PAGE 1: How we will learn OVERVIEW ======== The human digestive system is the set of body parts that breaks food into small pieces the blood can carry. In this sub-strand you will name those parts, from the mouth to the anus, and learn the work of each one. You will also learn the signs of an unhealthy digestive system and how to plan dental care, deworming and healthy eating. ## Strand 1.0: Living Things and their Environment Sub-strand 1.3: Human digestive system Suggested lessons: 16 ## What this sub-strand covers • Parts of the human digestive system (mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, rectum, anus) • Healthy digestive system (dental hygiene, deworming, healthy eating) • Symptoms of unhealthy digestive system (stomach ache/pain, bloating, worms, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation) ## Source • KICD Grade 4 Science and Technology Curriculum Design (Revised 2024) — Strand 1.0 Living Things and their Environment, Sub-strand 1.3 Human digestive system ## Learning outcomes By the end of the sub-strand, the learner should be able to: a) identify parts of the human digestive system b) develop a plan of maintaining a healthy human digestive system c) appreciate the importance of a healthy human digestive system ## Key inquiry questions 1. What makes up the digestive system? 2. How is a healthy digestive system maintained? ## Learning experiences • use print and non-print material to observe and identify parts of the human digestive system • draw and label the human digestive system • discuss symptoms of an unhealthy digestive system, record and share with peers • collaboratively discuss and develop a plan on ways of maintaining a healthy digestive system • use interactive platforms or digital images to illustrate the human digestive system ## Core competencies • Learning to learn: The learner reflects on ways of maintaining a healthy digestive system as they develop a plan on ways of maintaining a healthy digestive system. • Digital literacy: The learner develops manipulative skills in using digital media as they use interactive platforms or digital images to illustrate the human digestive system. ## Values • Unity: The learner strives to achieve a common goal of maintaining a healthy digestive system as they discuss and develop a plan on ways of maintaining a healthy digestive system. • Respect: The learner appreciates others’ opinions while discussing the symptoms of an unhealthy digestive system. ## Pertinent and contemporary issues • Health issues: The learner practices how to observe and maintain healthy digestive system such as dental hygiene, regular deworming and healthy eating as they plan on ways of maintaining a healthy digestive system. ## Links to other learning areas • Agriculture and Nutrition: The learner studies ways of maintaining a healthy digestive system in personal hygiene and hygienic handling of food. PAGE 2: Lesson 1: What the digestive system does — The parts, in the order food meets them LESSON 1: WHAT THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DOES ======================================== ## What you will learn • Explain what digestion means. • Name the parts of the human digestive system in the order food passes through them. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify parts of the human digestive system; c) appreciate the importance of a healthy human digestive system ## Introduction You can hold a piece of cooked maize in your hand, but your muscles cannot use it until it has been changed inside your body. The parts that make that change are the human digestive system. ## Notes Your body cannot use a whole chapati, a cob of maize or a piece of meat as it is. The food must be broken into very small pieces that can pass into the blood. This breaking down of food is called digestion. The body parts that do this work make up the human digestive system. ### The parts, in the order food meets them Food passes through these parts: - Mouth - Gullet - Stomach - Small intestine - Large intestine - Rectum - Anus These parts form one long path. Food enters at the mouth. Undigested waste leaves at the anus. Digestion is not done by only one organ. Each part has its own work. Later lessons look at each part more closely. For now, learn the seven names in order so you can point to them on a chart. PAGE 3: Lesson 1: What the digestive system does — Example 1 ### What digestion gives the body Food contains useful substances the body needs. Digestion releases those substances so they can enter the blood. The blood then carries them to the brain, muscles, bones and other parts. That is how a meal becomes energy for playing and learning, and material for growing taller and for healing a cut. If the digestive system is not working well, the body does not get the full good of the food. The person may feel pain, weak or unwell. Caring for this system is part of staying healthy. You show that you value it when you chew well, eat clean food and tell an adult if your stomach keeps hurting. ### How to study the parts Use a chart in a book, a poster, or a digital image your teacher shows. Point to each part and say its name aloud. Cover the labels and try again from memory. Draw a simple outline and write the seven names in order down the side. Check the spelling: gullet, stomach, intestine, rectum, anus. The gullet is sometimes called the food pipe. It is not the windpipe. The windpipe carries air to the lungs. The gullet carries food to the stomach. When you identify parts on a diagram, follow the food, not the air. ## Key words • digestion — the breaking down of food so the body can use it • digestive system — the body parts that digest food, from the mouth to the anus • gullet — the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A learner says the stomach is the only part that digests food. What should you add? Working: 1. Digestion begins in the mouth and continues after the stomach. 