Search
PBS Learning Media: The Science of Flavor
Details
Activity Description
In this activity, students watch a video called The Science of Flavor to learn about the perception of flavor and then discuss what they learned.
PBS Learning Media California now requires you to set up a free account after viewing a few resources. You can browse by Grade Levels, Subjects, Standards, and Collections.
Preparation
- Make sure that the site is not blocked at your school.
- Review the video and questions for this activity.
Teacher Tips
The many videos can be used in class or students can explore on their own, do research and report back to class, working in groups.
More Ways
PBS Learning Media lessons and activities are developed by educators. The resources here are primarily aimed at K-12, but could be easily adapted for ABE, GED, and HS Diploma programs. Using PBS content in the classroom is easy since many producers work with teachers to create standards-based curriculum materials. Usually, these curriculum materials weave together video and online resources into an exciting instructional strategy that builds on the visual and collaborative strengths of these media. Learning how to integrate the strengths of the Internet with your curriculum takes practice. Each month, PBS Teachers will provide you with ideas that you can try with your students to enhance your teaching with technology. There are many videos with lesson plan ideas.
Program Areas
- ASE: High School Diploma
Lesson Plan
- Sensory Experiment:
- Give students small, covered containers of items to smell (e.g., cinnamon, lemon, mint) and ask them to guess the items.
- Discuss: How does smell influence what we taste?
- Question for Engagement:
- Ask: What do you think "flavor" means? Is it just taste, or is it more?
- Explain the lesson objective:
- "Today, we’re learning about the science behind flavor—how our senses work together to help us experience food."
- Connect to prior knowledge:
- Ask: Have you ever noticed that food tastes different when you have a cold? Why do you think that is?
- Show the video: The Science of Flavor (PBS Learning Media).
-
- Ensure students know to focus on how flavor perception works during the video.
- Provide students with a viewing guide:
- Key questions to answer during the video:
- What are the main senses involved in perceiving flavor?
- How do the brain and senses work together to create flavor perception?
- What role does smell play in tasting food?
- Small Group Discussion:
- Divide students into groups of 3–4.
- Provide discussion questions:
- How would you explain the relationship between smell and taste to someone else?
- Share an example of a food experience where smell or texture influenced your flavor.
- How might understanding flavor perception be useful in real life (e.g., cooking, health, food science)?
2. Collaborative Activity: Create a Sensory Map
- Groups create a "sensory map" showing how each sense contributes to flavor.
- Provide poster paper or digital tools for students to visualize their ideas.
- Class Share-Out:
- Groups present their sensory maps.
- Use guiding questions:
- Which sense did your group think was the most important for flavor perception? Why?
2. Quick Write Reflection:
- Individually, students write a short paragraph answering:
- What surprised you the most about how we perceive flavor?
- How could you apply what you learned today in real life?
- Flavor Experiment:
-
- Provide small samples of foods (e.g., apple slices, candy, crackers) and have students try them while holding their noses.
- Ask: How does blocking your sense of smell change the taste?
- Students journal their observations.
2. Extension Activity:
-
- For homework or further exploration, students research how chefs or food scientists use the science of flavor to create new recipes. They present their findings to the class the next day.
Documents
- The Science of Flavor.png - Screenshot of PBS Learning Media's NOVA: Can I Eat That The science of Flavor Lesson Plan
Subjects
- Science
- Biology
- General Science
Tags
Creative Commons License
