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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 spotting a red ball? (ears / nose / skin / eyes) → eyesPrompt: Is it about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching?
  2. Which of these do you do with your skin? (smelling soap / feeling a cat's soft fur / tasting salty crisps (chips) / hearing a drum) → feeling a cat's soft furPrompt: 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. / We have five main senses. / We hear with our eyes.) → We have five main senses.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: tongue? (light / touch, pressure, heat and cold / tastes (chemicals in food) / smells (chemicals in the air)) → tastes (chemicals in food)Prompt: Each sense organ detects one kind of information.
  2. How does information get from your fingertips to your brain? (through the air / along nerves, as electrical signals / through your bones / through the blood) → along nerves, as electrical signalsPrompt: Nerves are like wires running through your body.

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. What does this sense organ detect: tongue? (touch, pressure, heat and cold / sound / light / tastes (chemicals in food)) → tastes (chemicals in food)Prompt: Each sense organ detects one kind of information.
  2. The brain stores information from your senses. How does this help you? (It makes your senses unnecessary. / It makes you see in the dark. / You can remember dangers and recognise people and places. / It stops you feeling pain.) → You can remember dangers and recognise people and places.Prompt: How do you know a stove might be hot even before touching it?

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

    What does this sense organ detect: ears?

    • A. smells (chemicals in the air)
    • B. light
    • C. sound
    • D. tastes (chemicals in food)

  2. Question 2

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

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

  3. Question 3

    What does this sense organ detect: nose?

    • A. tastes (chemicals in food)
    • B. light
    • C. smells (chemicals in the air)
    • D. sound

  4. Question 4

    How does information get from your fingertips to your brain?

    • A. along nerves, as electrical signals
    • B. through the air
    • C. through the blood
    • D. through your bones

  5. Question 5

    What does this sense organ detect: tongue?

    • A. smells (chemicals in the air)
    • B. light
    • C. tastes (chemicals in food)
    • D. sound

  6. Question 6

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

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

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

  1. 1. C. sound

  2. 2. B. Much of what we call flavour comes from smell.

  3. 3. C. smells (chemicals in the air)

  4. 4. A. along nerves, as electrical signals

  5. 5. C. tastes (chemicals in food)

  6. 6. B. You can remember dangers and recognise people and places.