2. Several parts work as one system. Answer: The mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus all belong to the system. Digestion is not done by the stomach alone. PAGE 4: Lesson 1: What the digestive system does — Answers to practice ## Worked examples ### Example 2 On a diagram, a tube from the mouth splits toward the lungs and another tube goes to the stomach. Which tube is the gullet? Working: 1. The windpipe carries air to the lungs. 2. The gullet carries food to the stomach. Answer: The tube that goes to the stomach is the gullet. ## Activity: Find the seven parts on a chart You will need: A textbook diagram, poster or digital image of the human digestive system, Notebook, Pencil 1. Use a print chart or a digital image to observe the digestive system. 2. Point to the mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus, and say each name. 3. Close the book and write the seven parts in order from memory. 4. Open the chart again and correct any missing or swapped names. 5. Tell a partner, in one sentence, why the body needs this system. ## Practice 1. What is digestion? 2. List the parts of the digestive system in the order food passes through them. 3. How is the gullet different from the windpipe? ## Answers to practice 1. The breaking down of food into very small pieces that the body can take into the blood. 2. Mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus. 3. The gullet carries food to the stomach. The windpipe carries air to the lungs. ## Summary • Digestion breaks food down so nutrients can enter the blood. • The parts in order are mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. • The gullet carries food. The windpipe carries air. LESSON 2: THE MOUTH: TEETH, TONGUE AND SALIVA ============================================= ## What you will learn • Describe the work of the teeth, tongue and saliva. • Name the kinds of teeth and what each kind does. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify parts of the human digestive system ## Introduction Bite a mango and notice what happens before you swallow. The teeth cut it, the tongue turns it, and the mouth becomes wet. Digestion has already started. ## Notes Digestion begins in the mouth. The mouth is the first part of the digestive system. Three things in the mouth start the work: the teeth, the tongue and saliva. PAGE 5: Lesson 2: The mouth: teeth, tongue and saliva — Teeth ### Teeth Teeth cut and grind food into smaller pieces so it is easier to swallow. Different teeth do different jobs. - Incisors are the front teeth. They cut food, for example when you bite a mango or a carrot. - Canines are the pointed teeth beside the incisors. They tear food. - Premolars and molars are the wider teeth at the back. They grind food, for example when you chew maize, nuts or meat. Young children have milk teeth. Milk teeth fall out, and permanent teeth grow in their place. A Grade 4 learner often has a mixture of both. Both kinds need care, because a hole in a tooth makes chewing painful and can stop you eating the foods you need. ### Tongue The tongue moves food around so that the teeth can chew it. It rolls the chewed food into a soft lump and pushes that lump to the back of the mouth when you swallow. The tongue also tastes food. A sour or spoiled taste is a warning to stop eating. ### Saliva Saliva is the liquid that wets the mouth. It softens food and begins to break down starchy foods such as ugali, rice, bread and potatoes. Chew a small piece of plain bread for a long time and it may taste slightly sweet. That change is saliva starting its work. Chewing well, so that saliva mixes with the food, makes the stomach's work easier. ### Swallowing safely When the food is soft enough, you swallow. A small flap closes the top of the windpipe for a moment so the food goes into the gullet and not into the lungs. If a bit of food enters the windpipe, you cough. Talk after you have swallowed, not while food is still in the mouth. Sit down to eat, take small bites, and keep your mouth closed while you chew. ## Key words • incisors — the front teeth that cut food • molars — the broad back teeth that grind food • saliva — the liquid in the mouth that softens food and begins to digest starch • milk teeth — the first set of teeth, which fall out as permanent teeth grow ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Which teeth do you mainly use to bite a piece of sugarcane, and which teeth grind it? Working: 1. The front teeth cut off a piece. Those are incisors. 2. The back teeth crush it. Those are premolars and molars. Answer: Incisors cut the piece. Premolars and molars grind it. PAGE 6: Lesson 2: The mouth: teeth, tongue and saliva — Observe and label the mouth ## Worked examples ### Example 2 Why should you chew a chapati well instead of swallowing it in large pieces? Working: 1. Chewing breaks the food up and mixes it with saliva. 2. Saliva begins to work on the starch, and smaller pieces are safer to swallow. Answer: Chewing and saliva start digestion and make the food soft enough to swallow safely. ## Activity: Observe and label the mouth You will need: A mirror, A diagram of teeth in a textbook or digital image, Pencil and paper 1. Look at your own teeth in a mirror and find incisors, canines and molars. Do not pull any loose tooth. 2. Use a print or digital diagram to check the names. 3. Draw an open mouth and label teeth, tongue and the place where saliva wets the food. 4. Write one function beside each label. 5. Share the drawing with a partner and correct any label that points to the wrong part. ## Practice 1. What is the work of incisors? 2. What does saliva do to food? 3. What does the tongue do when you swallow? 4. Why do you cough if food "goes down the wrong way"? ## Answers to practice 1. They cut food. 2. It wets and softens food and begins to break down starchy foods. 3. It rolls food into a soft lump and pushes it to the back of the mouth. 