Come to your senses

Come to your senses

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about observations and senses.

Question 1Change answer

a)  Fill in this table. Look closely at the objects you have been given. Describe the characteristics of these objects.
Food Colour Shape
Does it smell?
Yes or No
 Texture Length (estimate in centimetres)
YesNo  cm
YesNo  cm
YesNo  cm
YesNo  cm
YesNo  cm

Question 1Change answer

b)  Fill in this table to show which part of your body you used to get the information in the table before.
Information you gathered
Which part of your body did you use?
Colour
Shape
Smell
Texture
Length

Question 1Change answer

c)  What piece of equipment could you use to help you fill in the table in a) to make it more accurate?
d) Explain how this piece of equipment could help you.
Task administration: 
Equipment:
pear; carrot; feather; coffee bean; leaf with a scent, e.g., mint leaf, bay leaf.
  • Give students one of each of the objects listed above and a copy of the worksheet.
  • Students are to use only themselves to gather their information, i.e., no measuring devices, this is part c) of the activity.
  • You may need to explain to students what texture means, e.g., rough or smooth?
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Material World
Keywords: 
physical properties, observation
Description of task: 
For this practical task students are given a variety of objects which they are required to make observations on by using their senses.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss how tools can make our observations more accurate, or allow us to see things in more detail.
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data
Answers/responses: 
a) e.g., correct colour for all five objects.
NOTE: For estimate of length, the answer should be within 25% of correct measurement.
b) Colour  –  Eyes
Shape  –  Eyes or hand/fingers
Smell  –  Nose
Texture  –  Hand/fingers or tongue
Length  –   Eyes or hands/fingers
c) Any 1 of:

  • ruler/tape measure
  • magnifying glass
  • other possible answers, e.g., sniffer dog
d) Explanation of how the equipment could be used to measure height/make the object look larger, etc.