Taste (Gustation)

Plants provide a variety of delicious foods essential for human survival. In the fourth lesson of this series on food science, young scientists investigate common fruits, vegetables, and grains in order to determine which plant part is...

How are vegetables beneficial to a healthy diet? Have kids examine different types of vegetables, such as zucchini, broccoli, and carrots, and determine which parts of the plant they represent. Then, they taste the vegetables as a class....

Gardeners are given an individual plant specimen from a bouquet of local rain garden plants. They group up by their plant type and then make observations together, name the plant, and introduce it to the rest of the class. You then share...

Following directions from a colorful slide preparation card, beginning biologists examine three different live microorganisms: bacteria, yeast, and paramecia. This is not an unusual activity to do with your class, but if you are doing it...

Little ones identify the parts of a plant and practice following directions at the same time. They color each part of the flowering plant the color indicated on the sheet. Roots are brown, leaves are green, the flower is red, and the...

Introduce organic chemistry through an analysis of flavor. A three-part unit begins with an overview of the components of flavor. Next, scholars prepare esters through esterification. Finally, they examine how all senses have an impact...

A case study of Seattle, Washington permits class members to compare and rank how different areas of Seattle are impacted by environment burdens. Groups investigate different zip codes, collect data on five categories, and color-code a...

How did we figure out what parts of the brain are responsible for speaking, walking, and remembering? Young neurologists go back in time to witness the discoveries of Paul Broca, the first physician to conduct experiments to determine...

Neuroscientists and biologists study how we process our senses and the impact our receptors have on our food choices. The video, part of a food science series from PBS, highlights the nerves used in eating including the taste and...

Gravity isn't the only thing astronauts lose in space. Learners investigate why astronauts complain about a loss of taste while in space in a hands-on activity. They taste test foods while limiting their other senses and rate each food...