4. Some food has entered the windpipe, which carries air, and the cough pushes it out. ## Summary • Incisors cut, canines tear, and premolars and molars grind. • The tongue moves food and helps you swallow. Saliva softens food. • Swallow only after chewing, so food goes into the gullet and not the windpipe. PAGE 7: Lesson 3: The gullet and the stomach — The stomach LESSON 3: THE GULLET AND THE STOMACH ==================================== ## What you will learn • Describe how the gullet moves food to the stomach. • Explain how the stomach churns food and adds digestive juice. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify parts of the human digestive system ## Introduction Touch the front of your neck gently and swallow a sip of water. You may feel a movement as the water is pushed downward. It is on its way through the gullet. ## Notes After you swallow, food leaves the mouth and travels through the gullet to the stomach. These two parts continue the work that the teeth and saliva began. ### The gullet The gullet is a muscular tube. It joins the back of the mouth to the stomach. Food does not simply drop down it like a stone into a hole. Muscles in the wall of the gullet tighten in a wave and push the food along. This pushing is why you can swallow a sip of water even when you bend forward, though sitting up while you eat is the safer habit. The gullet lies behind the windpipe. Air and food go different ways. Air goes to the lungs. Food goes to the stomach. The gullet does not mash food and does not pass nutrients into the blood. Its work is to move each swallow safely to the stomach. ### The stomach The stomach is a muscular bag. It stretches when a meal arrives. Its muscles then squeeze and churn the food, mixing it around. The wall of the stomach adds a digestive juice. The juice helps to break food down, especially foods such as beans, eggs, meat and milk. The juice is acidic. The acid also kills some of the germs that may have entered with the food. Churning turns the chewed food into a thick, soupy mixture. The stomach does not finish digestion. After the food has been churned, a ring of muscle at the lower end of the stomach opens a little at a time. The soupy food then passes into the small intestine. ### Eating so these parts can do their work Large pieces that were hardly chewed are hard for the gullet to push and hard for the stomach to churn. Take small bites. Do not run or play while you are still swallowing. If you feel a sharp pain in the stomach, or if you vomit often, tell an adult the same day. Do not take medicine from a classmate. A parent or a health worker should decide what treatment is needed. On a diagram, find the gullet as the narrow tube just below the mouth, and the stomach as the bag that follows it. Say one function for each part before you go on. PAGE 8: Lesson 3: The gullet and the stomach — Trace the gullet and stomach on an image ## Key words • churn — to mix and squeeze food in the stomach • digestive juice — a liquid added by the stomach that helps to break food down • acid — the sour part of stomach juice that also kills some germs ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A learner thinks food falls into the stomach only because the body is upright. What else moves the food? Working: 1. The gullet is a muscular tube. 2. Muscles tighten in a wave and push the food along. Answer: Muscles in the gullet push the food to the stomach. The food is not only falling. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 State two things the stomach does to a meal. Working: 1. The stomach muscles churn the food. 2. Digestive juice is added and helps break the food down. Answer: It churns the food into a thick mixture and adds digestive juice. ## Activity: Trace the gullet and stomach on an image You will need: A large diagram on paper or a digital image of the digestive system, Sticky notes or small pieces of paper, Notebook 1. Look at a print or digital image and point to the gullet and the stomach. 2. Write "pushes food" on a label for the gullet and "churns food and adds juice" on a label for the stomach. 3. Place the labels without covering the drawing, with a line to the correct part. 4. Explain to your group why the gullet is not the windpipe. 5. Copy the two labels and their functions into your notebook. ## Practice 1. What is the function of the gullet? 2. What does the stomach add to food? 3. Where does food go when it leaves the stomach? ## Answers to practice 1. It pushes food from the mouth to the stomach. 2. Digestive juice, which is acidic and helps break food down. 3. Into the small intestine. ## Summary • Muscles of the gullet push food to the stomach. • The stomach churns food and adds acidic digestive juice. • The stomach then passes the mixture on to the small intestine. PAGE 9: Lesson 4: Intestines, rectum and anus — The large intestine LESSON 4: INTESTINES, RECTUM AND ANUS ===================================== ## What you will learn • Distinguish the work of the small intestine from the work of the large intestine. • State the functions of the rectum and the anus. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify parts of the human digestive system ## Introduction The stomach does not keep a meal forever. After the food has been churned, it moves on. The next parts decide what the body keeps and what leaves as waste. ## Notes The soupy food that leaves the stomach enters the intestines. This is where digestion is completed and where the body takes in what it needs. What cannot be used becomes waste. ### The small intestine The small intestine is a long, narrow tube coiled inside the belly. It is longer than the large intestine. It is called "small" because it is narrower, not because it is short. In the small intestine: - Digestion of the food is completed. More digestive juice is mixed with the food. - The useful, digested food passes through the thin wall of the small intestine into the blood. - The blood carries those nutrients around the body, to muscles, bones, the brain and other parts. This is the main place where digested food enters the blood. If this step did not happen, eating would not give you energy or help you grow, because the food would stay trapped in the tube. ### The large intestine The large