The Digestive System
The digestive system is a system of organs that take in food, digest it to extract energy and nutrients, and expel the remaining waste. It incorporates the excretory and urinary systems, responsible for discharging waste from the body. The Digestive System Web Guide provides the “ins and outs” of the digestive, urinary and excretory systems.
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Expand All Guide SectionsDigestive System Basics
Forget the technical stuff: Perhaps you’re just curious about what happens to your food once you swallow it. Or what’s causing your indigestion. Use the sites below to get information on digestive system basics.
Insights for Digestive System Basics
- Some sites rely primarily on images to impart information; others are mainly text. Depending on how your brain processes information, you probably prefer one approach over the other. Our descriptions of the sites below include mention of how each site is designed.
Top Sites for Digestive System Basics
National Geographic
presents a fascinating view of the digestive system. Expect simple language enhanced by animated imagery and follow the path of food from the mouth through the entire digestive system. Choose a specific food item and watch as it actually moves through the body, being digested as it goes.
Estrella Mountain Community College
offers a clear, comprehensive description of the digestive system by Michael J. Farabee, Ph.D., a biology professor. All keywords link directly to a glossary. The site is text-heavy but does use simple drawings to illustrate key features.
NDDIC
(National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse) provides an overview of the digestive system and explains how it works. Also find links to other sites for further information.
The Digestive System for Kids
Parents and teachers looking for information on the digestive system for kids will find plenty of tips and ideas at the sites recommended below.
Insights for the Digestive System for Kids
- The “fun facts” that most of these sites include can be a great way to capture students’ attention when introducing new material.
Top Sites for the Digestive System for Kids
Discovery Kids
presents “Your Gross and Cool Body: Your Digestive System.” The site uses fun language to track a bite of pizza through the digestive system, followed by a list of interesting “Factoids.” A similarly designed section of the site focuses on the urinary system.
KidsHealth
has a comprehensive overview of the digestive system, especially for kids. Find animations, a video and a Spanish version of the information.
ThinkQuest Library
uses a lizard to take kids on a guided tour of the digestive system. The site is clearly designed to be kid-friendly, with fun facts embedded in the text. A different section of the site puts a fun spin on the urinary system. Both sections include glossaries and simple drawings of the systems.
Rader’s Biology4kids.com
provides a brief introduction to the excretory system using language that's catered to kids.
Advanced Digestive System Resources
Get more in-depth coverage of the digestive system with these advanced digestive system resources.
Insights for Advanced Digestive System Resources
- To assess the credibility of a site, check its source. Sites created by doctors and those affiliated with hospitals, universities and government agencies can usually be relied upon for accurate information.
Top Sites for Advanced Digestive System Resources
Colorado State University
presents "Pathophysiology of the Digestive System." Get an overview of the digestive system and its functions, along with a detailed voyage through the digestive tract. Also learn about the digestive physiology of herbivores and birds.
University of Kansas Medical Center
has a reference site on the 26 parts of the urinary system. Choose a part on the left to see a detailed slide and a technical description.
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