Kindergarden - The Five Senses

The Five Senses: Supplemental Guide 4A | I Use My Tongue to Taste 97

Presenting the Read-Aloud 10 minutes

I Use My Tongue to Taste

 Show image 5A-1: Boy eating watermelon

Look at the boy in this picture.

[Point to the picture and ask a student to describe it.]

Why do you think this boy is happy?

[Call on a few students to answer.]

He is happy because he’s about to taste something yummy and

sweet—watermelon! But if it weren’t for a few bumps on his tongue,

he wouldn’t be able to taste it at all!

[Stick out your tongue and point to it. Have students look at their partner’s

tongue and see if they can see the tiny bumps.]

The first thing you do when you eat food is open your mouth and take

a bite.

[Model opening your mouth wide and taking a bite. Have students copy what

you are doing.]

Then you start to chew it with your teeth.

[Model chewing and have students copy you.]

While you are chewing, the wet saliva—or water-like fluid—inside

your mouth melts the chewed-up food so it is easy to swallow. As

the melted food moves across your tongue to go down your throat, it

goes onto tiny little bumps on your tongue.

[If available, pass out one cracker to each student. First, have them open their

mouth and take a bite. Then, have them chew it with their teeth. Finally, when

the cracker has melted, have them swallow. Ask them, “How did the cracker

taste?”]

 Show image 5A-2: Taste buds

Turn to your partner and look at each other’s tongues—you’ll see the

bumps all over. Do you see the tiny bumps on your partner’s tongue?

Those tiny bumps contain taste buds, which come in different

shapes and sizes.