intestine is wider and shorter than the small intestine. It lies around much of the coiled small intestine. By the time material reaches it, most of the useful nutrients have already passed into the blood. The large intestine takes water back from the undigested remains. The remains become more solid. This solid waste is called faeces, or stool. If the large intestine does not take enough water back, the stool stays very watery. If the waste stays in the intestine for a long time and too much water is removed, the stool becomes hard and dry. ### Rectum and anus The rectum is the last section of the large intestine. It stores faeces until you are ready to go to the toilet. The anus is the opening at the end of the digestive system. Faeces leave the body through the anus. Going to the toilet regularly is part of a healthy system. Always use a toilet or latrine. Wash your hands with soap and clean water afterwards so that germs from faeces are not carried to your mouth or to food. ### Check yourself Be able to point to the small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus on a chart. For each one, say one function in your own words. Remember: narrow and coiled, food into the blood; wider, water taken back; rectum stores; anus is the opening. ## Key words • small intestine — the long narrow coiled tube where digested food passes into the blood • large intestine — the wider tube that takes water out of undigested food • faeces — solid waste that leaves the body through the anus • rectum — the part that stores faeces until they are passed out PAGE 10: Lesson 5: Drawing and labelling the digestive system ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Which intestine is longer, and which intestine is wider? Working: 1. The small intestine is long and narrow, and it is coiled to fit. 2. The large intestine is shorter but wider. Answer: The small intestine is longer and narrower. The large intestine is shorter and wider. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 A classmate swaps the jobs of the rectum and the small intestine. How do you correct the labels? Working: 1. Digested food enters the blood in the small intestine. 2. The rectum only stores faeces before they leave. Answer: The small intestine passes digested food into the blood. The rectum stores faeces. Those jobs are not the same. ## Activity: Four parts, four jobs You will need: A diagram of the intestines from a book or digital image, Four cards, Pencil 1. Write these labels on four cards: small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus. 2. Using the diagram, place each card next to the correct part. 3. On the back of each card write the function: food into the blood, water taken back, stores faeces, opening where waste leaves. 4. Mix the cards and ask a partner to match each part to its function. 5. Discuss any card you disagreed on, then write the four functions in your book. ## Practice 1. Where does digested food pass into the blood? 2. What does the large intestine take back from undigested food? 3. What is the difference between the rectum and the anus? 4. Why should you wash your hands after using the toilet? ## Answers to practice 1. Through the wall of the small intestine. 2. Water. 3. The rectum stores faeces. The anus is the opening where faeces leave the body. 4. To remove germs from faeces so they are not carried to your mouth or to food. ## Summary • The small intestine finishes digestion and lets nutrients into the blood. • The large intestine takes water back and forms solid waste. • The rectum stores faeces. The anus is the opening where they leave. LESSON 5: DRAWING AND LABELLING THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ==================================================== ## What you will learn • Draw the human digestive system and label its parts correctly. • Avoid common mistakes when naming the parts on a diagram. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify parts of the human digestive system ## Introduction A labelled drawing is a tool, not a decoration. If the line from the word stomach points at the intestine, the drawing teaches the wrong lesson. Each name must land on the correct part. ## Notes A clear drawing helps you remember the digestive system and explain it to someone else. The aim is not a beautiful picture of a person. The aim is a correct diagram: the right parts, in the right order, with labels that point to those parts. PAGE 11: Lesson 5: Drawing and labelling the digestive system — Mistakes to avoid ### Rules for the drawing - Use a pencil first. Draw smooth single lines, then colour lightly if you wish. - Show the seven parts in order: mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. - Show the gullet as a narrow tube and the stomach as a bag. - Show the small intestine as a coil, because in the body it is coiled so that a long tube fits in the belly. Show the large intestine as a wider tube. - Write labels to one side. Join each label to its part with a straight line. Try not to let the lines cross. - Give the drawing a title: The human digestive system. - Check spelling before you say the work is finished. ### Using print and digital images Before you draw, study a textbook page, a poster or a digital image. Point to each part on that image and name it. Notice the shape of the stomach, the tight coil of the small intestine, and the wider large intestine. If the class has a computer, a tablet or an interactive screen, use it to look closely, then draw and label in your book. You may also paint and label the system in a drawing application. The device helps you see. The labels still have to be your own. ### Mistakes to avoid - Calling the windpipe the gullet. The gullet is the food tube. It leads to the stomach, not to the lungs. - Swapping the small and large intestine. The small intestine is longer and narrower, and it is the main place where digested food enters the blood. The large intestine is wider and takes water out of the waste. - Forgetting the rectum. The rectum stores faeces. The