Five Senses and a Freebie

Five Senses and a Freebie

Hey y'all! Last time we talked, I introduced science centers. Now it's time to really show you what I mean. 

The five senses unit is one of my favorite units at the beginning of the year. I usually do this with kindergarten and 1st grade to learn both about what the five senses are and about how to use our senses during science time. 

On Monday, I introduce senses, usually reading My Five Senses by Aliki. We explore as a class what we do with each sense and what body part it's associated with. Anchor charts are great for this day.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, students go to stations. There are 6 stations, one for each of the 5 senses and one with a review book. Each station has a direction (task) card and a book or recording sheet for science notebooks, but I go over each station before sending the littles off. These direction cards have pictures to help guide them. 

Students work through each station spending 5-10 minutes at each one. I usually have mine all rotate centers at the same time to teach time management and to keep things flowing. With this setup, students will go to 2 stations per day and we'll meet before, between, and after to share out what we've learned. You could also have students switch centers as they finish them, but I find there are more off task behaviors that way.

Labs are hands on and do require a few inexpensive supplies. For this unit, students get to taste a few foods to explore this sense. I am always mindful of any allergies my students may have and they always love this station!

Recording sheets are easy for students to use independently and fit inside spiral or composition books easily. If science notebooks are not your thing, recording sheets can be stapled together to make a booklet students can take home at the end of the week. A culminating craft is included to finish off the unit on Friday. 

The new science standards require students to think differently about science. What better way to lay the foundation for this than by fostering independent learning. My students are always so proud of themselves when they are able to complete the whole task on their own. To check this unit out in my store, click here or on the picture below. 

If you missed the post about how science centers are run in my classroom, click here to get all caught up and catch the freebie. I'm always adding new resources to my TPT store so be sure to follow me for the latest updates, ideas, and resources. Have a wonderful week and I'll talk to you soon.

Stay cozy,