Professional Development for

Quality Education
Training for the Teachers of
Afternoon School Programme
(ASP) Under TALEEM Project
in the Subject of English,
Mathematics and Science

Transformation in Access, Learning, Equity and Education Management (TALEEM) 1

TOPIC Human Digestive System

General Science
Grade VI

Transformation in Access, Learning, Equity and Education Management (TALEEM)

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Human Digestive system

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Learning outcomes
By the end of the session participants will be able to:

state the importance of digestion in the human body and describe physical and
chemical digestion.
briefly describe the role of enzymes in digestion.
conclude that blood transports the product of digestion to other parts of the
body and the undigested products get egested/ defecated.
briefly describe some major digestive disorders

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What is digestion
The body needs food to get nutrients for energy, growth and
cell repair.

Food must be broken down into smaller molecules of

nutrients before they can be absorbed into the blood and
carried to cells throughout the body.

This process is called digestion.

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Importance of Digestion
Foods such as bread, meat, fruits and vegetables, are not in a form that the
body can use for energy. They consist of large and complex molecules of
carbohydrates, fats, proteins etc. which cannot pass across the walls of the
small intestine for absorption into the blood.

Food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before
they can be absorbed into the blood and carried to cells throughout the body.

Digestion is the process during which large and complex food molecules are
broken down into such smaller pieces which can pass across the walls of the
small intestines and be absorbed into the blood, for the body to use them to
build and nourish cells and to provide energy.

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Physical and chemical digestion
Physical digestion
 The crushing and grinding of large food molecules by the teeth and tongue
into smaller parts is called physical digestion.
 Muscular walls movement of the stomach also break down food into smaller
parts

Chemical digestion
 When food is changed from non-diffusible (not soluble) molecules to diffusible
(soluble) food molecules with the help of chemical substances (enzymes) it is
called chemical digestion.

 Complete digestion of food comprises of two processes physical

digestion and chemical digestion.
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Role of enzymes
Enzymes are proteins in nature and speed up the rate of a chemical
reaction without being consumed or taking part in the chemical
reaction. Enzymes work as catalysts only.

Digestive enzymes are produced naturally in human body. They play a

key role in breaking down the food into its nutrients in a form that
can be easily absorbed by the walls of the small intestine during the
process of digestion.

 Biological catalysts, enzymes, are extremely specific in their

functions. They catalyze a single chemical reaction or some closely
associated reactions.
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Role of enzymes
Enzymes are commonly named by adding a suffix “-ase” to
the root name of the substance molecule they naturally act
upon. For example, Lipase catalyzes the hydrolysis of lipids,
they break down the molecule with the help of water; Sucrase
catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into glucose and fructose.

Saliva has digestive enzymes in it. Some of the organs,

including pancreas, gallbladder, and liver, also release
enzymes.
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Role of enzymes
Amylase is produced mostly in the pancreas, but also in the
salivary glands and small intestine. Amylase breaks down
starches and carbohydrates into sugars.
Protease is produced in the stomach, pancreas, and small
intestine. Protease breaks down proteins into amino acids.
Lipase is produced in the pancreas and small intestine.
Lipase breaks down lipids, which are fats and oils, into
glycerol and fatty acids.

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 Transportation of nutrients to the other parts of the body

The well chewed and soft food passes from the oral cavity through
the oesophagus to the stomach.
The walls of the stomach secrete gastric juice which consists of
hydrochloric acid, enzyme and water. The muscular action of the
stomach wall mixes food with enzyme which breaks protein into
amino acids.
From the stomach food enters the small intestine. Gall bladder
secretes bile and the pancreatic juice from the pancreas complete
the digestion in the small intestine
Starch is converted into simple sugars, proteins into amino acids
and fats and fatty acids into glycerol. All these can easily diffuse in
the cells where they are either used to produce energy or stored as
nutrients required for growth and other vital functions.
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Transportation of nutrients to the other parts of the body

The second part of small intestine has finger like projections

called villi which contain many blood vessels

Digested food is converted into such smaller particles which can

diffuse through the walls of the villi and pass into the blood stream.

Blood transports the products of digestion i.e. the nutrients to all parts
of the body for energy, growth, cell repair and other vital functions

The undigested food is passed out through the anus from the large
intestine.
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Digestive disorders
Diarrhoea:
Symptoms: there are waves of muscular contraction passing fast
along the intestine. Semi-liquid faeces are passed out of the
body.
Causes: food in the large intestine is contaminated with toxic
matter or infected with bacteria. It stimulates he waves of
muscular contraction passing along the intestine at a fast speed
resulting in shortage of water in the body (dehydration).
Remedy: use of ORS or salt and sugar solution
Precaution: wash your hands properly before eating to avoid
bacterial infection. Avoid street food as it may be unhygienic.
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Digestive disorders

Constipation:
 Symptoms: cconstipation occurs when bowel movements become less frequent
and stools become hard and difficult to pass. There is severe pain when stool is
passed you may blood in your stool, constipation may last longer than three
weeks.
 Causes: it happens most often due to changes in diet or routine or due to
inadequate intake of fiber.
 Food moves too slowly along the large intestines, more water is absorbed into
blood and faeces become hard and dry.
 Remedy drink two to four extra glasses of water a day. Avoid caffeine-containing
drinks which can cause dehydration. Add fruits, vegetables whole grains and
other high-fiber foods to your diet. Eat fewer high-fat foods, like meat, eggs and
cheese. Eat prunes and/or bran cereal. Keep a food diary and single out foods that
constipate you. Get moving, make exercise a routine.
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Digestive disorders
Ulcer:
Symptom: there are sores on the lining of
stomach, small intestine or oesophagus.
Causes: excessive use of fast food and fizzy drinks
cause ulcers
Remedy: avoid use of fast food and fizzy drinks.
Avoid hot food especially chilli sauces.
Consult the doctor immediately
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Conclude the session by using following key points
The process during which large and complex food molecules are
broken down into such smaller pieces which pass across the walls of
small intestines and absorbed into the blood is called digestion.

Complete digestion of food comprises of two processes i.e. physical

digestion and chemical digestion.

Enzymes are special type of proteins in our body that speed up the
different chemical processes. They are specific in their function.

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Conclusion
Amylase, lipase, protease, etc., are the examples of some enzymes
that are involved in digestion of food.

Digestive enzymes convert starch into simple sugars, proteins into

amino acids and fats into fatty acids and glycerol.

Bile is produced in liver and stored in the gall bladder, pancreatic

juice is produced by pancreas, and Bile breaks large drops of fats
into small droplets. Digestion and absorption of food is completed
in small intestine.
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Conclusion
After digestion nutrients are absorbed by walls of the villi in
the small intestine from where it enters the blood stream and
transported to all parts of the body through blood

In large intestine, salt, water and minerals are absorbed.

Undigested food is converted into faeces which is removed

from the body through the opening of the rectum called anus.

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Web links
Further watching for Digestive system
https://study.com/learn/lesson/chemical-physical-digestion-che
mical-change.html#:~:text=The%20digestive%20system%20i
s%20the%20system%20in%20the%20body%20that,masticate
s%2C%20or%20grinds%2C%20food
Digestive system: 18 mins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWgS4VcyJA
Digestive system: 3 mins 20 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFczvJp0bpU

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Thank you

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