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Kindergarten Science Circus

Topic:Five SensesDate: March 25, 2009

Grade level: K

NSES:Content Standard K-4 A: All students should develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understanding about scientific inquiry.

Content Standard K-4 B: All students should develop an understanding of properties of objects and materials, position and motion of objects, light, heat, electricity, and magnetism.

Content Standard K-4 C: All students should develop an understanding of the characteristics of organisms, life cycles of organisms, and organisms and environment.

SOL:K.1The student will conduct investigations in which

a)basic properties of objects are identified by direct observation;

b)observations are made from multiple positions to achieve different perspectives;

c)objects are described both pictorially and verbally;

d)a set of objects is sequenced according to size;

e)a set of objects is separated into two groups based on a single physical attribute;

f)nonstandard units are used to measure common objects;

g)a question is developed from one or more observations;

h)an unseen member in a sequence of objects is predicted; and

K.2Students will investigate and understand that humans have senses that allow one to seek, find, take in, and react or respond to information in order to learn about one’s surroundings. Key concepts include

a)five senses and corresponding sensing organs (taste – tongue, touch – skin, smell – nose, hearing – ears, and sight – eyes); and

b)sensory descriptors (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, rough/smooth, hard/soft, cold, warm, hot, loud/soft, high/low, bright/dull).

Daily Question: Do you know your five senses? What are some ways that you use them every day?

