
2. Next, your chewed-up food moves from your mouth to your esophagus. Your
esophagus uses a process known as peristalsis to send food to your stomach.
3. Your stomach releases acid and enzymes that break food down.
4. Next, your small intestine turns semisolid food into fluid to absorb nutrients.
5. Your pancreas and liver help by sending digestive juices to your small intestine.
Your gallbladder contributes bile.
6. The final step is when your small intestine sends leftover food waste to your
large intestine. That food waste becomes faeces that leave your body via your
rectum and your anus.
The functions of the digestive system
1. Mouth:
- This is where digestion begins.
- The saliva in the mouth is mixed with food to begin the process.
- The tongue in the mouth is used for tasting food.
- The tongue in the mouth mould food into bolus for easy swallowing.
2. Oesophagus: This is a tube in the center of your chest, behind your windpipe
(trachea) and in front of your spine which chewed and swallowed food passes into
the stomach.
3. Stomach: Your stomach sits in your upper abdomen on the left side of your
body.
- It is a sac that holds the swallowed for temporary for digestion to take place.
- Digestion of protein begins in the stomach.
4. Small intestine: This 22-foot-long muscular tube is the longest part of your
gastrointestinal tract. It coils up in your lower abdomen and curves around your
pancreas.
- The small intestine serves as the final stage of food digestion.
- The small intestine absorbs nutrients and minerals from the digested food into
the body.
5. Large intestine last step in the digestive process, the large intestine includes
your colon, rectum and anus.
- The large intestine holds undigested food.
- It takes water from the leftover food material.
- It stores faeces until they pass from the anus.
6. Bile ducts: You have bile ducts inside and outside your liver. They connect to
your gallbladder.
7. Gall bladder: Your gallbladder is tucked below your liver on the right side of
your body.
8. Liver: An organ and a gland, your liver is on the right side of your body under
your ribs.
9. Pancreas: This organ is behind your stomach and in front of your spine on the
right side of your body.
