🔍 Observation Lab
Use your five senses to explore and discover like a scientist!
📖 Learn
Scientists use their five senses to learn about the world. Today, we will practice using each sense to make observations.
Our Five Senses
- 👀 See - We use our eyes to look at things
- 👂 Hear - We use our ears to listen to sounds
- 👃 Smell - We use our nose to smell things
- ✋ Touch - We use our hands to feel things
- 👅 Taste - We use our tongue to taste things (only when safe!)
When we observe carefully, we notice details. Details help us describe what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste.
Safety Tip: Never taste or smell something unless a grown-up says it is safe!
💡 Examples
Let's practice observing an apple together!
🍎 Observing an Apple
- 👀 I see: The apple is red and shiny. It has a brown stem.
- ✋ I feel: The apple is smooth and hard.
- 👃 I smell: The apple smells sweet.
- 👂 I hear: When I tap it, it makes a thunk sound.
- 👅 I taste: The apple tastes sweet and crunchy!
🧊 Observing an Ice Cube
- 👀 I see: The ice is clear and has no color.
- ✋ I feel: The ice is very cold and wet.
- 👃 I smell: The ice has no smell.
- 👂 I hear: The ice makes a cracking sound in water.
- 👅 I taste: The ice tastes like cold water!
✏️ Practice
Try these observation activities! Use your senses to answer each question.
1. Look around the room. 👀 What colors do you see? Name 3 things that are the same color.
2. Close your eyes and listen. 👂 What sounds can you hear? Count how many different sounds.
3. Touch your desk. ✋ Is it smooth or rough? Is it warm or cold?
4. Look at your pencil. 👀 What shape is it? What color is it?
5. Touch your shirt. ✋ Is it soft or scratchy? Is it thick or thin?
6. Look outside (or at a picture). 👀 Name 3 things you can see that are bigger than you.
7. Clap your hands. 👂 Is the sound loud or quiet? What does it sound like?
8. Look at your hand. 👀 How many fingers do you see? What lines do you notice?
9. Think about your favorite fruit. 👅👃 What does it taste like? What does it smell like?
10. Touch the floor. ✋ Is it hard or soft? Is it cold or warm?
✅ Check Your Understanding
Answer these questions to show what you learned.
1. Which sense do you use to see colors?
Think: What body part helps you see?
2. Which sense helps you know if something is loud or quiet?
Think: What body part helps you hear?
3. If you want to know if something is smooth or bumpy, which sense would you use?
Think: What body part helps you feel textures?
4. Why is it important to observe carefully?
Think: What do we learn when we notice details?
🚀 Next Steps
- Practice observing something at home using all 5 senses
- Draw a picture of something you observed and label what you noticed
- Move on to the next lesson to learn how to record your observations