5 Senses Unit
It doesn’t matter how young or old a student is, the 5 Senses Unit is always a fun and educational place to start when introducing science concepts. The 5 senses unit is one topic that is usually seen throughout your formal years of science exploration. Your greatest science tools are the ones God gave you when you were born: your sense of smell, taste, touch, sight, and the ability to hear.
If you woke up tomorrow without one of your five senses you would quickly realize how underrated they are! Think about the smell of freshly baked cookies or the warmth you feel on your face while lying on the beach. Nice, right? Teach your child how to use their five senses to gather information. Scientists use their five senses to observe the world around them and so can you! Check out our FREE 5 Senses Unit!
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Start with some educational books...
For your younger children (pre-k to 2nd), I would start off by reading them some books focused on the 5 senses. I try to choose fiction and non-fiction selections so that the topic can be reiterated without boring them.
My Five Senses Slideshow
Observation Lab: Use your 5 Senses (2nd-8th)
The Observation Lab Sheet is one that you can use more than once. Since the worksheet allows you to choose the three items that will be observed, you can easily switch out the items to review the concept of observing like a scientist repeatedly!
For example, you can choose a lemon, a peanut, and a marshmallow. The student will name the item and draw it. Then, the student will use their 5 senses to make observations. Download here or click on image. Happy learning!
Hands-on Observation Lab (All Ages)
Individual or Family Style
All you need to conduct the Hands-on Observation Lab is a pack of brown paper lunch bags, index cards, and anywhere from 6-10 random objects such as but not limited to: orange, craft sticks, small ball, markers, etc. Put one random object into each bag and then staple the bag shut with an index card. Write a small number on the top of the index card to help you stay organized during the investigation.
Starting with Bag #1, have your student or students feel the object in the bag without looking at it. Let your student write down adjectives to describe what they feel through the bag. Have them predict what they think is in the bag. Do this with all of the bags until your student has completed each one. At the end, I always give some type of prize for each correct prediction, like a gummy bear. Small incentives make a BIG difference. My kids and students always had a great time with this one.
Co-op or Multiple Groups
If you are teaching a larger class with multiple groups, you may find this Observation Bag Lab Sheet helpful. It allows each group to write their answers on the Observation Sheet as opposed to an index card. Be prepared to recover your bags with more bags. When dealing with a larger class and a more rambunctious group, the bags will sometimes break or have holes poked through them. Just be ready with bags and a stapler. This is a great activity to do with a group.
5 Senses Fill-in-the-Blank Worksheet (Pre-K - 1st)
The 5 Senses Fill-in-the-Blank worksheet allows your child to figure out what sounds are missing from the list of 5 senses and fill in the blank. The pictures give your child a clue to the answer. Download here or click on the image. Happy learning!
Touch Lab
Can be modified for multiple ages
The Texture Touch Lab is an effective way to compare different textures. We oftentimes know that something feels different but describing the texture of an object may be a new concept for younger students. The goal of this lab is to introduce what texture is and how it can be experienced through our sense of touch. You can choose to use the pictures and recommended items for touch exploration or find your own to draw in the circles provided. Download here or click on image. Happy learning!
Quiet & Loud Sounds Graphic Organizer (3rd - 8th)
The Quiet & Loud Sounds Graphic Organizer allows older elementary or middle school students to brainstorm their own thoughts about different sounds. This age of student is more than capable of supplying their own answers.
The student can write their answers or even draw them. I usually require a combination of both. You may want to give them an example of each if they are unsure of how to complete the organizer. An example for loud could be a fire engine while an example for quiet could be a baby sleeping. Download here or click on image. Happy learning!
KIZCLUB Sound Cut & Paste Sound Activity
KIZCLUB offers this 3 page activity sheet as a free download. Your child will distinguish between quiet and loud sounds. This activity sheet is appropriate for elementary school children. Truth is… some of my 6th grader years ago did this activity. Great way to sort and compare sounds.
