Question

Write a children’s story on digestion that can be used to teach young children about the digestive system. the story should include the major organs and the steps of the digestive system starting from the mouth and ending at the rectum.

•Use visuals and narration that is appropriate for young children

•Use correct terminology

•Use creativity

Answer 1

DIGESTION:

Introduction:

The process of digestion is the breakdown of the food we eat into smaller molecules that the body will take in or absorb which contains the nutrients the body needs.

ORGANS INVOLVED:

Various parts of the body are involved in the digestion process which are:

1. Mouth
2. Pharynx
3. Esophagus
4. Liver
5. Pancreas
6. Gallbladder
7. Small intestine
8. Large intestine

Of these organs, three are called accessory organs as they only help in the digestive process indirectly by producing digestive juices. The accessory organs are:

1. Liver.
2. Pancreas.
3. Gall bladder.

PROCESS:

Digestion begins right when the food enters the mouth. The introduction of food into the mouth is called ingestion. The mouth helps in chewing and grinding of the food that converts the food into smaller portions. The mouth also helps to taste the food. The saliva in the mouth helps in the breakdown of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a type of nutrient that mainly contains sugars and starches.

After the food is being chewed and ground it moves to the next part called the pharynx. The pharynx connects the mouth and esophagus. Pharynx moves the food from the mouth to the esophagus.

The esophagus is a tube-like passage that leads to the stomach. It carries the food to the stomach by a movement known as the peristaltic movement. The peristaltic movement is the compression and relaxation of the esophagus and is involuntary. The food can reach the stomach even when you hang upside down, all because of the peristaltic movement.

The stomach is a bag-like organ that receives the food from the esophagus. It is made up of muscle tissue and can expand when you eat a lot of food. The stomach has various gastric juices that mix along with the food to help in the digestion process. Breakdown of protein and fat takes place in the stomach. The proteins are the building block of the body and help in the growth and repair.

After the processing of the food in the stomach, the food now moves to the small intestine where further digestion takes place. The liver and the pancreas produce digestive juices that cause digestion and absorption of the food. The liver produces bile and the pancreas produces the pancreatic enzymes. The small intestine is where the absorption of the food takes place. The small intestine is like a sponge that absorbs food and gives it to the body.

The small intestine moves the food into the large intestine where any further breakdown occurs. The feces is the waste product left after digestion that needs to be expelled out. The large intestine moves the feces to the rectum. The feces is excreted by the process called defecation.