Five Senses Unit Plan (Partial Unit)

Introduction
Unit Title My Five Senses Grade Level One
6 weeks (6 90-minute lessons – lessons
Subject Science Time Frame
will be in 30-minute intervals)
Developed By Brianna Nolan

Desired Results
Learning Outcomes
GLO:
 Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations and communicate observations orally
and by producing captioned pictures.
 Students will describe the role of the human senses and the senses of other living things, in enabling
perception and action.
SLO:
1. Students will identify each of the senses and explain how we use our senses in interpreting the world.
2. Students will identify ways that our senses contribute to our safety and quality of life.
3. Students will apply particular senses to identify and describe objects or materials provided and to describe
living things and environments.
4. Students will recognize the limitations of our senses and identify situations where our senses can mislead us
(ex – feeling hot or cold, optical illusions, tasting with a plugged nose).
5. Students will recognize that other living things have senses and identify ways that various animals use their
senses (ex – sensing danger, finding food, recognizing their own young, recognizing a potential mate).
6. Students will describe ways that people adapt to limited sensory abilities or to the loss of a particular sense
(ex – colour blindness, inability to see objects at close range).
7. Students will describe ways to take care of our sensory organs, in particular, our eyes and ears.
Essential Question(s)
 What are our five senses?
 Why do we have our senses – how do they help us?
 Why are our senses important?
 How do each of our senses work?
 How do each of our senses help us recognize elements of the environment?
Knowledge Skills
Students will know… Students will be able to…
 What their five senses are  Identify each of the five senses
 That the five senses help individuals interpret the  Explain how the senses are used in interpreting
world the world
 That the five senses help individuals stay safe  Identify ways that the senses contribute to our
 The five senses have some limitations and can safety and quality of life
mislead us  Recognize the limitations of our senses
 That other living things have senses  Identify situations where our senses can mislead
 How to take care of sensory organs – ears and us
eyes  Describe ways that people adapt to limited
sensory abilities or loss of different senses
 Describe ways to take care of sensory organs like
the eyes and ears
Consulted Resources Common Lesson Resources
 Alberta Program of Studies for Grade 1 Science  Smartboard and digital copy of resources
 My Five Senses Grade One Package  “Five Senses” student booklets
o Teacher’s Guide  “People Adapt” student booklets
o Picture Prompts and Associated Videos  5 senses posters – eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin
o Student Booklet  Pencils, erasers, colouring utensils, scissors, glue
 Manipulatives (for identifying senses)

Assessment Evidence
Assessment Indicators:
 Students can identify and explain each of their five senses.
 Students can identify and explain how the five senses are used in interpreting the world and staying safe.
 Students can identify and describe characteristics, such as colour, shape, size, texture, smell, and sound.
 Students can identify and describe the limitations of our five senses.
 Students can identify and explain situations where our senses can (and may) mislead us.
 Students can identify and describe the ways that people adapt to limited sensory abilities or loss of senses.
 Students can identify and describe ways to take care of sensory organs, especially of the eyes and ears.
Assessments
Observations & Student Self-
Title Unit Quiz
Learning Participation Booklet Assessment
Outcomes Type
F&S F&S F S
(Formative/Summative)
Weighting 50% 40% N/A 10%
Students will identify each of the senses
and explain how we use our senses in X X X X
interpreting the world.
Students will identify ways that our senses
X X X X
contribute to our safety and quality of life.
Students will apply particular senses to
identify and describe objects or materials
X X X X
provided and to describe living things and
environments.
Students will recognize the limitations of
our senses and identify situations where
our senses can mislead us (ex – feeling hot X X X X
or cold, optical illusions, tasting with a
plugged nose).
Students will recognize that other living
things have senses and identify ways that
various animals use their senses (ex –
X X X X
sensing danger, finding food, recognizing
their own young, recognizing a potential
mate).
Students will describe ways that people
adapt to limited sensory abilities or to the
loss of a particular sense (ex – colour X X X X
blindness, inability to see objects at close
range).
Students will describe ways to take care of
our sensory organs, in particular, our eyes X X X X
and ears.
Assessment Tool Brief Description
Observations & Participation Throughout each lesson, students will be observed for their willingness and openness
in participation of class discussion and activities. Observations will occur with class
activities like games or writing activities but will also take place as new vocabulary is
discussed and student input is needed. Observations will be recorded through
anecdotal notes at the end of each lesson.

