AUTHOR:
Michigan Water Stewardship Program

LESSON OVERVIEW:
This lesson exposes students to new learning experiences and nature, bringing their senses to life in an indoor lab setting and an outdoor nature walk.

Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs):

o Make purposeful observation of the world using the appropriate senses (S.IP.00.11).

o Generate questions based on observations (S.IP.00.12).

o Manipulate simple tools (for example: hand lens, pencils, balances, non-standard objects for measurement) that aid observation and data collection (S.IP.00.14).

o Share ideas about science through purposeful conversations (S.IA.00.12).

o Communicate and present findings of observations (S.IA.00.13).

o Develop strategies for information gathering (ask an expert, use a book, make observations, conduct simple investigations, and watch a video (S.IA.00.14).

o Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances, models, exhibits, and activities (S.RS.00.11).


OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to:

1. Use their senses (sound, taste, touch smell and sight) to explore nature.

2. Experience the outdoors by participating in a nature walk.

3. Experience a hands-on classroom learning lab setting.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The first activity in this lesson can be conducted in an urban, rural, or suburban setting, regardless of size. Examples of suitable outdoor spaces include large natural areas, small urban parks, or woodlots on/near the school grounds. You may also consider visiting a nature center, park, zoo, or another space where children may be able to fully immerse themselves in nature.

VOCABULARY:
Senses, sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, feel, chart, hand lens, magnifying glasses, binoculars, sweet, salty, bitter, sour.

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PROCEDURE:
Lesson One: Nature
Warm-Up (Anticipatory Set):
Read a book about nature. Follow up with a class discussion in which students are asked what they think nature means, and what they expect to see and do on their nature walk. This may require a permission slip depending upon district requirements.

Activity:
Nature Walk. Take the students on a nature walk and allow them to bring magnifying glasses, hand lens and/or binoculars to look at birds, insects, and anything they want to look at, such as trees, leaves, flowers, grass, weeds, etc. Make it clear that they will not be using their sense of taste to explore any item on the nature walk. For each item, discuss what senses they are using to explore each item and question them about it. Bring small items (bark, leaves, grass), back to the class lab for further investigation.

Wrap-Up (Closure):
After returning to classroom, have students draw what they saw on their nature walk. As a class, make a list of each item discovered on the walk, discussing each item further as you go. Ask students how their experience might be different if they could use all of the senses of touch, sight, sound, taste, and touch during their outdoor experience.


Lesson Two: Taste Test
Warm-Up (Anticipatory Set):
Hands-on Lab in the classroom. Read a book about the senses. Discuss the sense of taste. This sense was not used during the nature walk, but is important in this activity. Explain each type of taste (sweet, salty, biter, and sour) and ask students to come up with examples of each.

Activity:
Set up each of the food items that students will be exploring. Be sure to check for food allergies/diabetes before allowing students to handle/taste anything. Allow everyone an opportunity to taste each item before moving on to the next. Have water available to clear their taste buds, particularly when students don’t care for a certain item. After all items have been sampled, discuss each one and what they liked about it. Have each student write a sentence about the taste they liked best and why.

Wrap-Up (Closure):
Ask the students how they liked each item, and whether they can think of other foods they have tried before with similar tastes. What other senses did the students use when exploring each item? Why do we often use more than just the sense of taste when deciding what foods we like?

ASSESSMENT OPTION:
Ask students to about each of their senses. Are there certain senses that are more important than others? Why? How does the student respond? What are they able to take from this experience?

EXTENSIONS:
Ask students to use their senses to explore items in their homes and yards.

RESOURCES:

Books about Nature:
The Nature Treasury: A First Look at the Natural World, Lizann Flatt, Maple Tree Press (2005).

A Handful of Dirt, Raymond Bial, Walker Books for Young Readers (2000).

Books about Senses:
My Five Senses: Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out Science 1, Aliki, HarperCollins, 1989.

Let’s Explore the Five Senses with City Dog and Country Dog, Laine Falk, Scholastic.

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