Cornell Notes
Topic/Objective: Students will be able to identify the
Name:
Functions of the digestive and excretory systems.
Class/Period:
Date:
Essential Question: What are the functions of the digestive and excretory systems?
Questions:
What are the functions of
The digestive system?
What are the major organs
And their functions in the
Digestive system?
Notes: Digestive System:
The three functions of the digestive system:
1. Breaking down food into smaller molecules
2. Absorbing nutrients into our blood for energy
3. Preparing food for waste
 Physical digestion(change)- material is broken down without adding
additional substances. EX: chewing muscles mixing in stomach
 Chemical digestion(change)- material is broken down with
substances creating a chemical reaction. EX: saliva mixing in mouth
When nutrients are absorbed in small intestine
Major Organs of the digestive system & the process:
 Mouth/ Tongue- chews food and breaks it down for swallowing.
o Saliva- enzymes(proteins)
and mucus in your mouth
that help break down the
larger molecules into smaller
ones.
 Esophagus- hollow tube that
connects the mouth to the stomach.
o Peristalsis- the waves of
muscle contractions that
move the food down the
esophagus.
 Stomach- flexible baglike organ that
contains enzymes (stomach acid)
that help to break down food
molecules further through the action
of Churning (mixing the food in the
enzymes).
 Small intestine- long wound-up tube that helps digest food and absorbs
the nutrients from the food through the Villi (fingerlike projections that
cover the inside of the intestine)
 Large intestine- long wound-up tube that collects what is not absorbed in
the small intestine. Also absorbs the water from the remaining waste.
 Rectum- Where waste is stored, Anus releases it.
Questions:
What are the functions of
The Excretory system?
What are the major organs
And their functions in the
Excretory system?
Summary:
Notes: Excretory System:
The main function of the Excretory system:
1. Eliminates/ removes cellular waste from the body (including liquids,
solids, and gases)
Organs included in the Excretory system:
 Lungs- remove carbon dioxide (CO2) and excess water vapors
 Skin- removes water and salt when you sweat
 Liver- removes waste from the blood, breaks down proteins creating urea
 Kidneys- remove urea from the body by making urine
 Ureter- tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder (transports urine)
 Bladder- flexible sac that stores urine
 Urethra- Where urine is removed from the body
 Rectum- stores feces until it is removed from the body