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Tasting Crystals

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The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6

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The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6

Materials

3 soft drink caps per child One small paper plate per child

Salt Sugar

Lemonade drink mix

Instructions

1. For each child, prepare a paper plate with a half teaspoon (2.

5 ml) of salt in one cap, a halfteaspoon of sugar in another cap and a half teaspoon of lemonade mix in the third cap.

2. During circle time, discuss the tongue and the sense of taste. Note that human tongues tastefour basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. If you have been growing crystals in class, alsonote that salt and sugar are crystals, while lemonade mix is a combination of variousingredients (check your label).

3. Explain that the children are going to try to identify which cap is salt, which is sugar andwhich is lemonade mix. Encourage them to use the terms salty, sweet and sour.

4. Present the paper plates to the children and demonstrate the fun tasting procedure of lickinga finger and dipping it into the crystal, then licking it again to taste and identify.More to doMore science: Make a graph on chart paper of each child's preferred taste sweet, sour orsalty.

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