anus is only the opening at the end. - Stopping the labels at the stomach. The system continues through the intestines to the anus. When you finish, exchange books with a partner. Each person should find all seven labels and check that each line touches the correct part. Correct any label that has slipped. [DIAGRAM] TYPE: svg ALT: The parts of the human digestive system in the order food travels. The small intestine is drawn as a coil. PAYLOAD: CAPTION: The parts of the human digestive system in the order food travels. The small intestine is drawn as a coil. [/DIAGRAM] PAGE 12: Lesson 5: Drawing and labelling the digestive system — Draw, paint and label the system ## Key words • label — a name written beside a part, with a line pointing to that part • diagram — a simple drawing that shows parts clearly • coil — a series of loops, the way the small intestine is packed in the belly ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A drawing shows a tube from the mouth going to two bags in the chest labelled "lungs", and the learner has written "gullet" on that tube. What is wrong? Working: 1. Tubes to the lungs carry air. That is the windpipe. 2. The gullet must be shown leading to the stomach. Answer: The label is on the windpipe. The gullet should be drawn as the tube that leads to the stomach. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 Which three checks should you make before you hand in a diagram of the digestive system? Working: 1. Count the seven parts. 2. Check that label lines touch the correct part. 3. Check the spelling and the title. Answer: All seven parts are present, each label line touches the right part, and the spellings and title are correct. ## Activity: Draw, paint and label the system You will need: Pencil, eraser, ruler and exercise book, Coloured pencils, A reference chart or digital image, A drawing application if a device is available 1. Study a print diagram or a digital image and name all seven parts aloud. 2. Draw the system in order: mouth, gullet, stomach, coiled small intestine, wider large intestine, rectum and anus. 3. Label every part with straight lines. Add the title The human digestive system. 4. If a device is available, paint and label a second copy in a drawing application and compare it with your book. 5. Swap books with a partner and correct any label that points to the wrong part. PAGE 13: Lesson 6: Signs of an unhealthy digestive system ## Practice 1. Why is the small intestine drawn as a coil? 2. What title should you give the drawing? 3. Name the mistake of labelling the air tube to the lungs as the gullet. ## Answers to practice 1. Because it is a long tube coiled inside the belly. 2. The human digestive system. 3. The air tube is the windpipe. The gullet is the food tube that leads to the stomach. ## Summary • A correct diagram shows seven parts in order, with labels that touch the right part. • The small intestine is coiled and narrow. The large intestine is wider. • Use a chart or digital image to check your drawing, then check a partner's labels. LESSON 6: SIGNS OF AN UNHEALTHY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ================================================ ## What you will learn • Describe stomach ache, bloating, worms, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation. • State what to do when one of these signs is serious. Curriculum outcomes: b) develop a plan of maintaining a healthy human digestive system; c) appreciate the importance of a healthy human digestive system ## Introduction A healthy belly is quiet most of the time. When digestion goes wrong, the body sends signals such as pain, a tight swollen feeling, or a change in how waste leaves the body. ## Notes A healthy digestive system digests food without pain that goes on and on, and it passes waste regularly. When something is wrong, the body shows signs. You should know the signs so you can tell an adult. Knowing them is not the same as deciding the cause yourself. A health worker does that. ### Stomach ache A stomach ache is pain in the belly. It may follow eating too much, eating food that was not safe, constipation or worms. A mild pain that passes may not be serious. A strong pain, or a pain that keeps returning, should be reported to a parent or a teacher the same day. ### Bloating Bloating means the belly feels full, tight and sometimes swollen, often because of gas. It can happen if you eat very fast or swallow a lot of air. If bloating and pain come together again and again, tell an adult. ### Worms Some worms can live in the intestines. They use the food you have eaten. Signs can include stomach pain, itching around the anus especially at night, and sometimes worms seen in the stool. A person with many worms may feel tired. Worms spread when hands, food or water are dirty. Some kinds enter through bare feet on soil that has been contaminated. Tell a parent if you notice these signs. Deworming medicine should come from a health worker or a parent. Do not take tablets that were meant for someone else. PAGE 14: Lesson 6: Signs of an unhealthy digestive system — Diarrhoea ### Diarrhoea Diarrhoea means passing loose, watery stool several times in a day. The body loses water. Losing too much water is dangerous. Warning signs include a dry mouth, passing little urine, and feeling very weak. Tell an adult at once and keep sipping clean water. A clinic may give a drink called oral rehydration solution to replace water and salts. Wash your hands well, because the germs that cause diarrhoea can spread to other people. ### Vomiting Vomiting means the stomach forces food back out through the mouth. It can follow an infection or food that was spoiled. Rest, tell an adult, and sip small amounts of clean water. If vomiting does not stop, or if there is blood, a health worker is needed quickly. ### Constipation Constipation means the stool is hard and dry and difficult to pass. A person may go for days without passing stool. It is often linked with too little water, too few fruits and vegetables, and sitting still for