Learning About the World Around Us and Ourselves by Using Our 5 Senses

Marian Mumford

Kindergarten Teacher

Richmond Elementary School

The purpose of this K-2 unit is to provide young scholars with authentic experiences to learn and connect to

the world around them by using their five senses and to ask questions, problem solve, record observations (write

in journals and use iPads), as well as share their discoveries with their families, school, and community. The 5

Senses unit includes year round activities across the curriculum to guide scholars’ learning and exploration using

place- based natural areas: the Richmond Elementary School’s (RES) and the Camel's Hump Middle School’s

(CHMS) Nature Trail, Community Garden, and surrounding areas. In addition, this unit is aligned with the new

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and integrates the 4 Winds Nature Program into our school’s

curriculum.

Essential Questions: 1.Why are our five senses important? Students will understand that... 1. The human body is comprised of interdependent systems that perform essential functions. The human body has 5 senses that people use to learn about their surroundings and themselves. Different senses give different information.

Students will be able to... 1. Identify the five senses and use the senses to identify objects in their environment.

2. Demonstrate a "questioning mind" through... ● extended, intentional (purposeful) interactions with materials or people ● experimenting with possibilities

3. State ideas about what may happen or be observed in the future (e.g., student thinks ahead).

4. Use more than one of the senses to make observations.

Materials: Books, voice recorders, Ipads, Ipods, video recorders, apps ( Animals sounds, Life Science...Vol 1&2, trees, Falcon Guides scats and tracks of North America, VoiceThread, Smilebox, QuickVoice, Audioboo, and pic collage), backpack with observation tools (journal, pencil, magnifying

glass, binoculars), blankets. Lesson 1- Introduction to the 5 Senses- Why are our Five Senses Important?

a. Spread a colorful, fluffy, fragrant, noisy, quilt or blanket outside for students to sit on and

pre-assess scholars’ understanding of the 5 senses. Ask children: What do you think you

know about your senses? What are our senses? Why are our senses important? b. Record comments and discussion on chart paper and/ or video. c. Reading Suggestions: 1. My Five Senses by Aliki 2. My Five Senses by Margaret Miller 3. Look, Listen, Taste, Touch, and Smell Learning About Your 5 Senses by Pamela Hill

Nettleton 4. Touch the Poem by Arnold Adoff 6. You Can’t Smell a Flower with Your Ear! by Joanna

Cole 7. Dad and Me in the Morning by Patricia Lakin

Lesson 2- What is a Scientist? /How to Use Science Tools a. Reading suggestions: 1. Rookie Read- About Science /Scientists Ask Questions by Ginger Garrett 2. What is a Scientist? by Barbara Lehn

b. Demonstrate and model how to use the tools in the “Nature Discovery Kits” (al backpack containing: a journal with blank pages, binoculars,

pencils, a collecting bag, checklist, first aid kit, nature identification cards, and a magnifying glass). Model and practice how to put science

discovery tools away when finished. c. Record lesson to share with parents and review with students.

Lesson 3- Setting Safety, Behavior, and Respecting the Environment Expectations a. Reading suggestions: 1. I Am Responsible by Sarah L. Schuette 2. The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer 3. Each Living Thing by Joanne

Ryder b. Talk with scholars about safety rules for going outside to the Nature Trail, Community Garden, playground, backyard space, etc. (stay with

group, respect yourself, others, and the environment, etc.) What does it look like to be respectful of yourself, others, animals, and the

environment? c. Practice learning signals: listening for directions and circling -up.

Lesson 4-The Sense of Sight a. Reading suggestions: 1. Look! by Tana Hoban 2. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin 3. The Eye Book by Theo

LeSieg 4. Look Again by April Wilson b. During the activities encourage conversations with scholars about their thoughts and ideas related to their sense of sight. During the

explorations teacher and students record observations and ideas (with digital camera, digital recorder, Ipad, writing or drawing in journals). c.Get ready to learn with your sense of sight! Ask questions and make connections!

