The Five Senses

The students are studying the five senses. They have written about the things they can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Students explored the sense of taste by enjoying a "Tasting Party." They had an opportunity to taste things that were sweet, sour, and salty. Likewise, students explored the sense of touch by feeling different textured items (i.e. sandpaper, marshmallows, pipe cleaners, felt, etc.) while closing their eyes. Additionally, students used their sense of hearing to record the things that they heard after sitting outside. We cannot wait to explore the other senses soon!

Books
The following are some of the books students listened to during the week:

My Five Senses. By Aliki. Illus. by Author. 1989. 32p. Collins, (9780064450836). Gr. K-3.

My Five Senses does an excellent job teaching children about the five senses using vivid illustrations with simple text. This book takes the senses to a whole new level by introducing readers to the concept of being aware. The book says that being aware is to use multiple senses at once, which is something that most children are not aware (pun intended).


You Can't Taste a Pickle With Your Ear. By Harriet Ziefert. Illus. by Amanda Haley. 2002. Blue Apple Books, (9781929766680). Gr. 1-3.

You Can't Taste a Pickle With Your Ear addresses each of the five senses in individual chapters.
Each chapter opens with an explanation of a specific sense, using everyday examples. Throughout the chapter, students explore the five senses through rhyming. For example, to describe smell the author writes, "Winds and waves, shells and sand, the salt air smells, oh, so grand."Additionally, each chapter concludes with a series of simple questions designed to encourage children to think about how they use their senses everyday.


The Listening Walk. By Paul Showers. Illus. by Aliki. 1993. HarperCollins, (9780064433228). Gr. K-2.

The Listening Walk perfectly introduces children to the sense of hearing. The book follows a father and his daughter on a journey. As they walk, they pay close attention to the sounds that they hear. This book uses colorful illustrations coupled with concise text.

Web Sites
The following are web sites that are great for exploration of the five senses:

Harcourt School: Five Senses
This interactive game requires students to match pictures with the correct sense.

PBS Kids: Sid the Science Kid. I Sense
Sid the Science Kid tests students' knowledge of the five senses. Students must listen to questions, such as "Which thing feels hot?" Students must select the correct item amongst a group of things.

Puppy Clifford: Hide-n-Seek Game
Children must find Clifford's hiding spot by using the sense of hearing to identify sounds in this online game.