Unit 1 Observations with Senses

Science: Kindergarten

Unit 1 – Observations with Senses

Unit 1 – Observations with Senses

Science: Kindergarten

Unit 1–Observations with Senses

Table of Contents

Unit Introduction...... 6

Learning Objectives...... 6

Key Question...... 6

Engage and Elicit

Activity 1: Exploration Station...... 7

Explore/Explain

Activity 2: Sight: Exploring Leaves…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…9

Elaborate

Activity 3: Sight: Sorting Buttons...... 10

Explore/Explain

Activity 4: Touch: Mystery Bags...... 12

Elaborate

Activity 5: Sorting by Texture ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……. 14

Explore/Explain

Activity 6: Sound: Going on a Listening Walk...... 16

Elaborate

Activity 7: Sound: Shake and Match...... 17

Explore/Explain

Activity 8: Comparing Tastes...... 18

Explore/Explain

Activity 9: Smell: “Bear Cubs Find Their Cave” …...... 20

Explain

Activity 10: Mystery Box...... 22

Explain

Activity 11: Five Senses Sort...... 23

Elaborate

Activity 12: The Brave Little Monster...... 24

Elaborate

Activity 13: Five Senses Chart...... 25

Elaborate/Evaluate

Activity 14: Exploration Stations Revisited...... 26

Evaluate

Activity 15: Teaching the Five Senses………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………..28

About Our Unit/LessonTemplate

This template is designed to serve several teaching and learning principles considered as staples of state-of-the-art science instruction. Here are the key principles in summary:

It’s critical to elicit prior knowledge as a unit or lesson begins.
Key questions should drive student explorations and investigations.
Activity Before Concept – Student inquiry-based explorations which give personal experience with phenomena and ideas should precede a presentation of science ideas.
Evidence is the heart of the scientific enterprise. Students generate evidence and analyze patterns in data that help to construct scientific explanations around key questions.
Concept Before Vocabulary – Attaching science vocabulary to concepts developed by student investigations yields more success than beginning a unit or lesson with a list of science vocabulary.
Talk, argumentand writing are central to scientific practice and are among the most important activities that develops understanding.
Application of the ideas provides review, extends understanding, and reveals relevance of important ideas.
Assessment of knowledge, skill, and reasoning should involve students throughout the learning process and be well aligned to the main objectives and activities of the unit.

The Science template is designed to put these principles into practicethrough the design of the LEARNING CYCLE FOR SCIENCE. Each unit has at least one cycle. The components are listed below:

The Key Question for the Cycle / Each cycle has one open-ended driving question that relates to all the content and skills of the unit. The Key Question is presented at the opening of the cycle and revisited at the cycle’s conclusion.
Engage and Elicit / Each unit begins with an activity designed to elicit and reveal student understanding and skill prior to instruction. Teachers are to probe students for detailed and specific information while maintaining a non-evaluative stance. They also can record and manage student understanding which may change as instruction proceeds.
Explore / A sequence of activities provides opportunities to explore phenomena and relationships related to the Key Question of the unit. Students will develop their ideas about the topic of the unit and the Key Question as they proceed through the Explore stage of the learning cycle.
Each of the activities may have its own Focus Question or central task that will be more focused than the unit question. The heart of these activities will be scientific investigations of various sorts. The results, data and patterns will be the topic of classroom discourse and/or student writing. A key goal of the teacher is to reference the Key Question of the cycle, the Engage and Elicit of the students and to build a consensus especially on the results of the investigations.
Explain / Each unit has at least one activity in the Explain portion of the unit when students reconcile ideas with the consensus ideas of science. Teachers ensure that students have had ample opportunity to fully express their ideas and then to make sure accurate and comprehensible representations of the scientific explanations are presented. A teacher lecture, reading of science text, or video would be appropriate ways to convey the consensus ideas of science.Relevant vocabulary, formal definitions and explanations are provided. It’s critical that the activity and supporting assessments develop a consensus around the Key Questions and concepts central to the unit.
Elaborate / Each unit cycle has at least one activity or project where students discover the power of scientific ideas. Knowledge and skill in science are put to use in a variety of types of applications. They can be used to understand other scientific concepts or in societal applications of technology, engineering or problem solving. Some units may have a modest Elaborate stage where students explore the application of ideas by studying a research project over the course of a day or two. Other units may have more robust projects that take a few weeks.
Evaluation / While assessment of student learning occurs throughout the unit as formative assessment, each unit will have a summative assessment. Summative assessments are posted in a separate document.