Procedures for Learning Experience / Guiding Questions / Materials Needed / Evaluation (Assessment) / Approximate Time Needed
Engagement:
Blindfold one of the teachers, have her/him cover her ears, and then plug nose. Another teacher should tell the students that the first will try and guess what the students do, and instruct them to try to “trick” her/him. For example, students could clap hands, stick out their tongues, blink their eyes, etc. Teacher should guess, then eventually remove blindfold, etc. Discuss why the teacher couldn’t tell what the students were doing. Ask students to volunteer to name the five senses, and then have other students give the body parts that help with each sense (eyes for sight, etc.). Explain that we will be learning more about the senses today by being “Sense Detectives”—using our senses to figure things out. / Why didn’t she know what was happening?
Can she tell what’s happening now? (once blindfold is removed)
What are the senses? What body parts do we use for each sense?
When do you use each sense?
What senses are you using right now while I talk with you?
Does everyone have all the same senses?
What can be done to make each sense better?
Why is each sense important?
What would it be like to live without each sense? / Blindfold / Students should actively participate in trying to “trick” the teacher and in discussing the outcomes. Students should make well thought out observations about the senses. / 10 minutes
Exploration:
Give brief directions for each station (see circus cards). Point to each station as the directions are given. Emphasize which teacher will be at each station. Count the station numbers with the students, and establish that the groups will move in order (1 to 2…5 to 1) when the teacher’s timer goes off, after six minutes at each station. Divide students into five pre-planned cooperative learning groups (of mixed ability level). Remind students to use their brains and think about the activities they complete. Send one group to each station. Complete activities. Detailed instructions for each station are found on the teacher cards. The teacher’s goal is to facilitate exploration and ensure safety, not to force students to complete worksheets appropriately. There may not be enough time to finish all the activities at each station. When the timer rings, instruct students to move to the next station. / See teacher activity cards for more detailed questions for each station.
Which order do you think you’ll move through the stations? / Timer / Informally evaluate student attentiveness and cooperation as students listen to directions and move through each station.
Students should actively engage with the materials, volunteer their ideas, and help rather than hinder the understanding of the other students.
The worksheets from each station should be collected and evaluated for understanding. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to these worksheets, but students should show a basic comprehension of the senses through their drawings. / 5 minutes giving directions
6 minutes per station
35 minutes total
Explanation:
Partly due to the kindergarten demeanor and partly due to the vast amount of information covered in this circus, explanation needs to occur heavily throughout the classroom and the circus. At the end of each station there should be explanation while they are in small groups at their centers. The adult there should elicit discussion and then explain what they have just witnessed or learned. Each explanation at the stations should take approximately one to two minutes based on available time. This will also prevent the students from losing focus. Further explanation will take place as a whole group at the end of the circus so that students can hear the ideas of their peers and construct understanding through socializing
1. I spy: What hints were the most useful to decide what the teacher was looking at? Discuss the importance of sight in our lives and how some people can see better than others (magnifying glass versus plain sight). Discuss how sight enables us to find food and stay safe.
2. What do you hear: Which cup was easier to hear out of, the big or small? Why do you think? Discuss the size of human’s and animal’s ears in relation to hearing. Discuss the importance of hearing when a person can’t see where they are. Are there sounds that “sound” more dangerous? Discuss the importance of sound for communication in our lives.
3. What is that taste: Which tastes were the hardest to guess? Discuss why they think this is; do they eat them less often? Discuss the importance of learning from past mistakes and not eating foods again that they think they are bad for them or “poisonous.” Discuss that foods taste certain ways for a reason and have them predict what those reasons may be.
4. What is that smell: Could the students imagine a food that would smell that way? Discuss why they were able to do this without actually seeing the food. Do the students believe that they could follow the scent to where the food is, for example, the kitchen from their bedroom in the morning? Discuss the importance of smell for an animal’s survival. What happens when they have a cold and can no longer smell, do they enjoy food as much? Discuss that smell is important for taste as well.
5. Mystery bag: Were you able to tell which objects were larger than others? Discuss how the sense of touch is important in a person’s life. Explain that touch is important when it doesn’t involve hands too. Brainstorm how animals use touch in their lives to help them find food and avoid danger.
Bring the students back to the front of the classroom to discuss what they did in each station and what they learned. This should be more of a broad and general explanation of the senses. Discuss what all the senses have in common and how they all benefit us. Discuss whether or not they benefit animals in the same way and if they think all animals have these five senses. Hold up several objects and have the students raise their hands to describe the objects using all five senses. Discuss why it is important that we use all five. / See teacher/activity cards for more detailed guiding questions.
1. I spy: Why did you pick the object you did? Can you remember things that you have seen before even though they are not in the classroom now? Why is that important?
2. What do you hear: What is a “dangerous” sound like—is it loud or soft? What do these scary sounds warn you of? Do you make different sounds when you are happy compared to angry?
3. What is that taste: Why do you think people have tastes that are their favorite? What do you think you are most likely to do with food that tastes good? Describe what you observe about the taste—is it sweet? Salty? Sour? Bitter?
4. What is that smell: Can your nose help you investigate where the food is? Do you learn where the food usually is and keep going there? Do your pets or animals do that as well? Why do you think that this is important knowledge?
5. Mystery bag: How were you able to tell which items were bigger than others? Which items were hard, and which were soft? Were any rough or smooth? Why do you think this is important?
Whole group: What did you observe? Are there some senses that you think are more important? What senses do you think you use the most? If you were to not have one sense, how do you think you would live? Are there any animals that aren’t born with the five senses? What do they do? / Timer,
worksheets, crayons
See teacher cards for a list of materials needed at every station. Make sure each station is set up before the start of the circus.
No materials needed for whole group explanation. / Student attentiveness and cooperation at each station. The student should actively engage in discussion and answer the guiding questions posed. They should demonstrate curiosity and ask creative questions that they are not sure of.
The student should complete all of their worksheets for each station and be able to verbally explain why they chose to draw the picture on the worksheet that they did. / 1-2 minutes at the end of each station and briefly throughout the centers, approximately 15 minutes total.
Approximately 15 minutes at the end of the circus as teaching assistants are cleaning the centers.
Roughly 30 minutes total.
Extension:
*The next day during science, the students will engage in a true “mystery box” activity. The students will be split into groups of two to three. The mystery object should be in a cardboard box that the students are not able to see into. There should be enough boxes for each group, and each box should be taped well enough to ensure that the students will not shake it open. In each box there should be the same amount of chocolate. First, only the teacher should hold the box and shake it. The students should draw their first guess. Explain that they are only making this guess based on the sense of sound. Next, the students should each get a box after discussing their predictions. This will reinforce the importance of collaboration in science. The students should shake their box, explain that this is using the senses of touch and sound. Have them draw their new prediction. Ask the students if they see anything that give them clues. Ask the students to smell the boxes, do they think they smell anything? Which sense are we missing? (Taste) Do not allow students to taste the box! After their pictures have been drawn and the group has discussed their best predictions, allow the students to open the box. The chocolate should be in wrappers. What do they think it is now based on sight? Do they think there could be anything else in the wrappers? Allow the students to eat the candy if they wish (making SURE there are no allergies in the room, or else a different food will need to be used entirely). Discuss the importance of using all five senses in science and in life to make the best guesses we can. Our five senses also protect us from danger (we can hear cars that are in the street, for example), and they help us choose how to live our lives (Is it cold? Wear a jacket. Does it taste yucky? Don’t eat it.) / -Are your predictions (guesses) changing as you use more and more senses? Why do you think this is?
-As you go along, which senses do you think would be the most useful? How do you feel not being able to use these senses? Are you really sure or not so sure about what is inside of the box? Why?
- Were you surprised when you saw what was inside the mystery box? Did your taste test confirm your final guess? / -Hollow cardboard box that you are able to open and securely close (old check box, etc.)
- Hershey kisses
- Paper and crayons for drawing / Student attentiveness and creativity while evaluating what could be inside the box. The students should display interest and a sufficient effort while predicting.
The student should each have their drawings on their papers and at least be able to explain what their picture is and why they would think that based on what their senses are telling them. / *50 minutes (or one science period)
The time can be adjusted based on the predictions of the students and their attentiveness/interest.

