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The Digestive System

Ninth graders learn the digestive system — how food travels from the mouth through the stomach and intestines, getting broken down so nutrients can be absorbed and waste removed. Digestion turns food into fuel. They order the journey, then connect it to nutrition.

Grade 9The Digestive System45 minutes1 class periodSHAPEExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Trace digestion.
  • ✓See where nutrients are absorbed.
  • ✓Connect food to fuel.
  • ✓Support gut health.
Essential Question

What happens to food after you swallow it?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Digestive Journey

Project this and have students put the steps of digestion in order.

🩸 Put the steps of digestion in orderTry it
Tap the first step of digestion!
The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — After the Bite

5 min

Where does your food actually GO after you swallow it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose the question.
  • Share ideas.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Digestive System

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Digestive Journey.
  • Order the steps.
  • Note where nutrients absorb.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Trace a bite’s path.
  • Name where it breaks down.
  • Name where nutrients absorb.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Trace.
  • Name.
  • Name.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Connect food to energy.
  • Name a gut-healthy habit.
  • Explain fiber’s role.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Connect.
  • Name.
  • Explain.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Where does digestion start?
  • Where are nutrients absorbed?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the SHAPE America National Standards for Health Education and Physical Education.

SHAPE
HE.1

Explain the digestive system.

SHAPE
HE.5

Connect nutrition to digestion.

SHAPE
HE.7

Practice gut-healthy habits.

SHAPE
HE.3

Access reliable nutrition info.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Digestion diagram.
  • Frame: "food starts in the ___."
  • Trace the path.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Use 3 core steps.
  • Use a diagram.
  • Trace slowly.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add the role of enzymes.
  • Explain fiber & water.
  • Link to nutrition choices.
Materials

What to gather

  • 🩸Digestion diagram
  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 💻Order the Digestive Journey
  • 📋Body-system sheet
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

digestive systembreaks down fooddigestionbreaking down foodesophagustube to the stomachstomachbreaks food downsmall intestineabsorbs nutrientslarge intestineremoves wastenutrientwhat the body uses from foodfiberaids digestion
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Where does digestion start?
In the mouth, with chewing.
QUESTION 2
Where are most nutrients absorbed?
In the small intestine.
QUESTION 3
What does digestion do?
Turns food into fuel the body can use.

Cool-down: the digestive system.

Have students trace a bite of food’s journey. A printable body-system sheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 The Digestive SystemFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 The Digestive SystemQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ The Digestive SystemPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: digestion, digestive system, esophagus, fiber, large intestine, nutrient, small intestine, stomach
  1. absorbs nutrients
  2. breaking down food
  3. tube to the stomach
  4. removes waste
  5. breaks food down
  6. what the body uses from food
  7. aids digestion
  8. breaks down food

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Where does digestion start?
  2. Where are most nutrients absorbed?
  3. What does digestion do?
Answer key — Part A: 1) small intestine · 2) digestion · 3) esophagus · 4) large intestine · 5) stomach · 6) nutrient · 7) fiber · 8) digestive system
Part B: 1) In the mouth, with chewing. 2) In the small intestine. 3) Turns food into fuel the body can use.