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Science Launch G4 / Week 10 / Launch Lab
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Week 10 · Senses and Signals

Launch Lab

Launch Lab: Sense detectives
// How animals take in information and respond
⏱ about 15 min

Launch Lab: Sense detectives

Raven sets five closed containers on the table. Each one holds a mystery object.

"Rules," she says. "No peeking. You may shake, touch or sniff. Then make your best guess."

Rocket picks up a container and shakes it. Rattle, rattle. "Rice? No, buttons?"

"What do you notice when you use a different sense?" Raven asks.

Nova perches on the fruit bowl. "My hint," she says. "Use one sense at a time. Then add another."

  1. Animals take in information with their senses.
  2. Nerves carry messages to the brain, and the brain processes them.
  3. The brain sends messages to muscles so the animal can respond.
  4. Different animals have senses built for different information.
  5. Animals use senses and memories together to choose actions.
◇ SENSE DETECTIVES
A grown-up puts safe mystery objects in closed containers or a pillowcase.
Try shaking first and listen. Make a guess.
Then reach in and touch. Make a new guess.
Finally, sniff a container with something smelly, like an orange peel.
Safety first
Never taste anything in this game.
A grown-up chooses objects that are safe to touch, with no sharp edges.
Sniff by waving the air toward your nose.
For a grown-up
Ask: What did you notice? What would you change?
Ask which sense gave the most information for each object.
LAUNCH LAB CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Rocket shakes a container and hears a rattle. Which sense is he using?
Rocket touches the object and changes his guess. What is his brain doing?
Bats find insects using ____.
Messages from the brain travel to the ____ so you can move.
Which body part processes information from all your senses?
WHY THIS EXERCISEThe brain makes sense of information and decides how to respond.

Week 10 complete! Next week we read Earth's story in its rock layers.

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