❖ Activities for The Sense of Sight

Look at Nature a. Reading suggestions: 1. I See Fall by Charles Ghigna 2. I See Winter by Charles Ghigna 3. I See Spring by Charles Ghigna b. Look for trees, leaves, stones, pine cones, animal tracks, and (vegetables in the garden), in different sizes and shapes (big, tall, short, flat, round, thin, wide, etc.). c. Find 3 different kinds of trees, leaves, stones, etc.

What attributes make them different?

Look for Shadows a. Reading suggestions: 1. Bear Shadow by Frank Asch 2. What Makes a Shadow by Clyde Robert Bulla 3. Foot Prints and Shadows by Anne Wescott Dodd 4. Shadows by Carolyn B. Otto b. Look for shadows in nature throughout the day and observe how they change. c. How many shadows can you find? What are their sizes? Do the shadows change size?

Look for Signs of Animals a. Reading suggestions: 1. Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft 2. Look Closer by Peter Ziebel 3. I Took a Walk by Henry Cole b. Look for signs of animals: feathers, piles of wood, scat, nibbled grass, and leaf tips, scratches in tree bark, matted down patches of grass,

animal homes, insects, and seeds. c. How many signs of animals can you find? Graph the different animal signs you find at different times of the year.

Compare the Changes of Colors in Nature Over Time a. Reading suggestions: 1. What Color is Camouflage? by Carol Otto 2. Animals in Camouflage by Phyliss Linbacher Tildes. b. Play the Color Game during each season. Give students a colored piece of paper and have them

look for something in nature that matches that color. c. Compare the changes of colors in nature over time. Identify attributes (colors, sizes, shapes) of the

seasons: What things are the same colors? What things are different colors?

Create Habitats a. Reading suggestions: 1. The Very Best Bed by Rebekah Raye 2. Where Once There Was a Wood by Denise Fleming. b. Students create an animal out of clay. Think about what it needs to live (shelter, food, etc.)? c. Using nature and recycled materials students create a habitat for their animal.

Look for Vegetables in Different Sizes a. Reading suggestions: 1. Eating the Rainbow: Fruits and Vegetables From A to Z by Lois

Ehlert 2. Our School Garden by Rick Swann 3. The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin b. Look for vegetables in different sizes, and shapes (big, tall, short, flat, round, thin, etc.). c. Collect and count vegetables. Sort and describe using different attributes.

Measure Trees a. Reading suggestions: 1. A Tree Is A Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla 2. Measuring Penny by

Loreen Leedy 3. Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing Trees by Jim Arnosky b. Find different sized trees and measure and compare diameters. Find a seedling (about 2’’in

diameter), a sapling (about 2-4’’in diameter), a pole (about 5-7’’in diameter), and a mature

tree (about 2’’in diameter). c. Count how many of each you found.

Observe Life Under Logs a. Reading suggestion: A log’s Life by Wendy Pfeffer b. Look under logs and gather data on how many critters you find. How many

different critters can you find? How do you know if it’s living or non-living? c. Sort by animals, non-living things, and plants.

Observe a Space Over Time a. Reading suggestions: 1. Growing Like Me by Anne Rockwell 2. How a Seed

Grows by Helene J. Jordan b. Make a circle with yarn (about a 12”) around an animal hole. Observe what

happens in the space over time and record on the calendar changes ( weather, signs

of animals, colors, plant growth etc.) that occur. c. Record what you observe and discuss possible events that might have occurred.

Graph the Weather a. Reading suggestion: What’s the Weather Today? Adapted by Rozanne Lanczak

Williams b. Students observe the weather each day and graph the weather. c. Count sunny, cloudy, etc. days in a month. Compare weather in each season.

Make a Nature Collection Book a. Reading suggestions: 1. Hannah’s Collections by Marthe Jocelyn 2. Can You See

What I See? Nature by Walter Wick b. Make: a nature collection book, an I Spy (Can you see what I see? )book and /or a

rock collection. c. Sort and discuss how things are the same and different (living or non-living).

Make a Nature Counting Book a. Reading suggestion: Anno's Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno b. Make a nature counting book c. Put book in order and number pages and label objects.