Hands-on Sound Lab
This activity does not take a lot of preparation if you have the supplies on hand. I have always used old film canisters. As you all probably know, those are harder to come by now than ever. Wal-Mart Photo Shop has always helped me in acquiring these. Just ask the photo personnel if they have any leftover film canisters for a science lab. They have always been very accommodating. I promise… you will not be the first person to ask! You can also use any other container that is opaque.
Depending on how many children I am teaching, I use anywhere from 5-10 canisters. Make sure to mark each canister with a number, which makes it easier when the time comes to predict what the student thinks is in the canister. You can put everything from pennies, rice, a marble, toothpicks, paperclips, buttons, foam cubes, or any small item that produces a different sound. Before I give the kids the canisters, I tell them to use their sense of sound to predict what is inside each canister. It is always fun to see what the kids think is in the canister. The reveal at the end is always the best!
Another way to investigate sound in a similar way without any prep is to use a sound machine. Simply put, it is fun to press the different sound buttons and have your child tell you what it is they think they hear.
Taste Table Mat
This Taste Table Mat is a fun way to talk about how foods taste different. Some foods are sweet, tart, sour, salty, and even bitter. For durability, print this mat out and laminate it. During snack time throughout the week or for a snack taste test, I give the kids an assortment of foods to taste test. Try a variety foods ranging from a lemon, apple, pretzels, chips, chocolate, etc. We talk about what each tastes like. We decide together where the food item should go on the mat. Was it sweet? Salty? Bitter or Sour? You can physically put a piece of the snack on the mat where it belongs: sweet, sour, or salty.
For older students, you can have them write the food in the appropriate box. As an example, your child may write, “green apple,” in the sour box. Download here or click on the image. Happy learning!
Sense of Sight Activities
I Spy
Doing an activity that uses the sense of sight doesn’t have to be hard. You can simply play a game of, “I Spy.” For those of you who don’t know how to play, “I Spy,” it’s simple. You can teach your little one quickly. Find something that you and yours can see in plain view, like a tree, car, or shoe! Say, “I spy something green.” Let your child guess what it is that you see until they discover it. Then they can take a turn.
Where's Waldo Books
For your older students, you may want to try the actual I Spy game or Where’s Waldo books. There are lots of different options for challenging your sense of sight. Here a couple of options that might interest you. My kids have always enjoyed Seek & Find activity books too.
Seek & Find Sheet & Workbooks
If you are looking for something right now, you may appreciate this I Spy printable. My kids have always enjoyed Seek & Find activity books too. For your older kids, try word searches. Have fun!
Optical Illusions
Here is a fun way to test your sense of sight! National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences offers some thought-provoking optical illusions! This exercise forces you to look for details that you would otherwise overlook. Great exercise to encourage using your sense of sight and your brain! Click here or on the image to check it out. Happy learning!
Magic School Bus: Makes a Stink
I love to incorporate a video into our unit studies. It is especially effective for those visual learners. The Magic School Bus Series is entertaining and educational. This particular episode, “Makes a Stink,” focuses on the sense of smell.
PBS Science TREK 5 Senses Video
I would recommend this video for those wanting to learn about the behind the scenes of the five senses. This would not be for younger elementary, but 2nd grade and up. A good portion of the video shows students asking questions with a two doctor panel answering. How does your sense of sight work… behind the scenes, that is? Click here or on the image to be connected to this video. Happy learning!
Food for thought...
Looking for a more permanent science curriculum? Even though we pursue various science units that encompass labs and such, we also use a science textbook each year. Some might say that our science units supplement our textbook, while others would say the opposite to be true. The labs, experiments, graphic organizers, videos, and other activities bring the textbook information to life.
We use Abeka Science textbooks. I love that they incorporate God and His sovereignty into their curriculum. When I taught in the public school system, I noticed that many of my students were lacking in vocabulary. This made it difficult for them to understand the why behind many of our investigations. Unfortunately, they were deficient in their background knowledge. Our science time would be lacking too if it weren’t for the rich vocabulary and science language that we find in our science textbook and readers. If you are interested in shopping for a full-time science curriculum or even just a textbook to guide you, click on the following link! Happy homeschooling!
Try these other FREE resources!
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 34: 8