most of the day. Drinking clean water, eating fruit and vegetables, and playing active games usually help. Tell an adult if it continues. Write the six signs in a table with the columns Sign and What I would notice. Share the table and listen to other groups. Agree on one rule: if a sign is strong or keeps coming back, tell an adult the same day. Looking after these signs is one way of valuing a healthy digestive system. ## Key words • bloating — a tight, full feeling in the belly, often from gas • diarrhoea — passing loose, watery stool several times a day • constipation — hard, dry stool that is difficult to pass • vomiting — food being forced back up from the stomach through the mouth ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A learner has watery stool four times before noon and feels very weak. Which sign is this, and what should happen next? Working: 1. Loose watery stool several times a day is diarrhoea. 2. The body is losing water, so an adult must be told and clean fluids given. Answer: This is diarrhoea. Tell an adult at once, sip clean water, and let the adult seek help at a clinic if it continues. PAGE 15: Lesson 6: Signs of an unhealthy digestive system — Record the signs and share them ## Worked examples ### Example 2 Sort these complaints into the correct sign: hard stool for three days, belly tight with gas, food coming back up. Working: 1. Hard stool that will not pass easily is constipation. 2. A tight belly with gas is bloating. 3. Food coming back up is vomiting. Answer: Constipation, bloating and vomiting. ## Activity: Record the signs and share them You will need: Notebook, A chart with six rows, Textbook or class notes 1. Discuss the six signs with your group: stomach ache, bloating, worms, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation. 2. Record each sign and what it looks like. Use respectful words. Do not make fun of anyone's illness. 3. Add a column: Tell an adult? Write yes for signs that are strong or that keep returning. 4. Share your chart with another group and add any sign you described unclearly. 5. Agree who you would tell at school and who you would tell at home. ## Practice 1. What is bloating? 2. Why is diarrhoea dangerous if it continues? 3. Give two signs that worms may be living in the intestine. 4. What is constipation? ## Answers to practice 1. A feeling that the belly is full, tight and sometimes swollen, often with gas. 2. The body loses a lot of water and can become very weak. 3. Any two: stomach pain, itching around the anus especially at night, worms seen in stool, feeling very tired. 4. Hard, dry stool that is difficult to pass. PAGE 16: Lesson 7: Dental hygiene, deworming and healthy eating ## Summary • Stomach ache, bloating, worms, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation are signs to take seriously. • Diarrhoea and vomiting need an adult quickly because the body loses water. • Do not take another person's medicine. A parent or health worker decides on treatment. LESSON 7: DENTAL HYGIENE, DEWORMING AND HEALTHY EATING ====================================================== ## What you will learn • Describe daily care of the teeth. • Explain how handwashing, clean food and deworming protect the digestive system. Curriculum outcomes: b) develop a plan of maintaining a healthy human digestive system ## Introduction Clean teeth, a body kept free of worms, and meals that are safe to eat all protect one system. Miss one of these habits and digestion becomes harder or the body becomes ill. ## Notes Three habits do a great deal to keep the digestive system healthy: caring for the teeth, keeping worms out and treating them when they occur, and eating in a clean and varied way. These habits are the ones you will turn into a plan. ### Dental hygiene Teeth start digestion by chewing. If teeth hurt, you may swallow large pieces or avoid foods you need. - Brush in the morning and again before you sleep. Germs build up on teeth during the day and during the night, so once a day is not enough. - Use your own toothbrush. Do not share it. Sharing passes germs from one mouth to another. - Use a small amount of toothpaste, about the size of a pea. Brush the front, the back and the chewing surfaces. Spit the toothpaste out. Do not swallow it. - Sugary snacks and sweet drinks feed germs in the mouth. The germs make acid, and the acid makes holes in the teeth. Keep sweets for special times, and rinse your mouth with clean water if you cannot brush afterwards. - If a tooth aches, a gum bleeds often, or you can see a hole, tell an adult. Visit a dentist when you can. A painful tooth does not heal because you ignore it. PAGE 17: Lesson 7: Dental hygiene, deworming and healthy eating — Healthy eating ### Deworming and keeping worms out Worms in the intestines use the food you eat. You can make it harder for them to reach you. - Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating. - Wash fruits and vegetables before you eat them raw. - Drink water that is safe: treated tap water, water that has been boiled and cooled, or water from a sealed container. - Wear shoes where the ground may be dirty, because some worms enter through bare feet. - Use a toilet or latrine so that human waste does not spread worm eggs in the soil. Schools and clinics sometimes give deworming medicine. Take it only when a health worker or your parent gives it to you. Take the amount you are given, and do not share the medicine. ### Healthy eating The digestive system works best on a mixture of foods, handled cleanly. - Eat grains such as ugali, rice, porridge or bread. They give energy. - Eat proteins such as beans, eggs, milk, fish or meat. They help the body grow and repair itself. - Eat fruits and vegetables every day. They contain fibre, which helps waste move through the large intestine and helps prevent constipation. - Drink clean water through the day. - Wash hands before you cook or eat. Cover food so flies do not land on it. Eat food that is well cooked, and leave food that smells bad or has mould. - Chew slowly and sit down to eat. Clean teeth, freedom from worms, and safe meals are three ways of looking after the same system. A healthy system lets you get the good from your food without pain. ## Key words • dental hygiene — keeping the teeth and mouth clean • deworming — using medicine from a health worker or parent to kill worms in the intestines • fibre — the part of fruits, vegetables and some grains that helps waste move through the intestine ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A boy shares his toothbrush with his brother and drinks a sweet drink every break time. Which two habits should he change, and why? Working: 1. A shared toothbrush passes germs. 