Author:
Out Teach
Subject:
Life Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
Lower Primary
Grade:
K
Tags:
  • 5 Senses
  • Out Teach
  • Science
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
    Language:
    English
    Media Formats:
    Text/HTML

    5 Senses in the School Garden -- Out Teach

    5 Senses in the School Garden -- Out Teach

    Overview

    Students may recognize the importance of their senses, but they don't often focus on them individually. Students will experiment with sounds made by leaves, feeling different textures, observing different colors, and much more.

    Background for Teachers:

    Out Teach logo

    Students will be able to put the five senses in action. They will name them; what body part is used and how they use these senses in everyday life.

    Key Vocabulary:

    • Sense of Touch

    • Sense of Taste

    • Sense of Smell

    • Sense of Sight

    • Sense of Sound

    Guiding Question:

    How our five senses allow us to enjoy the world around us?

    Engage:

    • Sing the "Five Senses Song" by Mary Jo W.

    Five Senses (Tune: Where is Thumbkin)

     Five senses, five senses  We have them. We have them.  Seeing, hearing, touching,  Tasting and smelling.  There are five. There are five.

    • Point to the parts of the body as you sing the song. For students to identify the parts of their body that correspond to each sense.

    • Ask students if they brought their weather observation "tools" (Their five senses).

    • Ask students to record some quick weather observations in their journal, using their senses.

    • Suggest they go on a sensory scavenger hunt, using their five senses.

    Explore:

    • Walk with class around the outdoor classroom modeling how to observe the garden using their eyes.

    • Ask students to use their real vocabulary to identify something that is red. Then ask them to look for something that is big. Do this for several different items that will require them to use their sense of sight to locate and verbalize objects and living things in the garden.

    • Questions to ask to assess thinking:

    • Give an example of____ 

    • How can you describe____ ?

    Explain:

    • Bring students back to central location to again review their five senses. Ask students to share which sense is the easiest to use? (Sight)

    • Draw a five-column chart and model how to fill in the chart using sight as an example (shed was red). Spell out slowly the word shed if that was one of the objects identified during the whole class observation.

    | Sight | Sound | Taste | Smell | Feel

    • Share that now they are going to get to go on their own sensory scavenger hunt. Review the expectations, and then allow them to deepen their exploration.

    Management Note: Ensure students understand the boundaries of the area they are exploring, review expectations and make sure they listen for the signal to return to the gathering space.

     

    Elaborate:

    • Continue the game but switch the things they should be looking for based on the different senses.

    Examples:

    • Hear—Find something that makes noise, point to something making a sound, find something that can be crunched, etc.

    • Feel—Find something that feels smooth, something that feels rough, something that is pointy, etc.

    • Smell—Find something that smells good, find something that smells bad, find something that smells sweet, etc.

    • Taste—Do this only if there is something edible available and the teacher should lead this "hunt," emphasizing the importance of not putting anything in their mouths unless an adult has told them it's okay.

    Evaluate:

    • Bring students back to a central gathering area and use class responses to fill in the sensory chart.

    • Teach letter-sound objectives by modeling how to spell out real words they identified in their scavenger hunt.

    • Use simple pictures for hard words.

    Extensions and Connections:

    • Make for each student, a small six-page book with "My Five Senses" title written on the first page.

    • Write "I can see, I can hear, I can smell, I can taste, and I can feel" at the top of the other five pages.

    • Take the students for an outdoor exploration.

    • On each page the students will draw pictures (or tape natural objects) to go with that sense.