After working with all our senses for some time, we started narrowing down our focus last week to begin examining each sense in more detail and how it might work with our other senses. We also began focusing on the brain's role in how our senses work. We explored the sense of taste through various exploratory activities. It all began with a blindfold taste test.
This experience introduced us to the Learner Profile trait "Risk-Taker" as many of us were a little nervous to try something that we could not see and identify. Through this experience we realized that we all perceive things in different ways and what one person may say is disgusting, may be delicious to another. This experience also introduced us to some new vocabulary words, including sour, bitter, salty and sweet.
We took this new vocabulary and explored it in more depth the following day through three stations that once again focused on the sense of taste. In one of the centers, we reviewed the four words listed above and then explored them more deeply through an additional taste-testing experience. Four containers each full of what appeared to be water were placed in the middle of the table. We once again were risk-takers as we tasted each one and matched it to our newly learned taste vocabulary. These four liquids (salt water, sugar water, tonic water, and vinegar) helped us better solidify our understanding.
In another center, we sat in front of five mugs filled with different flavored tea. We were shown the boxes each tea was sold in and told the names of the five teas, but not which flavor was in which mug. It was our responsibility to taste a bit of each tea and try to match it to each box.
Throughout this experience we came to realize that more than just the sense of taste helped us identify the teas; our senses of smell and sight were also very helpful.
Our third center focused on all of the five senses as we explored fruit. We were shown a tray with a variety of fruit cut into different sizes. We used our senses to explore all parts of the fruit (skins, insides, seeds). We realized that sometimes it was necessary to use multiple senses to identify fruits and our sense of sight didn't always prove to be the best -- which was especially true when examining the inside of an apple and pear. Without the peels, the two fruits looked very similar. It was only when we tasted each that we were able to identify them with certainty.
We will of course continue our exploration of the senses this week. Make sure to ask your child what new conclusions he/she makes each day!
We took this new vocabulary and explored it in more depth the following day through three stations that once again focused on the sense of taste. In one of the centers, we reviewed the four words listed above and then explored them more deeply through an additional taste-testing experience. Four containers each full of what appeared to be water were placed in the middle of the table. We once again were risk-takers as we tasted each one and matched it to our newly learned taste vocabulary. These four liquids (salt water, sugar water, tonic water, and vinegar) helped us better solidify our understanding.
In another center, we sat in front of five mugs filled with different flavored tea. We were shown the boxes each tea was sold in and told the names of the five teas, but not which flavor was in which mug. It was our responsibility to taste a bit of each tea and try to match it to each box.
Throughout this experience we came to realize that more than just the sense of taste helped us identify the teas; our senses of smell and sight were also very helpful.
Our third center focused on all of the five senses as we explored fruit. We were shown a tray with a variety of fruit cut into different sizes. We used our senses to explore all parts of the fruit (skins, insides, seeds). We realized that sometimes it was necessary to use multiple senses to identify fruits and our sense of sight didn't always prove to be the best -- which was especially true when examining the inside of an apple and pear. Without the peels, the two fruits looked very similar. It was only when we tasted each that we were able to identify them with certainty.
We will of course continue our exploration of the senses this week. Make sure to ask your child what new conclusions he/she makes each day!
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