Lesson 5-The Sense of smell a. Ask students, “What do you think you know about sense of smell?” and “What can you learn about the world around you and yourself by using

your sense of smell?” Record comments and discussion. b. Reading suggestions: 1. The Sniff and Tell Riddle Book by R. McKie 2. The Smelling Book by Barbette Cole c. During the activities encourage conversations with scholars about their thoughts and ideas related to their sense of smell. During the

explorations teacher and students record observations and ideas (with digital camera, digital recorder, Ipad, writing , or drawing in journals). d. Get ready to learn with your sense of smell! Ask questions and make connections!

❖ Activities for the Sense of Smell

Find Your Favorite Smells in the Environment a.Reading suggestion : Rookie Read-About Health/Smelling by Sharon Gordon b. Go to the Community Garden, have children sniff/smell soil, mulch, vegetables,

herbs, etc. c. Students survey each other on favorite smells. Create a chart on favorite smells.

Sort Smells in the Environment a. Reading suggestion: What Your Nose Knows! by Allan Fowler b. Go to the Nature Trail’s outdoor classroom, have children sniff/smell trees, ferns,

soil, grass, pinecones, stones, moss, snow, rotting logs etc. c. Students smell, identify, and sort /classify different items collected outside:ferns,

stones, grasses, flowers, bark, soil, etc.

Follow a Trail by Scent a. Reading suggestion: Smelling by Richard Allington b. Follow the trail with your nose. Teacher makes a trial for student’s to follow by rubbing onion or garlic on trees. c. Survey students if they could use their sense of smell or not to follow trail. Graph and discuss results.

Lesson 6-The Sense of Touch a. Ask students, “What do you think you know about the sense of touch?” and “What can

you learn about the world around you and yourself by using your sense of touch ?” Record

comments and discussion. b. Reading suggestions: 1. I Can Tell By Touching by Caroline Otto 2. Feeling Things by

Allan Fowler c. During the activities encourage conversations with scholars about their thoughts and

ideas related to their sense of touch. During the explorations teacher and students record

observations and ideas (with digital camera, digital recorder, Ipad, writing, or draw in

journals).

❖ Activities for the Sense of Touch

Sort Nature Items by How They Feel a. Reading suggestions : 1. Outdoors On Foot by Jim Arnosky 2. Sorting by Henry Pluckrose b. Go to the Nature Trail’s outdoor classroom feel tree bark, grass, leaves, rotten logs, snow, soil, moss, mud,

etc. for texture (smooth, scratchy, rough, soft, ) and weather conditions temperature, sunshine, wind, snow

falling, etc.). c. Discuss how items feel by texture, temperature, slippery, etc.

Make Rubbings of Nature a. Reading suggestions: 1. Rookie Read-About Health/Touching by Sharon Gordon 2. Tickle Prickly by Bonny Becter b. Students make rubbings of nature (tree bark, dirt, leaves, etc.) Students describe how things feel. c. Count how many different rubbings you can make. Discuss what rubbings are the same ( or similar in what way?) and different?

Sort Pine Cones by Feel a. Reading suggestions:1. The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds 2. Big Puppy, Little Puppy

by Irma Black b. Create two equal bags of different sized pinecones. Student picks one pine cone out of one bag

and tries to find a match in another bag. What makes the pine cone the same? c. Sort pine cones and explain attributes (size, shape, color).

Sort Rocks a. Reading suggestions:1. If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian 2. Let’s Go Rock

Collecting by Roma gans 3. Feeling Things by Allan Fowler b. Gather several different types of stones for students to touch and describe. c. Sort rocks and explain attributes (size, weight, shape, texture).

Sort Nature by Weight a. Reading suggestions:1. Who Sank the Boat by Pamela Allen 2. You Can Use a Pan

Balance by Linda bullock, David Larwa and Nancy R. Vargus 3. Just a Little Bit More by

Ann Tompert. b. Gather stones, pine cones, seeds, sticks compare for heavier and lighter c. Sort by heavier than and lighter than (a unifix cube or a pencil etc.).

Make a Texture Book a. Reading suggestions: 1. Near One Cattail:Turtles, Logs and leaping

Frogs by Anthony Fredericks b. Gather nature and/ or recycled items and make a texture book and label. c. Discuss vocabulary for different textures ( soft, scratchy, smooth).