Notes: The five senses is such an important topic in kindergarten science that it should be revisited throughout the year. This is a good introductory lesson, although it can fit in at any point during the school year. Other simple senses activities, like bringing in “smelly bags” to show-and-tell and reading various story books can reinforce the concepts established in this lesson.

Classroom management:

Each station should be clearly labeled with a large number 1-5. The students should rotate through in order with the station five proceeding to station one. Having students point to the stations as you define them will better reinforce their understanding and memory. Indicate that the buzz of the timer will signal the end of a station. Each station should be 6 minutes long. The students should be instructed to gather their belongings quickly and quietly and move to the next station. The teacher should carefully monitor that the students do not carry materials necessary to the station with them (ie: jars of smells). Each student should be given the corresponding worksheet at each station, and once the student is finished at the station, they should put their worksheet from that station in a “Senses Folder” given to them at the beginning of the class. Students who are unable to participate in each station productively should sit out for one station—make sure students are aware of this possibility, and follow through if necessary.

Differentiation:

An adult should be at each station to guide them and read the directions aloud to them. This takes much careful forethought. Accommodations for higher or lower ability students within the group may be necessary and should be monitored by the adult facilitator at each station by motivating and praising students’ correct choices. Students should be assigned to groups based on ability level, with higher-level and lower-level students working together, so that they can learn from each other.

Safety:

Students should be reminded not to eat anything unless their teacher specifically asks them to because some foods are harmful as discussed.

*You will need to explain to the students that the world poisonous means and why it is important to know that word in conjunction with the five senses.

Sources:

Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education. (1996). Science content standards. In National Science Education

Standards (ch. 6 p. 130). Retrieved March 24, 2009, from

Cheek, Jerrie (2005). The Five Senses. Retrieved March 15, 2009, Web site:

Standards of Learning Currently in Effect for Virginia Public Schools. (2007). Commonwealth of Virginia. Retrieved February 8,

2009, from

Student: ______

Rubric

The student… /
Star scientist! /