Trip Through the Digestive System - Sauk Centre Public Schools

Ag Activities Handbook Submission FormName (as you would like it to appear in handbook)___Stephanie Wohlhuter_______School Name/Address__Agricultural & Food Sciences Academy__________________Email__swohlhuter@agacademy.com________________________________________Phone_____(651) 259-4963________________________________Content Area – Food ScienceLesson Heading- The digestive systemActivity Description- I use these notes to go over the basics of the digestive system withan introduction to food science class. At the end of the assignment, the students create atravel guide of the digestive system. The travel guide should have hand-drawn picturesof the different places in the digestive system, as well as a realistic description of thelocation and creative tourist stops.Material needed:-Copies of assignment for each student in class-Art suppliesActivity Length- 2 – 50 minute class periods.Prep time – 5 minutes or less (make copies and reserve computer lab)Thank you for your contribution:)Please return submission via phone, fax, email, USPS mail, or call toEllen ThompsonNatasha MortensonSauk Centre High SchoolMorris Area High School903 State Road 201 Columbia Ave. SSauk Centre, MN 56378 Morris, MN 56267320.352.2856- Phone 320.589.4400- Phone320.352.3404-Fax320.589.3203- Faxellen_thompson@isd743.k12.mn.usnmortens@mahs.morris.k12.mn.us

A Trip through the Gastrointestinal TractOnce food enters the mouth, it moves through thefollowing process:1. Salivary glands secrete saliva, which contains anenzyme that breaks down starch. Food is moistenedto aid in chewing.2. Mastication (chewing) – increases the surface areaof the food and mixes saliva enzymes and water withthe food.3. Esophagus – long tube that serves as the fooddelivery mechanism to the stomach. It allows us tobreathe while chewing by spacing out the foodmatter.4. Stomach - contains strong acids, enzymes and fluidsthat mix, toss and grind foods. The pepsin enzymebreaks down bonds found in proteins.5. Small Intestine – The site where actual digestiontakes place. This organ is approximately 20 feet inlength. Specifically, carbohydrates, lipids, andproteins are broken into smaller units here andabsorbed into the blood stream.-Pancreas – secretes pancreatic juice and abicarbonate that neutralizes stomach acid thatmakes its way into the small intestine..-Gallbladder – stores bile.-Liver - makes bile and digests lipids.6. Large intestine – reabsorbs water and someminerals into the blood.7. Rectum – undigested waste is passed here forexcretion.Note: The brain is the control center for this wholeprocess. Specifically, the hypothalamus regulatesappetite and hunger.

Terms & Definitions• Ingestion – eating and swallowing food and liquids.• Digestion – the breakdown of food into itsindividual nutrients.• Absorption – nutrients in contact with the cell wallof the GI tract for an extended period of time arepassed into the cells.• Transportation – nutrients are transported in theblood to the liver where they are processed and sentto parts of the body to use.• Peristalsis – layers of muscles squeeze and push foodalong the GI tract.Fun Facts about Digestion• When food goes through the process from ingestionto excretion about 24-72 hours have lapsed. If aperson’s diet is high in fiber, that time is reduced.• Why doesn’t the stomach digest itself? A substancecalled gastric mucus is made inside the body. Thissubstance lines the stomach wall so that acids can’teat away at the stomach lining.• The liver is an important organ in the body. Not onlydoes it “process” nutrients to send to other parts ofthe body, but it also detoxifies harmful substancesthat are ingested into the body. Putting too manyharmful substances into the body can cause cirrhosis,or hardening of the liver.• The process of peristalsis slows down as humans age,thus increasing the risk for constipation.Your assignment:• Create a brochure or small booklet that will serve asa “travel guide” of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Your guide should include the followingcomponents:o A hand-drawn picture of all seven “locations”in the digestive tract.o A physical description of each location.o A creative explanation of interesting features,tour options, restaurants, etc., that can bevisited at each stop.• The emphasis on this assignment will be placed oncreativity. The goal is that you understand each partof the digestive tract well enough to createanalogies between it and a real-life location that isknown for tourism.