Lesson 7-The Sense of Taste a. Ask students, “What do you think you know about sense of taste?” and “What can you learn about the world around you and yourself by using

your sense of taste.” Record comments and discussion. b. Reading suggestions: 1. I Will Never Not Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child 2. Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens 3. Rookie Read -About

Health/ Tasting by Sharon Gordon 4. You Can’t Taste a Pickle with Your Ear by Harriet Ziefert.. c. During the activities encourage conversations with scholars about their thoughts and ideas related to their sense of taste. During the

explorations teacher and students record observations and ideas (with digital camera, digital recorder, Ipad, or draw in journals). d. Get ready to learn with your sense of taste! Ask questions and make connections.

❖ Activities for the Sense of Taste

Make Mint Tea a. Reading suggestion: The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons b. Collect mint leaves from garden. Students measure ingredients, count leaves, and make

tea. c. Make a how to procedure book. Discuss steps, number and label pages.

Make Stone Soup a. Reading suggestion: Stone Soup by Heather Forest b. Collect and cut up different vegetables to make soup. c. Make a how to procedure book. Discuss steps, number and label pages.

Have a Tasting Party a. Reading suggestion: The Tasting Party by Jane Belk Moncure b. Students collect vegetables and herbs from the Community Garden and have

a taste test. c. Take a survey and graph results. Write about your favorite plant.

Describe Flavors a. Reading suggestion: 1. Rookie Read-About Health/Tasting by Sharon

Gordon 2. Gregory, The Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat b. Students taste different foods ( lemon, apples, vegetables, etc.) prepared by

the teacher. c. Describe flavors (salty, sour , sweet, bitter, etc. ) and make a chart .

Map the Garden a. Reading suggestions: 1. My Map Book by Sara Faneli 2. Where Do I live? by

Neil Chesanow 3. As The Crow Flies by Gail Hartman 4. Mapping Penny’s World

by Loreen Leedy 5. Mapmaking with Children by David Sobel b. Students make a map of the community garden. c. Draw and label three of their favorite plants to taste in the garden.

Make a Counting Book a. Reading suggestions: Anno's Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno b. Make a nature/vegetable counting book. c. Draw and /or take photos and show sets from 1 to 20 vegetables or nature.

Lesson 8- The Sense of Hearing a. Ask students, “What do you think you know about hearing?” and “What can you learn about the world around you using your ears?” Record

comments and discussion. b. Read: 1. Rookie Read-About Health/Hearing by Sharon Gordon 2. I Hear by Isadora, Rachel 3. Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern c. During the activities encourage conversations with scholars about their thoughts and ideas related to their sense of hearing. During the

explorations teacher and students record observations and ideas (with digital camera, digital recorder, Ipad, writing or drawing in journals). d. Get ready to learn with your sense of hearing . Ask questions and make connections!

❖ Activities for the Sense of Hearing

Listen to Bird Calls a. Reading suggestions: 1. I Hear by Helen Oxenbury 2. I Hear by Lucy Ogle b. Listen to recorded bird calls and imitate them. Use Audubon bird apps. c. Cup your hands around your ears or use a paper toilet roll to listen to the birds

outside.

Tap Nature Together a. Read suggestions: 1. Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney 2. I Hear by Rachel

Isadora 3. Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern 4. A High, Low, Near, Far, Loud, Quiet

Story by Nina Crews b. Collect sticks, stones, pinecones, leaves, etc. Tap items together and compare

sounds. c. Graph what nature items made the loudest and /or softest sounds. Guess what nature

items are being tapped together without looking?

Count Different Sounds a. Reading suggestions:1. Apt. 3 by Ezra Jack Keats 2. Whistle for Willie by Ezra

Jack Keats b. Cup your hands around your ears or use a paper toilet roll to hear better inside and out. Sit in one spot outside and listen to all the sounds you

hear. c. Count and record how many different sounds did you heard.

Listen to Animal Sounds a. Reading suggestions: 1. The Listening Walk by Paul Showers 2. The Ear Book by Al Perkins b. Play the “Guess What it is?” hearing game. Students listen to recorded sounds (app: Toddler Animal Sounds by KIDSTATIC) of animals and objects and see if they can identify the animal.

