3.31 Testing Laboratories Presents – Taste Buds and Hot or Cold
This is a small-group lesson from the National FFA Mentoring Program’s “Grow Your PALS Program Guide” (Lesson 3.31, Miscellaneous unit). Using a “Testing Laboratory” theme, students conduct hands-on investigations—tasting jellybeans and labeled solutions to map where different tastes are detected on the tongue, and testing how the sense of touch reacts to hot, room temperature, and cold water.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- Identify where different taste buds are located on the tongue.
- Explain how the sense of touch reacts under different stimuli.
- Time required
- 30 minutes
- Materials
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- White laboratory coat for teacher
- Writing surface
- Jellybeans for each student in a zip-close bag – flavors: cherry, lime, lemon and orange
- Writing utensils
- Index cards
- Assorted colored pencils
- PALS3.31.SG.AS.A – Tongue diagram for each student
- Eye droppers or small paper/plastic cups – three per student
- ½ cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon of salt in a cup
- ½ cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a cup
- ½ cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar in a cup
- Drinking glass ¾ full of hot water – not hot enough to endanger students
- Drinking glass ¾ full of cold water
- Drinking glass ¾ full of room temperature water
- Paper towels for spills
- PALS3.31.SG.ASSESS.A
- Precepts
- A. Action — A4. Identify and use resources; C. Vision — C2. Conceptualize ideas
- Lesson Type
- Small Group
- Unit
- Miscellaneous
- Key Terms
- Taste
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Standards
- CS.11.02.01.bImplement an experimental design to test a formulated hypothesis.
- NL-ENG.K-12.12Applying Language Skills
- NL-ENG.K-12.4Communication Skills
- NS.K-4.1Science as Inquiry