Hey there! My name’s Gilbert. Gilbert the Grape. Today, I’m going on an amazing adventure through the human body! Want to join me?
Our journey begins when a human opens their lunchbox and finds me inside. After taking a bite of their turkey sandwich, it’s my turn! I’m popped into the mouth, and it’s go time! The mouth is the gateway to the digestive system, which turns food into nutrients that give you energy and help your body grow and repair.
When you chew, food is broken into smaller pieces. Saliva, or spit, helps break it down even more. Did you know you make enough saliva in a year to fill two bathtubs? That’s a lot of drool!
After chewing, food moves to the throat, also known as the pharynx. From there, it goes down the esophagus, which I like to call the “food chute.” Muscles in the esophagus squeeze and relax to push food down. This process is called peristalsis.
Next stop, the stomach! It’s like a muscular sac that mixes and grinds food into mush. The stomach uses strong acids to break down food, but don’t worry, I’m in a protective bubble! Normally, food doesn’t have this, but I have special connections.
After the stomach, I enter the small intestine, which is over 20 feet long! It’s like a long, coiled snake inside your body. Here, bile from the liver and enzymes from the pancreas help digest food further. The gallbladder stores bile until it’s needed.
Now, I’m in the large intestine, also called the colon. It’s about 5 to 6 feet long and home to lots of bacteria. These bacteria help break down food and keep your digestive system healthy. The appendix is here too, but it’s mostly useless, though it can help with immunity.
Finally, I reach the rectum, a straight chamber about 8 inches long. It has sensors that tell your brain when it’s time to go to the bathroom. When the time is right, the sphincters relax, and waste exits the body. If it’s not the right time, the sphincters keep everything in until you find a toilet.
Well, that’s the end of my journey! I hope you learned something new about how your body digests food. Remember, your digestive system is amazing and works hard to keep you healthy!
Chew Like a Scientist: Try this fun experiment at home! Take a small piece of bread and chew it slowly for about 30 seconds. Notice how the taste changes as you chew. Discuss with a family member or friend why you think this happens. Hint: Think about how saliva starts breaking down food in your mouth!
Peristalsis in Action: Create a simple model of the esophagus using a long balloon and some small objects like marbles or grapes. Place a marble inside the balloon and gently squeeze it from the top to the bottom to mimic how muscles in the esophagus push food down. Talk about how this process helps food travel from your mouth to your stomach.
Digestive System Detective: Next time you eat a meal, try to identify which parts of the digestive system are working. For example, when you chew, think about your mouth and saliva. When you feel your stomach rumble, think about how it’s mixing and grinding your food. Share your observations with your class or family!