2. Frequent sweet drinks feed germs that make acid and holes in teeth. Answer: He should use only his own toothbrush, and he should cut down sweet drinks so his teeth are less likely to get holes. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 Give three actions that help stop worms from entering the body. Working: 1. Hands carry germs and worm eggs from the toilet to the mouth. 2. Unwashed food and dirty water can carry them too. 3. Some worms enter through bare feet. Answer: Wash hands with soap, wash fruits and vegetables, drink clean water, and wear shoes. Any three of these. PAGE 18: Lesson 7: Dental hygiene, deworming and healthy eating — Sort habits into teeth, worms and food ## Activity: Sort habits into teeth, worms and food You will need: Nine small cards or a notebook page divided into three columns, Pencil 1. Write these actions on cards: brush twice a day, do not share a toothbrush, wash hands after the toilet, wear shoes, wash fruit, cover food, eat vegetables, drink clean water, take deworming medicine only from a parent or health worker. 2. Sort the cards into three groups: dental hygiene, deworming and worms, healthy eating. Some cards may fit more than one group. Discuss why. 3. Agree on the three most important actions your group will actually do this week. 4. Be respectful of learners who may not have toothpaste at home. Washing the mouth with clean water and telling an adult still counts as care. 5. Keep the sorted list. You will use it to write a full plan in the next lesson. ## Practice 1. How often should you brush your teeth? 2. Why do sweet snacks cause holes in teeth? 3. Who should give you deworming medicine? 4. How does fibre in fruits and vegetables help the digestive system? ## Answers to practice 1. In the morning and before you sleep. 2. Germs in the mouth turn the sugar into acid, and the acid damages the teeth. 3. A health worker or your parent. Do not share medicine with friends. 4. It helps waste move through the large intestine and helps prevent constipation. ## Summary • Brush twice a day with your own toothbrush and limit sugary snacks. • Wash hands, wash food, drink clean water, wear shoes, and take deworming medicine only from a trusted adult. • A varied diet with fruits, vegetables and clean water keeps the intestines working well. LESSON 8: A PLAN FOR A HEALTHY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM =============================================== ## What you will learn • Write a plan of daily and weekly actions that keep the digestive system healthy. • Explain why a healthy digestive system matters for growth and learning. Curriculum outcomes: b) develop a plan of maintaining a healthy human digestive system; c) appreciate the importance of a healthy human digestive system ## Introduction A short list in your exercise book can change what you do before breakfast and after visiting the toilet. That list is a plan. Writing it with your group makes each action clear enough to follow. ## Notes Knowing facts is the start. A plan turns the facts into actions you can do on ordinary days. You write it with your group, then follow it at home and at school. The outcome of this sub-strand asks you to develop that plan, not only to recite the parts of the system. ### Why the plan matters A healthy digestive system lets the body take nutrients from food. Those nutrients give you energy for class and for games, help you grow, and help a cut to heal. They keep you well enough to attend school. Stomach pain, worms, diarrhoea and teeth full of holes all get in the way. When you follow a plan, you show that you appreciate this system on days when you feel fine, not only on days when you are already ill. PAGE 19: Lesson 8: A plan for a healthy digestive system — How the group builds one plan ### What to write Divide the plan into three parts. Every day: - Brush your teeth in the morning and before sleep, with your own toothbrush. - Wash your hands with soap after the toilet and before eating. - Eat fruit or vegetables at least once. - Drink clean water. - Chew food well and sit down to eat. - Use a toilet or latrine, and wash your hands again afterwards. Every week: - Check that nobody else is using your toothbrush, and that the bristles are not flattened. Flattened bristles do not clean well. - Help to keep the family drinking water covered. - Notice if you have been walking barefoot in dirty places, and choose shoes next time. - Look back at the week: did you tell an adult about any sign that worried you? When something is wrong: - Tell a parent or a teacher the same day if you have strong stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation that does not improve, or itching around the anus. - Sip clean water if you have diarrhoea or have vomited, and let an adult decide about a clinic. - Take deworming medicine only from a health worker or a parent. - Through an adult, see a dentist if a tooth hurts. ### How the group builds one plan Give each person a section to draft: teeth, food and worms, or what to do when unwell. Read the drafts aloud. Keep only actions a learner your age can really do. Remove any line that tells you to swallow medicine on your own or to ignore pain. Copy the agreed plan onto a clean page. Write your name under it to show you will try the actions this week. At the end of the week, tick the actions you kept. Do not be