Summary Taste different clear liquids and match them as sweet, salty, sour, bitter or umami. Science content Biology: Sensing, Organ Systems (4, 5, 6) Materials cups to hold tasting liquids Q-tips water to cleanse mouth between tastes sugar solution, 1 Tbspn sugar in 100ml water (for sweet liquid) salt solution, 1/2 tpsn salt in 100ml water (for salty liquid) white vinegar (for sour liquid) baking soda solution, 2 tspn baking soda in 100ml water (for bitter liquid). Or try tonic water MSG solution, 1/2 tspn umami in 100ml water (for umami liquid), or use fish sauce Procedure Students in pairs. One student closes their eyes and the other one uses a Q-tip to put one of the tastes on their tongue. Version 1: students guess which taste type the liquids are (salt, sweet, bitter, sour or umami). Version 2: students put 6 liquids in pairs by their taste (sour, sweet, salt) A good opportunity to teach that the tongue is NOT divided into different areas of taste sensitivities. A good opportunity to introduce tastes other than the familiar 4 e.g. umami. Can also discuss spicy as a taste/pain sensation. Notes Version 1 did not work well at all. Students were not able to distinguish well enough to make it fun. (Keep in mind that it was probably not taught well - it was done at the beginning of my teaching experience.) Verson 2 worked better with 7 year olds, but not with 5 year olds. Grades taught Gr K Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 4
