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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Senses send information to the brain, which decides what to do

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.4-LS1-2England: KS2 Y6 Animals, including humansEngland: KS3 Biology: Structure and function of living organisms

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Senses send information to the brain, which decides what to do.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Body parts and the five senses

Leads to: Animal senses: echolocation, heat-sensing and more

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Body parts and the five senses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which body part do you use for hearing a whisper? (eyes / tongue / nose / ears) → earsPrompt: Is it about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching?
  2. Which of these do you do with your tongue? (tasting a lemon / hearing a whisper / seeing a rainbow / reading a book) → tasting a lemonPrompt: Act out each one. Which body part are you using?
  3. Our senses: which statement is true? (Only fingers can feel touch. / Each part of the tongue can only taste one flavour. / Our skin can feel hot and cold. / We hear with our eyes.) → Our skin can feel hot and cold.Prompt: Think about what each body part does.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Senses send information to the brain, which decides what to do. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What does this sense organ detect: skin?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: touch, pressure, heat and cold
  • Answer: touch, pressure, heat and cold
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. What does this sense organ detect: ears? (smells (chemicals in the air) / sound / touch, pressure, heat and cold / tastes (chemicals in food)) → soundPrompt: Each sense organ detects one kind of information.
  2. You touch a hot pan and pull your hand away before you even think. What is this called? (digestion / a dream / a memory / a reflex) → a reflexPrompt: It happens automatically to protect you.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. How does information get from your fingertips to your brain? (along nerves, as electrical signals / through the blood / through the air / through your bones) → along nerves, as electrical signalsPrompt: Nerves are like wires running through your body.
  2. What does this sense organ detect: nose? (tastes (chemicals in food) / touch, pressure, heat and cold / sound / smells (chemicals in the air)) → smells (chemicals in the air)Prompt: Each sense organ detects one kind of information.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Body parts and the five senses.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Animal senses: echolocation, heat-sensing and more.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Senses send information to the brain, which decides what to do

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    The brain stores information from your senses. How does this help you?

    • A. You can remember dangers and recognise people and places.
    • B. It stops you feeling pain.
    • C. It makes you see in the dark.
    • D. It makes your senses unnecessary.

  2. Question 2

    What does this sense organ detect: ears?

    • A. light
    • B. smells (chemicals in the air)
    • C. sound
    • D. touch, pressure, heat and cold

  3. Question 3

    You touch a hot pan and pull your hand away before you even think. What is this called?

    • A. a memory
    • B. a reflex
    • C. digestion
    • D. a dream

  4. Question 4

    What does this sense organ detect: nose?

    • A. smells (chemicals in the air)
    • B. touch, pressure, heat and cold
    • C. tastes (chemicals in food)
    • D. light

  5. Question 5

    Food tastes of less when you have a blocked nose. Why?

    • A. Much of what we call flavour comes from smell.
    • B. The tongue stops working.
    • C. The brain switches off.
    • D. Food changes when you are ill.

  6. Question 6

    What does this sense organ detect: eyes?

    • A. tastes (chemicals in food)
    • B. touch, pressure, heat and cold
    • C. sound
    • D. light

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Answer key: Senses send information to the brain, which decides what to do

  1. 1. A. You can remember dangers and recognise people and places.

  2. 2. C. sound

  3. 3. B. a reflex

  4. 4. A. smells (chemicals in the air)

  5. 5. A. Much of what we call flavour comes from smell.

  6. 6. D. light