Unit 1–Observations with Senses

Unit Introduction

This unit attends to the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations as they are gathered in KindergartenUnit 1 of the Michigan Department of Education Science Companion Document. Topically, the unit addresses concepts related to the five senses.

Kindergartners will use their five senses to explore their world and make observations. As teachers look for ways to have students use real-world data, apply interactive technology to real-world questions and foster meaningful tasks for reading, writing, argumentation and mathematics and framed by the Common Core Curriculum Standards, the issues here provide abundant opportunity. The main limitation is the class time available given other content demands.

On the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in Science

All science teachers will find the Common Core State Standards of ELA a tremendous asset for reaching learning objectives in science education. Reading, writing, argumentation and discourse are central proficiencies necessary for success in science. All teachers should become fluent with the document and will likely find it validating.

These standards are best reached with science instruction that connects content to real-world problems and experiments, complimented with scientific writing, challenging questions, processes for classroom discussion and debate and use of scientific text.

My Five Senses

Introduction

In this unit, students will explore each of their five senses independently. They will use each sense separately to make observations. They will be directed to make connections between the observations they make and the body part associated with the sense that was used. They will also address how their five senses not only help them understand their world, but also help them enjoy their surroundings and help keep them safe. Student will also use their observations to sort objects into like categories. They will apply their understanding of their five senses by designing a project that they can use to educate others.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

Use their senses to make purposeful observations about the world.
Sort objects based on observable attributes, including shape, size, color, sound and smell.
Generate questions based on observations using the senses.
Plan and conduct simple investigations using the senses.
Manipulate simple tools (hand lens, balances) that aid observation and data collection.
Construct simple charts from data and observations.
Share ideas about the senses through purposeful conversation.
Communicate and present findings of observations.
Develop strategies for information gathering (ask an expert, use a book, make observations, conduct simple investigations, and watch a video).
Demonstrate science concepts about the senses through illustrations, performances, models, exhibits, and activities.

Advance preparation

Review lessons for trade books needed. Make arrangements with school or local library to obtain copies prior to scheduled lessons. If recommended titles are not available, locate appropriate alternative books on the five senses.
Collect empty yogurt cups, plastic Easter eggs, or frosting containers early in this unit (see Activity 7)
Collect picture filled magazines that can be cut apart for collage (see Activity 13)

Key Question

How do I investigate materials and objects around me?

Engage and Elicit

Activity1 – Exploration Station

Purpose

To surface examples and questions about how the five senses are used to collect information on the natural world.

Activity Description

Students will visit five different stations in the classroom. Each station will provide students with the opportunity to use only one of their senses to make observations of a variety of objects.

Focus Question

What do I notice about the materials and objects around me?

Duration

Oneclass session

Materials

What Is Science? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Sachiko Yoshikawa
Five tubs, one for each set of “sense” materials (do not have two of the same items at different stations)

Feeling Station ideas: stuffed animals, rocks, sandpaper, various fabrics and textures, cotton balls
Seeing Station ideas: books, coins, pencil, leaf(use with magnifying glasses, sunglasses, and micro)
Hearing Station ideas: musical instruments, shaker bottles, chimes, toys that make noise
Tasting Station ideas: saltine crackers, goldfish crackers, marshmallows, dry cereal, skittles, M&M’s (teacher may want to limit the number each student may eat; for example, one or two of each)
Smelling Station ideas: scented candles, incense sticks, bar soap, hand lotions, orange, onion

Teacher Preparation

1.Gather items to place in five separate tubs, onetub for each of the five senses.

2.Set tubs at stations around the room, either on tables or on the floor.

Classroom Procedure

Ask students what the word science means to them and what they think scientists do.
Introduce the activity by tellingthe students that scientists make careful observations to learn about the world around them.Read aloud What Is Science? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich.
Show students the locations for the five station tubs. Tell students they will have a chance to be scientists as they explore each station and talk about what they observe. (Be sure to avoid using any vocabulary for the five senses. The purpose is to gather information on the students’ prior knowledge of the five senses.)
Describe the process to the students for rotating through the five stations and what they are expected to do while they are at each station. Use one student to model the process for the class.
Circulate as students rotate throughout each exploration station and encourage them to add information to their descriptions of the items in each of the tubs. Give a signal every 3-5 minutes for students to rotate to another station (using a timer is helpful).
Monitor student conversations at the stations, and make noteof evidence of students’initial understanding and skillsrelative to using senses to make observations. Ask individual students: “What did you learn about the objects atthis station?”
Gather students in a large group and ask them to discuss what they learned about the objects at each station. Asking probing questions to surface what students did at each station to learn about the objects located there. Listen for evidence of knowledge about using the five senses to make observations.
Save the exploration station tubs to be revisited in Activity 11.

