The Five Senses

Define and explain The Five Senses in your own words
Use key terms such as sense organ accurately
Apply what you have learned to new examples and questions
Avoid the common mistakes learners make with this topic

Your body is a remarkable machine: it senses the world, holds itself upright, and repairs itself while you sleep. In this chapter you will explore the five senses, discover what your skeleton does for you, learn how to eat well, and find out the simple habits that keep humans healthy.

This lesson focuses on The Five Senses: explore sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch and the body parts that carry them.

Definition: The Five Senses

Explore sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch and the body parts that carry them.

Key ideas

Humans detect the world with five senses: sight (eyes), hearing (ears), smell (nose), taste (tongue) and touch (skin). Each sense has a specialised organ. Smell and taste work together, which is why food tastes bland when your nose is blocked with a cold.

What the skeleton does

The skeleton has three jobs: it supports the body and gives it shape, it protects delicate organs (the skull protects the brain, the ribs protect the heart and lungs), and it works with muscles attached to bones to produce movement. Babies are born with about 300 bones, some of which fuse together as they grow.

Key term — sense organ: A body part specialised for detecting the surroundings, such as the eyes for sight or the skin for touch.

Worked example: The Five Senses

Name the five senses and the organ used for each.

Sight – eyes; hearing – ears; smell – nose; taste – tongue; touch – skin.

Answer: Sight – eyes; hearing – ears; smell – nose; taste – tongue; touch – skin.

Common mistakes

Confusing taste and smell The tongue detects taste, but much of what we call flavour comes from smell detected by the nose.
Saying the skull protects the heart The skull protects the brain. The ribs protect the heart and lungs.

Practice

Why does food taste bland when you have a cold?

Which two senses work together?

Because smell and taste work together to create flavour, and a blocked nose stops you smelling the food properly.

Give two jobs of the skeleton.

Think about protection and shape.

Any two of: supports the body and gives it shape; protects delicate organs such as the brain, heart and lungs; works with muscles to allow movement.

Name the four main food groups in a balanced diet.

Fruit and vegetables are one group.

Fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, and dairy (with small amounts of fats and oils).

Give two reasons why exercise keeps you healthy.

Think about muscles and the heart.

Any two of: strengthens muscles and bones; keeps the heart healthy; helps maintain a healthy weight; improves mood and sleep.

Quick check

The Five Senses — quick check

Which of these best defines "sense organ"?

A body part specialised for detecting the surroundings, such as the eyes for sight or the skin for touch.

Why should you wash your hands before eating?

To remove germs picked up from surfaces, which could otherwise be transferred to food and cause illness.

Key takeaways

The Five Senses: explore sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch and the body parts that carry them.
The five senses: Humans detect the world with five senses: sight (eyes), hearing (ears), smell (nose), taste (tongue) and touch (skin).
skeleton: The framework of bones that supports the body, protects organs and works with muscles to allow movement.
Watch out for: confusing taste and smell

Bones and Skeletons →Back to Grade 7 chapters Related resources →