Week 3 of Nutrition Expedition: Guess the Sound & Telephone!

September 21-25, 2015

Guess the Sound & Telephone!

We were catchin' waves in Nutrition Expedition this week...sound waves, that is! It was all about our sense of hearing!

After looking at a visual of the inside of our ears, we talked all about sound waves (quiet=small, loud=BIG, high=fast, low=slow) and how they travel through the air and into our ears. I demonstrated each type of wave by using a long piece of rope. I picked a few children out of the group to be my wave helpers, and we made small waves, big waves, fast waves, and slow waves. 

I made a CD with a variety of sound clips (fire truck siren, dog barking, baby crying, thunder, etc.), and they listened very closely to see if they could guess what each sound was. Finally, I brought in a tin can "telephone", and everyone took turns chatting with a teacher or a friend. It was really interesting to find out that the sound traveled down the string and into the connecting can! The infants had a blast using telephones made from PVC pipes!

Here are your "Super Sleuth" questions of the week, followed by pictures of all the fun:

Super Sleuth Questions

1. What part of our body do we use to hear with? (answer: our ears!)

2. What kind of waves do quiet sounds make? Big or small? (answer:  small)

3. What do you have inside of your ear that vibrates, or shakes, when you hear a sound? (answer:  your eardrum!)

Photo by Ms. Amanda F.

 Photo by Ms. Amanda F.

 Photo by Ms. Amanda F.

 Photo by Ms. Amanda F.

 Photo by Ms. Amanda F.

 Photo by Ms. Amanda F.

Week 2 of Nutrition Expedition: "Guess That Smell" Jars- Your Nose Knows!

September 14-18, 2015

"Guess That Smell" Jars:  Your Nose Knows!

We sniffed out a mystery this week in Nutrition Expedition! As we continue with "My Five Senses", we learned all about our sense of smell and the inner workings of our noses! We even used our super sniffers to guess a few mystery smells! 

Did you know that your nose has little tiny hair-like structures (cilia) inside that send messages to your brain about what you're smelling? They are part of your olfactory epithelium (aka the "smelling skin", or group of cells and neurons in your nasal passage that transmit nerve impulses to your brain)! We also learned that your taste buds and your nose work together as a team to help you taste your food! If you've ever been sick with a cold and stuffy nose, you'll know that it's quite difficult to taste anything :) If you would like to learn more about your nose and how it works, click HERE!

After looking at some diagrams of the inside of a nose, and reading the book, You Smell With Your Nose, by Melvin and Gilda Berger, I introduced a mystery game. I brought 4 small jars with me; in each jar was a cotton ball containing a different scent (mint, orange, cinnamon, and chocolate). I used herbal oils, extract, and chocolate syrup! We passed around each jar, and the children were asked to guess what the scent was. It was super tricky! 

You Smell With Your Nose, by Melvin and Gilda Berger

For the infants, I sewed several small scented rice bags for them to smell. Using my sewing machine and scraps of fabric, I filled them with rice to which I had added a drop or two of herbal oil (lavender, mint, and thieves oil). I also filled one with coffee beans! Ms. Marti will even be able to heat the rice-filled bags in the microwave to use as a soothing item for fussy little ones :) Below, I have added a few "Super Sleuth" questions for you to ask your child to see if they remembered what they learned this week! Keep scrolling for some adorable pictures...

Super Sleuth Questions

1. Can you name all the five senses? (answer:  sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch)

2. What did you smell in the jars this week? (answer:  mint, orange, cinnamon, and chocolate!)

3. What does your sense of smell need to partner with in order for you to taste your food? (answer:  taste buds, or sense of taste)