Summer SAVY, Session 6 Day 4, The Science of Senses (3rd – 4th)
Hello Parents,
Welcome to Day 4 of Sense-Sational Science! Today, our focus was on the senses of taste and smell and how they work together to create our perception of flavor. We also revisited our S.A.V.Y. class creed and reviewed classroom and lab rules to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment. Here’s a recap of our day and tips on how you can support your child’s learning at home.
Exploring Taste and Smell: We introduced the concepts of taste buds and olfactory receptors, explaining how they work together to help us perceive flavors. The students learned that different areas of the tongue are sensitive to different tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. They also discovered the significant role of olfactory receptors in our nose in detecting smells and enhancing our taste experience.
Taste Test Experiment: Using various foods such as sugar, salt, lemon, and bitter chocolate, the students conducted a taste test. They identified whether each item was sweet, salty, sour, or bitter, and discussed how different taste buds detect different flavors.
Smell Exploration Experiment: Students explored different scents using scent bottles filled with lavender, lemon, orange, banana, and vinegar. They smelled each cup and identified the scent, discussing how these scents.
To reinforce today’s lessons and support your child’s learning at home, you can:
Discuss Daily Learnings:
- Ask your child about what they explored and discovered today: Engage in conversations about their taste and smell experiments. Ask questions like, “What did you find most interesting about the taste test?” or “How do you think smell helps us taste food?”
Encourage Scientific Thinking:
- Promote curiosity and observation: Encourage your child to ask questions about the foods and smells they encounter daily. Help them think through what they are observing and why it might be happening.
- Conduct simple experiments together: Try out taste and smell experiments at home. For example, blindfold each other and taste different foods, discussing the role of smell in identifying flavors.
Celebrate Curiosity:
- Praise their efforts and discoveries: Show enthusiasm for their scientific explorations. Celebrate their curiosity by recognizing their achievements and encouraging them to continue asking questions and seeking answers.
- Create a science-friendly environment: Provide materials like books, kits, or online resources that foster a love for science. Encourage them to document their findings in a journal or share them with family members
Tonight’s homework (optional): Ask your student to explain the different taste areas of the tongue. Then, let them list the items you will have for dinner. As a family, discuss which tastes are identified as either sweet, sour, bitter, umami, or salty. Ensure that he/she marks and labels on the paper tongue. If he/she decides to complete one of the activities, he/she will be asked to share their findings with the class, if they would like.
Carleen Alford