Introduction
Your food has a story to tell! 🍎
Ever thought about what becomes of the food you have consumed after swallowing? Daily, your body takes in food and changes it into nutrients that can be used as sources of energy. This is due to the presence of a digestive system in the body.
In this WebQuest, you get the opportunity to be a "Digestive System Investigator." You will be learning more about the various organs involved in the process of digestion, food’s route in the body, and the functions of these organs in the process of digestion. At the end of the activity, you should be able to explain what becomes of the food from its entry point to when it leaves the body as waste.
Task
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Ready for your next mission?
Let’s put your digestive system knowledge into action!
Your task is to research and investigate the human digestive system and create a labeled diagram of the digestive system highlighting the process of digestion inside the human body.
Your final product should:
- Identify the major organs of the digestive system.
- Arrange the organs in the correct order according to the movement of food.
- Explain the main function of each major organ.
- Describe how food is mechanically and chemically broken down.
- Explain how nutrients are absorbed into the body.
- Explain how waste materials are eliminated.
- Include information from reliable sources.
Once you have finished creating your diagram/infographic, you will then present a short presentation on the process of food digestion in the body.
Process
🔍 Step 1: Activate Your Prior Knowledge
Prior to your research, consider what occurs to the food once it enters your body.
Answer the following questions:
Where does digestion begin?
- Where does digestion begin?
- What happens to food when you swallow it?
- Where does most nutrient absorption occur?
- What happens to the materials that the body cannot use?
Write your initial thoughts before embarking on your research.
🔍 Step 2: Explore the Digestive Organs
Refer to the given source material and learn about the different digestive organs.
Consider the following digestive organs:
- Mouth
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Large intestine
- Rectum
- Anus
Additionally, consider the accessory digestive organs:
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Pancreas
For each digestive organ, identify its location and function.
🔍Step 3: Trace the Journey of Food
Follow the route that food takes through the digestive system.
Arrange the organs in proper order and describe what happens to the food at each level.
Examples:
Mouth -> Esophagus -> Stomach -> Small Intestine -> Large Intestine -> Rectum -> Anus
Describe how the digestion changes as it moves through each organ.
🔍Step 4: Investigate Digestion and Absorption
Research the distinction between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion.
Next, research how nutrients are absorbed, especially within the small intestine.
Ask yourself:
How is food mechanically digested?
- How is food mechanically digested?
- How do digestive fluids and enzymes help with this process?
- Why is the small intestine vital for the absorption of nutrients?
- Where do the nutrients go once they are absorbed?
🔍Step 5: Create Your Final Product
Use the facts that you have collected to make a labeled diagram of the digestive system.
Your labeled diagram will include the following elements:
1. Major digestive organs.
2. Direction of how food travels in the digestive system.
3. Function of each organ.
4. The site of digestion.
5. The site where nutrients get absorbed.
6. Site where waste is stored and excreted.
Use arrows to show the movement of food through the digestive tract.
🔍Step 6: Present Your Findings
Present your diagram or infographic to the class.
During your presentation, explain the journey of food through the digestive system and describe the role of the major organs.
🔍Step 7: Reflecting on the Process
After completing the activity, answer the following questions:
1. What did you learn about the digestive system that you didn’t know before?
2. What organ do you think is important for digestion, and why?
3. Why is digestion important to the human body?
4. How does knowledge of the digestive system influence the health choices that you make?
Resources
Use reliable educational resources to complete your WebQuest. You can choose among the resources below to use as your reference:
1. Helmenstine, A. (2025, September 2). Digestive System - Diagram, Function, and Process. Science Notes and Projects. https://sciencenotes.org/digestive-system-diagram-function-and-process/
2. BBC Bitesize. (2025). The structure of the digestive system - Nutrition, digestion and excretion - KS3 Biology. BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zv8m7yc#z8nntrd
3. (2026). Youtu.Be. https://youtu.be/WWpRX7g_qvo
4. ANATOMIX. (2026). HOW DIGESTIVE SYSTEM WORKS..TED Ed #anatomy #digestivesystem #humanbody #howthebodyworks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6feu0pAiIX0
5. BBC Bitesize. (2025). The structure of the digestive system - Nutrition, digestion and excretion - KS3 Biology. BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zv8m7yc#z8nntrd
Evaluation
Your WebQuest project will be evaluated using the following rubric:
|
Criteria |
Excellent (4) |
Good (3) |
Satisfactory (2) |
Needs Improvement (1) |
|
Accuracy of Information |
The information is precise, comprehensive, and comprehensible. |
The information is fairly precise and well-explained. |
Some information may be inaccurate. |
There is much misinformation. |
|
Digestive System Diagram |
All major organs are correctly labeled and arranged. |
Most organs are correctly labeled and arranged. |
Some organs are missing or incorrectly labeled. |
Many organs are missing or incorrectly labeled. |
|
Explanation of Functions |
Clearly describes and explains the purpose of each major organ. |
Explains most organ functions accurately. |
Limited explanations of organ functions provided |
Provides little or inaccurate information about functions. |
|
Journey of Food |
Clearly and accurately traces food through the entire digestive system |
Accurately traces most of the journey of food. |
Shows some understanding but contains gaps |
Does not clearly explain the movement of food. |
|
Presentation |
The presentation is well-structured, clear, and informative. |
Presentation is clear and organized. |
The presentation needs more organization or explanation. |
The presentation is unclear or incomplete. |
|
Reflection |
Gives insightful and comprehensive answers, showing strong understanding. |
Shows clear understanding of the concepts. |
Answers are brief or lack detail. |
Reflection is incomplete or demonstrates limited understanding. |
Total: 24 points
21–24: Excellent
17–20: Good
13–16: Satisfactory
6–12: Needs Improvement
Conclusion
With the help of the WebQuest task, you got to know about the digestive system of humans and have had a journey through the body as the food passed through the digestive system. With the help of this task, you have come to know about the different organs of the body that take part in the digestion process, their role in the digestion process, and the extraction of nutrients from the food we eat. The way the different components of the digestive system work together to make sure that our body gets all the necessary nutrients to stay fit and active is now known to you.
This knowledge of the digestive system helps us understand how important it is for us to have proper nutrition in order to maintain good health. Understanding the process of digestion and nutrient absorption can make us realize how important it is for us to maintain our digestive health by eating healthy food. Through this WebQuest, you have not only learned about the digestive system but also sharpened your research, critical thinking, and communication skills.
Credits
Content Sources:
1. Helmenstine, A. (2025, September 2). Digestive System - Diagram, Function, and Process. Science Notes and Projects. https://sciencenotes.org/digestive-system-diagram-function-and-process/
2. BBC Bitesize. (2025). The structure of the digestive system - Nutrition, digestion and excretion - KS3 Biology. BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zv8m7yc#z8nntrd
3. (2026). Youtu.Be. https://youtu.be/WWpRX7g_qvo
4. ANATOMIX. (2026). HOW DIGESTIVE SYSTEM WORKS..TED Ed #anatomy #digestivesystem #humanbody #howthebodyworks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6feu0pAiIX0
5. BBC Bitesize. (2025). The structure of the digestive system - Nutrition, digestion and excretion - KS3 Biology. BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zv8m7yc#z8nntrd
WebQuest Topic: The Human Digestive System
WebQuest Designer: Frencious Cathleigh R. Apdon