discouraged by a missed day. Start again the next morning. A plan works because you return to it, and a quiet, comfortable digestive system is the result you are protecting. PAGE 20: Lesson 8: A plan for a healthy digestive system — Write a group plan and try it ## Key words • plan — a list of actions you agree to do so that a goal is reached • nutrients — the useful substances in food that the blood carries around the body • oral rehydration solution — a special drink a clinic may give to replace water and salts lost in diarrhoea ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A group writes, "If your stomach hurts, take any tablets you find at home." Why must this line be removed from the plan? Working: 1. Medicine that is not meant for you can harm you. 2. A parent or health worker should decide on medicine. Answer: The line is unsafe. The plan should say: tell an adult, and take medicine only from a parent or a health worker. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 Give two daily actions and one reason why a healthy digestive system helps you learn. Working: 1. Daily actions include brushing, handwashing, clean water, fruit or vegetables, and chewing well. 2. Nutrients from well-digested food give energy and help you stay well enough for school. Answer: For example, brush twice a day and wash hands before eating. A healthy system supplies energy and keeps you well enough to be in class. ## Activity: Write a group plan and try it You will need: Exercise books, The habit cards from the previous lesson, if you still have them, A clean page titled My digestive health plan 1. In your group, draft three sections: every day, every week, and when I feel unwell. 2. Discuss each line. Keep actions you can do. Remove any instruction to take medicine by yourself. 3. Copy the agreed plan into your book and sign your name. 4. Share one action with the class and listen respectfully to other groups' ideas. 5. For the next seven days, tick the daily actions you complete. Tell your teacher what was easy and what was hard. ## Practice 1. What three headings should a digestive health plan have? 2. Why does a healthy digestive system help you grow? 3. Write two actions that belong under "when I feel unwell". 4. Why should the plan be followed on days when you feel well? ## Answers to practice 1. Every day, every week, and when something is wrong (when I feel unwell). 2. It lets nutrients from food enter the blood, and the body uses them to grow. 3. Tell an adult the same day, sip clean water if you have diarrhoea or have vomited, and take medicine only from a parent or health worker. 4. Care on ordinary days prevents problems. You are protecting the system, not only reacting when you are already ill. ## Summary • A plan lists daily care, weekly checks, and what to do when signs appear. • Nutrients from a healthy digestive system give energy and support growth. • Medicine stays with a parent or a health worker. Pain is reported the same day. PAGE 21: Revision quiz REVISION QUIZ ============= Answer all the questions, then mark yourself on the Answers tab. 1. Digestion is: A. Breathing air into the lungs B. Breaking food down so the body can use it C. Pumping blood D. Growing taller only 2. Which list is in the order food travels? A. Stomach, mouth, anus, gullet B. Mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine C. Anus, rectum, mouth, stomach D. Lungs, gullet, heart, stomach 3. The gullet carries: A. Air to the lungs B. Food to the stomach C. Blood to the heart D. Waste to the kidneys 4. Which teeth grind food? A. Incisors only B. Premolars and molars C. Hair D. The gullet 5. Digested food passes into the blood mainly from the: A. Small intestine B. Gullet C. Anus D. Windpipe 6. The large intestine: A. Grinds food with teeth B. Takes water out of undigested food C. Carries air to the lungs D. Pumps blood 7. Faeces are stored in the: A. Mouth B. Rectum C. Gullet D. Saliva 8. Passing loose, watery stool many times a day is called: A. Constipation B. Diarrhoea C. Dental hygiene D. Pollination 9. Hard, dry stool that is difficult to pass is: A. Bloating only B. Constipation C. A healthy sign D. Saliva 10. Which habit protects the teeth? A. Sharing a toothbrush B. Brushing in the morning and before sleep C. Eating sweets at every break D. Swallowing toothpaste for fun 11. Deworming medicine should be taken: A. From a friend's pocket B. Whenever you find tablets at home C. Only when a health worker or parent gives it D. Every morning with sweets 12. Why is a healthy digestive system important? PAGE 22: Quiz answers ANSWERS ======= 1. B. Breaking food down so the body can use it Digestion breaks food into small pieces that can pass into the blood. 2. B. Mouth, gullet, stomach, small intestine Food goes from the mouth into the gullet, then the stomach, then the small intestine. 3. B. Food to the stomach The gullet is the food pipe. The windpipe is the tube that carries air. 4. B. Premolars and molars The broad teeth at the back, premolars and molars, grind food. Incisors cut it. 5. A. Small intestine The wall of the small intestine lets digested food into the blood. 6. B. Takes water out of undigested food By the time material reaches the large intestine, the main job left is taking water back so waste becomes more solid. 7. B. Rectum The rectum stores faeces until they leave through the anus. 8. B. Diarrhoea Diarrhoea is loose, watery stool. It causes the body to lose water, so an adult should be told. 9. B. Constipation Constipation is hard, dry stool. Water, fruit, vegetables and activity help prevent it. 10. B. Brushing in the morning and before sleep Brushing twice a day with your own toothbrush removes germs that would make acid and holes. 11. C. Only when a health worker or parent gives it A health worker or parent gives the right medicine and amount. Sharing tablets is unsafe. 12. It lets nutrients from food enter the blood so the body gets energy, grows and stays well enough to learn and play. Without digestion, food cannot be used by the rest of the body.