facebook Read About the 5 Senses | Basic Science for Kids | Grades K-2
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Read About Senses

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closeup of a tiger's eyes
SENSES DEFINITION

Senses are something that animals use to find out information about the world around them so they can survive. Our five senses are sight, smell, taste, touch and feel.

To better understand how senses work…

SENSES DEFINITION. Senses are something that animals use to find out information about the world around them so they can survive. Our five senses are sight, smell, taste, touch and feel. To better understand how senses work…

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN!

Tigers have great eyesight.

closeup of a tiger's eye squinting

The tiger uses its two eyes to hunt and find food. After it sees something it wants to eat, it will run and catch it. The spider uses its many eyes to watch for danger.

Tigers have great eyesight. The tiger uses its two eyes to hunt and find food. After it sees something it wants to eat, it will run and catch it. The spider uses its many eyes to watch for danger.
closeup of a tiger's eye squinting

Elephants use their sense of touch.

elephant uses its sense on touch to feel plants

The elephant uses its trunk to explore the world around it and find food to eat. Monkeys use their hands and feet to learn about the world around them and move around in the trees. Some plants use their sense of touch to catch food.

Elephants use their sense of touch. The elephant uses its trunk to explore the world around it and find food to eat. Monkeys use their hands and feet to learn about the world around them and move around in the trees. Some plants use their sense of touch to catch food.
elephant uses its sense on touch to feel plants

Mice have a great sense of smell.

mouse uses its sense of smell to sense danger

Mice don’t see very well, but they use their great sense of smell to find food and watch out for danger. Pigs also have a very good sense of smell and can even find food buried underground.

Mice have a great sense of smell. Mice don’t see very well, but they use their great sense of smell to find food and watch out for danger. Pigs also have a very good sense of smell and can even find food buried underground.
mouse uses its sense of smell to sense danger

Why does a rabbit have big ears?

rabbit uses its sense of hearing to sense danger

Rabbits have big ears so they can hear sound from very far away which warns them of danger and gives them time to run away. Because of the shape of horses’ ears, they can hear sounds from different directions.

Why does a rabbit have big ears? Rabbits have big ears so they can hear sound from very far away which warns them of danger and gives them time to run away. Because of the shape of horses’ ears, they can hear sounds from different directions.
rabbit uses its sense of hearing to sense danger

People have special body parts used for sensing.

giraffe uses its sense of taste to eat leaves

Our eyes are used for seeing, ears are used for hearing, nose is used for the sense of smelling, tongues are used for the sense of taste and skin is used for the sense of touching.

People have special body parts used for sensing. Our eyes are used for seeing, ears are used for hearing, nose is used for the sense of smelling, tongues are used for the sense of taste and skin is used for the sense of touching.
giraffe uses its sense of taste to eat leaves

SENSES VOCABULARY

Senses
Something that animals use to find out information about the world around them so they can survive. Our five senses are sight, smell, taste, touch and feel.
Tasting
Many animals use tongues to get information about food through the sense of taste. Popcorn tastes salty.
Touching
Many animals use skin to get information about how something feels through the sense of touch. A puppy feels soft.
Smelling
Many animals use noses to get information about the odor of something through the sense of smell. Garbage smells bad.
Seeing
Many animals use eyes to get information about the world through the sense of seeing (sight). We can see that the sky is blue.
Hearing
Many animals use their ears to listen to sound through their sense of hearing. Thunder is loud.
Sour
When something tastes acidic like a lemon. Lemonade is sour.
Sweet
When something tastes pleasant like sugar. Candy is sweet.
Spicy
When something feels like it is burning your mouth. Pepper is spicy.

SENSES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What are senses?

Senses are the ways that animals and plants can get information about the world around them in order to meet their needs and survive.

What are the body parts we use for our five senses?

We use our eyes for seeing, our ears for hearing, our noses for smelling, our tongue for tasting, and our skin for touching.

What are some ways that animals in the wild use their sense of sight?

The tiger uses its two eyes to hunt and find food. The spider uses its many eyes to watch for danger. There are many examples and sometimes an animal can use the same sense in many different ways.

What are some ways that animals and plants in the wild use their sense of touch?

The elephant uses its trunk to explore the world around it and find food to eat. Monkeys use their hands and feet to learn about the world around them. Some plants use their sense of touch to get food.

What are some ways that animals use their sense of smell?

Mice don’t see very well, but they use their good sense of smell to find food and watch out for danger. Pigs also have a great sense of smell and can even find food buried underground.

What are some ways that animals use their sense of hearing?

Rabbits can hear sound from very far away which warns them of danger and gives them time to run away. Because of the shape of horses’ ears, they can hear sounds from different directions.

What are some ways that animals use their sense of tasting?

Animals like giraffes use their tongues to taste the plants they eat to keep from eating something that is dangerous.
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