1. Animals including Humans Year 4 Lesson 1 LI: To understand the function of the human digestive system.

2. Input What will happen to this plum when you have eaten it? Draw what you think our digestive system looks like.

3. This is what our digestive system looks like. How does it compare to your drawings? Can you name any organs? Our digestive system

4. Our digestive system breaks down the food we eat into the smallest parts that can then be absorbed into the blood. The broken-down food then travels through the blood stream to the cells. The digestive system also separates the nutrients that your body needs from what it doesn’t need. The stuff that is not needed becomes solid and liquid waste as is expelled from the body. To keep your digestive system working well, you need to eat lots of fibre such as fruits, vegetables and grains.

5. Our digestive system The mouth: – The digestive system starts as soon as you put food in your mouth. When you chew your food, it is broken down into smaller pieces making it easier to digest. The saliva in your mouth softens the food making it easier to swallow.

6. Our digestive system The oesophagus: – After the food is swallowed, it travels down the oesophagus. The muscles that surround the oesophagus help push the food down to the stomach.

7. Our digestive system The stomach: – The stomach is located at the bottom of the oesophagus and stretches as it fills. The muscular stomach wall helps mix the food with the gastric juices. These juices break the food down further and kill any bacteria that may have been in the food.

8. Our digestive system The small intestine: – The food then enters the small intestine where the nutrients from the food are absorbed into the bloodstream. The small intestine is incredibly long (22 feet long in an adult). This allows as much of the nutrients to be absorbed as possible.

9. Our digestive system The large intestine: – After your body has absorbed all the nutrients from the food in the small intestine, all that is left is waste so it moves into the large intestine. – In the large intestine, water is absorbed so the remaining waste becomes more solid, forming faeces which is expelled through the anus when you go to the toilet.

10. Activity Cut the different organs used during digestion and stick them back together correctly. Label the organs CHALLENGE: write what happens at each stage of digestion.

11. Plenary Food poisoning