Senses and Inventions

A Science and Literacy WebQuest Designed for 5th Graders at Wakelee School in Wolcott, CT

Designed by: Kimberly Murtaugh Email Address:  murtaughk@wolcottps.org

Introduction

How does Technology Help Us to Extend Our Senses? Have you ever wanted to design your own invention?  Here is your chance.  The Sensical Company has hired you to design an invention to help extend our senses.

Task

Your mission is to research the five senses.  After compiling your research, you will work together to create a presentation on the five senses.  Using your information, you will create a superhero.  Each member of your group will create a device that will help the superhero with one of the five senses.

Process

Step 1: Form a group of five students. Each of you will research ONE type of sense.  The five senses are:  sense of taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing.  Which one of these senses are you most interested in?  Make sure each student is doing research on a different sense.  When you are researching, answer the questions on the worksheet.  Click on your sense to obtain the worksheet.  *Please print your worksheet.*

Sense of Hearing

Sense of Taste

Sense of Smell

Sense of Sight

Sense of Touch

Step 2:  Click on the sense that you want to research to find websites on your sense.

Step 3: Have a group discussion.  Share the answers to your questions with your group members. Step 4: Do you enjoy using the computer?  Here is your chance to shine.  You will create a PowerPoint presentation about the five senses.  You will work with your group members to create a presentation that includes the information you gathered about your sense.  If you haven't learned how to use PowerPoint, you may create a poster on the five senses. Step 5: After you have created your presentation, you will share your presentation with the entire class.  You can use a LCD projector or you display the presentation on all of the computers.  You will get a group grade for the presentation that you created. Step 6: You will now form a group of three and a group of two from your existing group of five. One group will compare and contrast the structures of the human eye with the structure of a camera.  The other group will compare and contrast the structures of the human ear with the structure of the telephone.  You should use the information from your PowerPoint presentation to assist you in this task.  Use Kidspiration software or a copy of a Venn Diagram to display your information.

Step 7: Now you are an inventor for Sensical Company.  Your group's job is to create a Superhero.  As a member of the group, you will create an invention.  Your invention will be made on the sense you researched.  For example, if you previously researched the sense of hearing, then you will design a device that will help improve the superhero's sense of hearing.  You may not create a device that already exists, but you may enhance or revise an existing gadget. Be Creative.  See the evaluation section for what items need to be included and how you will be graded.

Step 8:  Collaborate with your group members.  Share your invention with your teammates.  Discuss the description of the design.  Ask them for input on your design.  Five minds are better than one!!!! Step 9: From the group discussion, make any changes that you would like to your invention.  Design a final picture of the drawing of the design.  Type or write the description of your design.  You will receive an individual grade on your description. Step 10: On a large sheet of paper, you will create the superhero.  Have one of your group members, lie on their back on top of the paper.  Then the rest of you will trace your group member.  Then you will have your outline of your superhero. Step 11: Now you will add your invention to the superhero.  Draw your invention on the chart paper where it is appropriate.  Next to the invention, paste the previously written or typed description of your invention. Step 12: After you have drawn your invention on the superhero, work with your group members to color the superhero.  Make sure you give your superhero a name. Step 13: Advertise your superhero to your class.  Explain each invention and read your description.

Evaluation:

PowerPoint Grade You will be given a group grade for your PowerPoint presentation.  Each group member will receive the group grade.  Please see the below rubric before you complete your presentation so you know how you will be graded.  You will use the rubric to evaluate the group.  Then the teacher will collaborate with your group about the presentation.

Invention Grade You will be given an individual grade for your invention that you design for the superhero.  You will receive one grade on your written report and oral presentation.  Review the following rubric so you know what is expected.  After completing your invention and oral presentation, please self-reflect using the rubric on how you feel you performed on the task.

Conclusion:

I hope you had an enjoyable experience completing this WebQuest.  You should have gained knowledge about the five senses and about devices that can improve each sense.  This WebQuest gave you a chance to work independently and with your peers using technology. After completing the WebQuest, I would like you to just think about how you would answer these questions: Did you enjoy completing this WebQuest?  Why or Why not? What did you most enjoy about the experience? What did you least enjoy about the experience? What advice would you give to others that might complete this WebQuest? Please click here to print out a self-evaluation. Below are some sites that you might also enjoy viewing. Biomes of the World The Lost Colony Journey Inside the Human Brain

Credits:

To educators:  Please feel free to use the WebQuest or edit it to meet your needs.

Please click here to see the RESOURCES I used to create this WebQuest.

Please click here to see the Teacher Page.