State of Connecticut Science Standards
Content Standard - Perceiving and responding to information about the
environment is critical to the survival of organisms.
Grade-Level Expectations
1. Sense organs transfer information through a network of nerves to the
brain where it is interpreted and responded to. The brain responds by
sending messages to all parts of the body. The type of response and the
amount of time it takes for the response to occur vary depending on the
stimulus.
2. The human ear is structured to collect sound vibrations from the
environment and pass them through the middle ear (eardrum and small
bones) and inner ear (hair-lined tubes) to the auditory nerve where
they are transformed into electrical signals that are sent to different
parts of the brain.
3. The human eye is structured to collect light through the cornea and
the pupil. The amount of light that enters the eye is controlled by the
iris. The cornea and the lens refract the light and focus it onto the
retina and the optic nerve where it is transformed into electrical
signals that are sent to different parts of the brain.
4. Human skin is structured to detect information related to texture,
temperature, pressure and vibration. Each sensation has different
receptors distributed around the body; some areas of the body have
greater concentrations of receptors for certain sensations, making
those areas more sensitive than others to texture, temperature, or
pressure.
5. Human noses are structured to collect and detect chemicals floating
in the air (odors). Tiny hairs behind the nose have special receptors
that respond to airborne chemicals and produce electrical signals that
are transmitted to different parts of the brain by the olfactory nerve.
6. Human tongues are sense organs that are structured for detecting
chemicals dissolved in saliva (flavors). Taste buds respond to four
basic tastes: salty, sweet, sour and bitter. Special receptors in taste
buds respond to tastes and produce electrical signals that transmit
information through nerves to different parts of the brain.
Key Scientific Vocabulary
sense organs, receptor, stimulus, response, nervous system, vibration,
reflect, refract, cornea, pupil, iris, lens, retina, absorb