Student Exploration: Digestive System
Vocabulary: absorption, amino acid, carbohydrate, chemical digestion, chyme, complex
carbohydrate, digestion, digestive system, elimination, enzyme, fat, fatty acid, fiber, food ca
...
Student Exploration: Digestive System
Vocabulary: absorption, amino acid, carbohydrate, chemical digestion, chyme, complex
carbohydrate, digestion, digestive system, elimination, enzyme, fat, fatty acid, fiber, food calorie,
mechanical digestion, monoglyceride, nutrient, peristalsis, protein, starch, sugar, villus
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. Why do we need to eat food?
We need to eat food because the nutrients in fruits and vegetables provide us with the raw
materials we need to grow and maintain our bodies.
2. How do you think our bodies break food down into useful
nutrients?
Food is chewed into small pieces by the teeth, which are
swallowed and carried to the stomach. Food is further
broken down into simple nutrients by chemicals in the stomach and intestines, which are
then absorbed into the bloodstream.
Gizmo Warm-up
The digestive system is a group of organs that does three
things:
∙ First, the digestive system breaks food down into
useful nutrients, a process called digestion.
∙ Next, the nutrients move into the bloodstream, a
process called absorption.
∙ Finally, the leftover waste is removed from the
body, a process called elimination.
With the Digestive System Gizmo, you can arrange the organs of the digestive system any way
you like. To begin, look at the organs on the LARGE ORGANS tab. Place your cursor over each
organ to learn more about it.
1. Which organs allow nutrients to be absorbed?
Small intestine and large intestine allow nutrients to be absorbed.
2. Which organ stores and compacts waste before it is eliminated?
Rectum stores and compacts waste before it is eliminated.
3. Which two organs help to b
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