While these observations take place formatively in each lesson, at the end of the unit,
the teacher will use the observations in summative form, assessing overall student
participation throughout the unit.
Student Booklet Throughout many of the lessons, students will be completing pages in their ‘Student
Booklet’ which at the end of the unit will be used as a summative assessment.
Worksheet completion will be guided by the teacher, but students are given time to
show their understanding as they complete them.
Self-Assessment At the end of the unit, students will be given a self-assessment in which they can
evaluate their own learning – the teacher will use this to know where students think
they are at as individuals.
Unit Quiz At the end of the unit, the teacher will give students a quiz, designed for non-readers.
The teacher will give each student a copy and read the questions for students to
respond to. The teacher will review each of the student’s quizzes after completion and
assess student learning.

Unit-at-a-Glance
Monda Wednesda
Date Tuesday Thursday Friday
y y
Sense of Smell
January 25-29 Process of Smell and “Smell” Worksheet No School
Smell Experiment
Sense of Taste
Process of Taste and “Taste” Worksheet
February 1-5
“My Mouth” Worksheet
Food Experiment
Sense of Touch
February 8-12 Process of Touch and “Touch” Worksheet
Touch Experiment
February 15-19 No School
Optical Illusions and Animal Senses
February 22-26 Optical Illusions Video and Worksheet
Animal Senses and Worksheet
Limited Senses
Vocabulary Introduction – Adapt
March 1-5
Reading Braille
Sign Language
Assessment
March 8-12 Self-Assessment
Unit Quiz

Lesson Descriptions
# Lesson Title Lesson Activities
 Outcome(s):
 GLO: Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations
and communicate observations orally and by producing captioned pictures.
 SLO: Students will apply particular senses to identify and describe objects or
materials provided and to describe living things and environments.

Overview: This lesson has been designed to help grade 1 students investigate the sense
of smell. The focus of this lesson is for students to be familiar with the sense of smell –
how smell works and how it helps them connect to the environment. To begin, the
teacher will ask students some questions – “What are our five senses?” and “Why do
we have our senses?” – to review the overall unit concept. Following the review, the
teacher will read the “All About Smell” information passage to students. The teacher
will then lead students through a discussion and completion of the “All About Smell”
worksheet. Next, the teacher will lead students through a smell experiment – students
will predict, record results, and make conclusions using the “What’s That Smell?”
worksheet. For the experiment, students will smell 6 different scents (perfume, vinegar,
coffee beans, cinnamon, onions, and lemon), predict what they are smelling, record
1 Sense of Smell
their results, and make a conclusion at the end of the experiment. By the end of the
lesson, students should be able to describe how smell works and will have had practice
using and applying their sense of smell.

Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies for this lesson include direct instruction
(explicit teaching, guided reading, guided worksheets), interactive instruction
(discussion), and experiential learning (conducting experiments).

Assessment: Formative assessment for this lesson will take place through teacher
observation of student participation throughout the lesson. Guiding questions for
observations may include:
 How can we use our senses to describe objects/living things/environments?
 Use your sense of smell to describe “sample” objects.

Resources:
 5 senses unit posters, student booklets (digital copy too), sense of smell video,
6 different scents, small containers for smell tests, pencils and erasers
2 Sense of Taste Outcome(s):
 GLO: Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations
and communicate observations orally and by producing captioned pictures.
 SLO: Students will apply particular senses to identify and describe objects or
materials provided and to describe living things and environments.

Overview: This lesson has been designed to help grade 1 students investigate the sense
of taste. The focus of this lesson is for students to be familiar with the sense of taste –
how taste works and how it helps them connect to the environment. To begin, the
teacher will ask students some questions – “What are our five senses?” and “Why do
we have our senses?” – to review the overall unit concept. Following the review, the
teacher will read the “All About Taste” information passage to students. The teacher
will then lead students through a discussion and completion of the “All About Taste”
worksheet. The teacher will read the instructions for the next worksheet – “My Mouth”
– and have students complete this page by colouring the foods that belong to each
category. Next, the teacher will lead students through a taste experiment – students
will predict, record results, and make conclusions using the “What’s That Taste?”
worksheet. For the experiment, students will taste 4 different items (sweet, bitter, sour,
and salty), predict what they are tasting, record their results, and make a conclusion at
 the end of the experiment. By the end of the lesson, students should be able to
describe how taste works and will have had practice using and applying their sense of
taste.

Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies for this lesson include direct instruction
(explicit teaching, guided reading, guided worksheets), interactive instruction
(discussion), and experiential learning (conducting experiments).

