Lesson 1 Sensory Evaluation

Lesson Plans & Curriculum
High School
90 minutes or more

This is a National FFA lesson plan (Unit 5, Lesson 1) on Sensory Evaluation in Food Science that challenges students’ senses of smell and taste to make informed decisions. Through three hands-on labs—aroma/odor recognition, triangle taste testing, and an imitation apple pie comparison—it trains students to compete in the “Sensory Evaluation” portion of the National FFA Food Science and Technology CDE. The lesson includes a bell ringer, vocabulary, student activity sheets, an exit ticket, note-taking maps, and a unit assessment.

At a glance

Learning objectives: Describe the purpose and role of sensory evaluation in the food science industry.

Develop informed decisions based upon sensory evaluation.

Determine differences in products by executing a triangle test.

Determine differences in products through aroma identification.
Time required: 90 to 120 minutes
Grade level: Grades 9 and 10
Materials: Plug in an air freshener (or something similar) — seek to use a food scent (cookie dough, coffee, apples, pumpkin spice, etc.)

“Imitation Apple Pie Lab” materials (see lab sheet for details on supplies needed)

“Activity 3: Imitation Apple Pie Lab” worksheet

One copy of the “Exit Ticket: Sensory Preferences” worksheet for each student

One copy of the “Activity 1: Odor Recognition/Aroma Testing” lab sheet for each student

Aroma testing samples (aromas may be purchased at https://www.flavor.education/)

Triangle test samples

Paper plates, enough for each student to have two plus extra to place food samples on

Disposable spoons

Napkins

Glass jars for aroma samples

Cotton balls

Food coloring

One copy of the “Activity 2: Taste Recognition/Triangle Testing” lab sheet for each student

“Maps for Note Taking” examples (for use in the Follow-up section of this lesson)
Unit: Unit 5: Lesson 1 of 1
Vocabulary: Sensory evaluation; Taste blind; Supertaster; Medium taster; Nontaster; Appearance; Flavor; Texture
Resources/References: Textbook: Principles of Food Science, 4th Edition, Janet D. Ward; Video for Extended Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFm3yA1nslE
Cross-Curricular Connections: Science (Activity 3 — connecting ingredient interaction to apple flavor/texture); English/Language Arts (Activities 1 & 2 reading/following directions and writing responses; Exit Ticket interview); Mathematics (Activity 3 — using numbers and measuring accurately)
Partnership for 21st Century Skills: Collaboration; Communication; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Health Literacy; Productivity and Accountability; Social and Cross-cultural Skills; Think Creatively
Created: 08/2022 by the National FFA Organization

Downloads & Links

Aligned Standards

AFNR Career Ready Practices

CRP.02Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired through experience and education to be more productive.
CRP.04Communicate clearly, effectively, and with reason. Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal and/or visual methods.
CRP.05Consider the environmental, social and economic impact of decisions.
CRP.06Demonstrate creativity and innovation.
CRP.07Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies.
CRP.08Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem.
CRP.09Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management.
CRP.11Use technology to enhance productivity. Career-ready individuals find and maximize the productive value of existing and new technology to accomplish workplace tasks and solve workplace problems.

AFNR Performance Element

FPP.02Apply principles of nutrition, biology, microbiology, chemistry and human behavior to the development of food products.

Common Career Technical Core

AG-FD2Apply principles of nutrition, biology, microbiology, chemistry and human behavior to the development of food products.

Common Core – Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects: Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.5Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.8Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.9Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9.10.4Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Literacy.WHST.9-10.2Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes.

Common Core – Math Practices

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6Attend to precision.

Common Core – Reading: Informational Text

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.8Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.

Common Core – Science & Technical Subjects

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.3Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.9Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.

Common Core – Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1.ACome to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1.CPropel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

Common Core – Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

FFA Precept

FFA.CS-MCommunication: Effectively interact with others in personal and professional settings.
FFA.CS-NDecision Making: Analyze a situation and execute an appropriate course of action.
FFA.PG-JMental Growth: Embrace cognitive and intellectual development relative to reasoning, thinking and coping.
FFA.PL-AAction: Assume responsibility and take the necessary steps to achieve the desired results, no matter what the goal or task at hand.
FFA.PL-CVision: Visualize the future and how to get there.