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In a delightful and engaging classroom activity, Primary 1 students recently participated in a simple, fun and interactive Science experiment designed to explore two important human senses which are smell and taste. Instead of just reading about these senses in a textbook, students were invited to bring ingredients from home and take part in a hands-on investigation, guided by their teacher. This hands-on experience did not only help them understand the concept of taste and smell, but also sparked their interest in Science by encouraging them to learn beyond the textbook or simply to help the students experience Science in a real, memorable way through learning by doing.

To begin the activity, each student was asked to bring a variety of sauces and food ingredients from home. These were included commonly known items such as honey, soy sauce, chili sauce, etc. The students were introduced to the basic taste categories: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy. They tasted each ingredient one by one and learned to identify and name the flavors. At the same time, the teacher provided different aromatic items which are eucalyptus oil, alcohol spray and hair perfume. Each student had a chance to smell these items and explain how they felt about the scent; whether it was pleasant, too strong, or relaxing. With teacher’s guidance, they repeated the names of the taste and smell types, then matched them with the ingredients they had brought. This step focused on building more about their prior knowledge through recognition and simple recalling activity. It helped establish basic scientific vocabulary and awareness of their senses.

Once students tasted the ingredients and smelled the items, they were encouraged to describe what they experienced. For example, one student described honey as “sticky and sweet,” while another said “Chili sauce is spicy and makes my tongue hot” or “Eucalyptus oil smells strong, but it helps my nose feel open.” They also began to classify the ingredients into taste and smell categories. With some help, they grouped sauces into sweet, sour, spicy, or bitter and also the aromas by preference. This level required them to make simple observations and use basic reasoning to support their choices. Primary 1 students started making connections between different materials and their sensory responses.

Moving to deeper thinking, students were asked to compare different tastes and explain their experiences by presenting their findings in front of the class. They shared not just what they tasted or smelled, but also how it made them feel and why they thought it tasted or smelled that way. For instance, a student might say, “The soy sauce tastes salty, but not as strong as the condensed milk, which is too sweet and makes my tongue feel funny.” This part of the activity challenged students to go beyond naming and classifying. They needed to analyze and compare different sensory experiences about how the tastes were similar or different and to express their opinions using reasoning with their own words. Presenting their thoughts to the class also helped build communication skills in expressing scientific ideas. It also helped improve their confidence in speaking and sharing ideas scientifically.

To wrap up the experiment, the class reflected on what they learned and discussed why understanding taste and smell is important. They talked about how taste helps us enjoy food and how it can also warn us if something is spoiled or unsafe to eat. Also, they can be more aware about smell in their surroundings. Some students even began to suggest new experiments, such as testing how food tastes different when your nose is blocked or mixing two flavors to see what happens. This level of thinking showed that students were evaluating what they had learned and beginning to apply it in new and creative ways. Surely, it is a goal key of meaningful science learning.

This activity was more than just a fun tasting and smelling session, it was a full sensory experience. But then a simple and enjoyable experiment proved that even young learners can engage with scientific thinking when given the opportunity to explore and ask questions. By tasting and discussing different ingredients they brought themselves from home and experimenting with real smells and flavors, Primary 1 students developed a deeper understanding of the sense of taste and smell, also how it works. Most importantly, they learned that Science isn’t just something found in a book and something you read about. It’s something you can experience and enjoy every day. Obviously, it’s a part of everyday life, and it can be a lot of fun too! ***