Explore/Explain

Activity 2 – Sight: Exploring Leaves

Purpose

To use the sense of sight to make purposeful observations about objects in the natural world.

Activity Description

Students will be asked to only use their sense of sight to describe the properties of objects to a partner. Students will also be directed to make connections between their eyes and their sense of seeing/sight.

Focus Question

How can I describe and organize objects using only my sense of sight?

Duration

One class session

Materials

A collection of different leaves
Paper plate for each student
One piece of chart paper and marker for whole-group activity
Trade book related to sight: Seeing by Helen Frost or Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.

Classroom Procedure

1.Display twodifferent leaves for the class and ask student volunteers to give examples of how they are alike and different. Encourage students to list as many ways as they can,using only their eyes.

2.Tell students that today they are going to practice only using their sense of sight. They willtake turns pretending they are telling their partner about a leaf over the telephone. They should use as many observations as possible to describe each leaf.

3.Give each pair of students a variety of leaves on a paper plate. Remind them that they are to choose a leaf and take turns describing it to their partner without touching the leaf.

4.Circulate and listen to student descriptions. Encourage students to be more descriptive if necessary.

5.When most students have had at least two turns, gather the class to the group meeting area and discuss their experience with the leaves. Ask: “What were you able to learn about each leaf by only looking? How were your leaves alike? Different? What were some of the characteristics that you were able to see (shape, color, teeth, veins,etc.)? If your partner gave you a description, would you be able to find the mystery leaf on the plate?”

6.Read aloud a trade book related to the sense of sight: Seeing by Helen Frost or Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?by Bill Martin Jr.

Elaborate

Activity 3 – Sight: Sorting Buttons

Purpose

To sort objects by making purposeful observations using only the sense of sight

Activity Description

Students will use observations made with their sense of sight to organize buttons into a variety of categories. They will create a visual representation to describe and explain which attributes they used for one example of how they sorted their buttons.

Focus Question

How can I organize objects using only my sense of sight?

Duration

One class session

Materials

Large container of buttons for students to sort
Button Sorting Record Chart, one copy for each student
One piece of chart paper and marker for whole-group activity
Trade bookThe Button Box by Margarette Reid
Trade bookFrog And Toad are Friends(Lost Button) by Arnold Lobel

Classroom Procedure

1.Tell students that today they will be doing an activity that involves sorting. Ask students what they think it means to sort objects? Accept all answers.

2.Read aloud and discuss The Button Box by Margarette Reid as a whole-class group.

3.Show students a few buttons from the collection and explain that today they will be sorting the buttons you have collected into groups and that they get to decide how to do the sorting.

4.Distribute a small cupful of buttons to each student. (The buttons can be scooped from the container and placed on a paper plate prior to class to make distribution easier.)

5.Circulate as students examine and sort buttons and ask them open-ended guiding questions. “How did you sort your buttons? Why did you choose to sort them this way? How are the ones in this pile alike? How are these sets of buttons different?”

6.Encourage students to repeat their sorting and put buttons into piles by a variety of different criteria. “Can you sort these buttons another way? Show me.”

7.Have students illustrate one of the ways they sorted their buttons. (The teacher could also take a digital photo of one sorting example from each team to use for sharing.)

8.Seated as whole group, have students share from their charts one way they sorted their buttons.Ask students if there are other things in the room that could be sorted and why it is important sometimes to sort objects into groups.

9.Read aloud Frog and Toad are Friends(Lost Button) by Arnold Lobel. As a whole group, make a list on chart paper of all the different ways the characters in the story sorted.

Explore/Explain

Activity 4 – Touch: “Mystery Bags”

Purpose

To make inferences about mystery objects using observations made by only the sense of touch.

Activity Description

Students use only their sense of touch to examine a variety of items in a paper bag. They use the data they collect to try to identify the unknown objects without looking at them. They will discover that their skin can feel a variety of sensations, such aspressure, temperature and pain, and that this sensory ability is important for being safe.