Final Assessment: Why are our five senses important?

Students need to demonstrate understanding of the science concept :

The human body is comprised of interdependent systems that perform essential functions. The human body has 5 different senses that people use to learn about their surroundings and themselves. Different senses give different information.

Students journal what they hear, smell, taste, see, and touch at the Community Garden. Students describe or write what they learned about their

surroundings and/ or themselves by using each of their senses.

Teacher Resources: Cultivating the Joy and Wonder-Educating For Sustainability in Early Childhood Through nature, Food, and Community by Emily Hoyler and Linda Wellings Shelburne Farms Project Seasons www.shelburnefarms.org

Early Childhood Themes through the Year by Debbie Thompson and Darlene Hardwick Teacher Created Materials, Inc. ISBN 0-7439-3647-7

Literature- based Science Activities by Audrey Brainard and Denise H. Wrubel Scholastic ISBN: 0-590-49200-4

Naturally Curious by Mary Holland Trafalgar Square Books North Pomfret, VT ISBN 978-1-57076-425-7

Hands-On- Nature Information and Activities for Exploring the Environment with Children Edited by Jenepher Lingelbach and Lisa

Purcell Vermont Institute Science, Woodstock , VT 05491 ISBN: 1-58465-078-8

Trees by Allen J. Coombes Smithsonian Handbooks www.dk.com

Fun with Nature Take -Along by NorthWord Press, 1999 ISBN: 1-55971-702-5

Common Core State Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which

they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked

events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author

and express opinions about them).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

VT Tech GEs

Communication & Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

Next Generation Science Standards http://www.nextgenscience.org/kwc-weather-climate

http://www.nextgenscience.org/kire-interdependent-relationships-ecosystems-animals-plants-environmen

Science and Engineering Practices

Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyzing data in K–2 builds on prior experiences and progresses to collecting, recording, and sharing observations.

● Use observations (firsthand or from media) to describe patterns in the natural world in order to answer scientific questions. (K-

LS1-1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Connections to Nature of Science Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence

● Scientists look for patterns and order when making observations about the world. (K-LS1-1)

Performance Task(s): How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning? Formative: Students will use a rubric to help them judge their progress. Teacher observation and student teacher conferences. Peer reactions to their behavior and interactions.

www.amel.org Ways to differentiate when needed in all lessons: From the book Differentiating Instruction with Technology in K-5 Classrooms by ISTE

Grace E. Smith and Stephanie Throne A. “Support Mechanism: Scaffolding

1. Present the task or skill to students 2. As you model the task , think out loud. 3. Work together to practice the task as a whole class. 4. Divide students into flexible groups so that they can learn skill cooperatively. 5. Invite individual students to model the learned task as independent learners.

B. Support mechanism: Peer coaching When students encounter difficulties , they go directly to the students who’ve been appointed as their group leaders.

C. Anchoring or Extending Anchor activities are a part of the unit students are currently studying and are tied to the assignment students have just completed. They

present additional opportunities to extend students’ comprehension of essential concepts, and they allow for choices based on levels of

readiness and interests. Most important , they offer purposeful options that reinforce and deepen the connection between the overarching unit theme and the distinct assignment that makes up that unit. D. Learning contracts: By transferring some of the responsibility to the students they, both parties- students and teachers alike-reap the benefits. Some of them are: 1. Students experience heightened self worth and sufficiency. 2. Students and teachers build trust in their relationships with one another. 3. Students improve decision-making skills. 4. Students felt more motivated because they have a say in directing their educational path. www.everythingdi.net

The summative assessment for the unit 1. Teacher observation of student cooperation with others during the day: a. Following classroom and school rules: Respect yourself, respect others and respect the environment . b. Cooperating with peers during partner and group activities. c. With guidance read data and apply new knowledge to make decisions based on data collected Other Evidence:

● includes pre-assessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment evidence ● Can be individual or group based ● Can include informal methods (such as thumbs up, thumbs down, and formal assessments, such as quiz, answers to questions on a

worksheet, written reflection, essay).

Math Common Core Standards:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.1

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.2

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.3

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.4

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.5

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.C CC.6

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.C.7

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.1

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.2

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.B.3