Digestion System Activities

**Answer Questions on a Separate Sheet of Paper!!

Nutritional Facts

Chose one of the processed foods you eat the most of.  Something that may be your favourite comfort food.  *Processed food comes in packages – not like simple whole foods’.

Research the ‘Healthy Alternative’ to this food – perhaps one that is being advertised as healthy.

Looking at both foods…

1. Find the nutritional facts, ingredients and price for both foods.
2. Complete the table provided.
3. Looking at things like serving size, fats, salts and other key elements (or ingredients) decide and give reasons why or why not the ‘healthy alternative’ is healthier.
4. Given what you know now would you switch from your current favourite or not? Give at least 3 reasons. (paragraph form please)

Digestion Systems in Animals

Using the diagrams provided

1. Draw a line on each of the digestive system images with an arrow indicating the path of the digestive tract. Try to label the four parts of digestion – ingestion, digestion, absorption and egestion for at least two animals.
2. Looking at the fish digestive tracts – what is the difference between an omnivore and a carnivorous fish (look up what this means!)? Why do you think that is?
3. How is a fish digestive tract like a birds? Why might this be the case?
4. What are two organs are not found in humans but are found in fish and birds? What are their jobs?
5. Knowing that our bodies need certain types of nutrients, how does the food you eat impact your digestive system in a positive way? How might it impact your system in a negative way?

Digestive Disorders

There are many disorders that can affect the digestive system.

Below is a partial list of some of them:

• Appendicitis
• Celiac disease
• Diverticulitis
• Dysentery
• Gallstones
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Hiatus hernia
• Pyloric stenosis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Peptic Ulcer
• Other…

Use the table provided and complete the information below for 2 digestive system disorders.