Using the Senses as a Means of Observation

Joe Scales                      Brennemann
                                4251 N. Clarendon Ave.
                                Chicago IL.
                                312-880-8467

Objective: 

The purpose of this activity is to have students use their senses in various
situations.  The situations are such that students find out that their senses 
are not always accurate.

Material needed:

(For each group of four)
Orange juice, nondiet cola, apples, candy (such as mint or lemon drops), plastic 
dishpans or washbasins, (large battery jar instead of plastic dishpans or 
washbasins), large beaker. 

Strategy:

On the day before beginning the activity make sure the materials needed are 
available.  If you do not have foodstuffs such as sugar, table salt, flour, 
baking soda, corn starch, etc., in the laboratory, you may wish to have students 
bring them from home. 

Class activity:

1) The instructor will lecture to the class giving them examples of the various 
   types of senses, smell, taste, hearing, seeing and touch.
2) Encourage student participation.
3) Allow student to practice at various stations attempting to prove their 
   theory of which sense is most important.

Expected results:
 
The expected outcome of the five activities are such that the students 
understand that there is not a dominant nor non-dominant sense.  In order to 
identify various sensations correctly you need all five senses.