Assessment: Formative assessment for this lesson will take place through teacher
observation of student participation throughout the lesson. Guiding questions for
observations may include:
 How can we use our senses to describe objects/living things/environments?
 Use your sense of taste to describe “sample” objects.

Resources:
 5 senses unit posters, student booklets (digital copy too), sense of taste video, 4
different tastes (sweet, bitter, sour, and salty), small containers for tasting
items, pencils and erasers
3 Sense of Touch Outcome(s):
 GLO: Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations
and communicate observations orally and by producing captioned pictures.
 SLO: Students will apply particular senses to identify and describe objects or
materials provided and to describe living things and environments.

Overview: This lesson has been designed to help grade 1 students investigate the sense
of touch. The focus of this lesson is for students to be familiar with the sense of touch –
how touch works and how it helps them connect to the environment. To begin, the
teacher will ask students some questions – “What are our five senses?” and “Why do
we have our senses?” – to review the overall unit concept. Following the review, the
teacher will read the “All About Touch” information passage to students. The teacher
will then lead students through a discussion and completion of the “All About Touch”
worksheet. The teacher will read the instructions for the next worksheet – “My Skin” –
and have students complete this page by drawing lines that connect a word to objects
described by that word. Next, the teacher will lead students through a touch
experiment – students will predict, record results, and make conclusions using the
“Touching Station” worksheet. For the experiment, students will touch 6 different items
(fluffy, smooth, hard, soft, prickly, slimy), draw what they are touching, and describe
how it feels. By the end of the lesson, students should be able to describe how touch
works and will have had practice using and applying their sense of touch.

Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies for this lesson include direct instruction
(explicit teaching, guided reading, guided worksheets), interactive instruction
(discussion), and experiential learning (conducting experiments).

Assessment: Formative assessment for this lesson will take place through teacher
observation of student participation throughout the lesson. Guiding questions for
observations may include:
 How can we use our senses to describe objects/living things/environments?
 Use your sense of touch to describe “sample” objects.

Resources:
 5 senses unit posters, student booklets (digital copy too), sense of touch video,
 6 different textures (fluffy, smooth, hard, soft, prickly, slimy), small containers
for touching items, pencils and erasers
Outcome(s):
 GLO:
o Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations
and communicate observations orally and by producing captioned
pictures.
o Students will describe the role of the human senses and the senses of
other living things, in enabling perception and action.
 SLO:
o Students will recognize the limitations of our senses and identify
situations where our senses can mislead us (ex – feeling hot or cold,
optical illusions, tasting with a plugged nose).
o Students will recognize that other living things have senses and identify
ways that various animals use their senses (ex – sensing danger, finding
food, recognizing their own young, recognizing a potential mate).

Overview: This lesson has been designed to help grade 1 students investigate the
concept of optical illusions as well as that other living things have senses too. The focus
of this lesson is for students to be familiar with optical illusions and how other living
things use their senses. To begin, the teacher will ask students some questions – “What
are our five senses?” and “Why do we have our senses?” – to review the overall unit
Optical Illusions concept. Following the review, the teacher will show students a video about optical
4
and Animal Senses illusions (“What do you see?”). The teacher will then lead students through a discussion
and completion of the “Gotcha!” worksheet. The teacher will show students some
pictures of optical illusions and hold another brief discussion. Next, the teacher will
show students a video about animal senses and explain that animals have senses too.
Following the video, the teacher will give guide students through a cutting and gluing
activity to represent animal senses. By the end of the lesson, students should be able to
describe optical illusions and animal senses.

Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies for this lesson include direct instruction
(explicit teaching, guided reading, guided worksheets), and interactive instruction
(discussion).

Assessment: Formative assessment for this lesson will take place through teacher
observation of student participation throughout the lesson. Guiding questions for
observations may include:
 Do our senses have limits?
 When might our senses mislead us?

Resources:
 5 senses unit posters, student booklets (digital copy too), optical illusions video
and images, animal senses video, pencils and erasers, scissors, glue sticks
5 Limited Senses Outcome(s):
(Loss of Senses)  GLO: Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations
and communicate observations orally and by producing captioned pictures.
 SLO: Students will describe ways that people adapt to limited sensory abilities
or to the loss of a particular sense (ex – colour blindness, inability to see objects
at close range).

Overview: This lesson has been designed to help grade 1 students investigate the
 challenges and adaptations people face when their senses are limited. The focus of this
lesson is for students to be familiar with braille, sign language, and sensory tools. To
begin, the teacher will ask students some questions – “What are our five senses?” and
“Why do we have our senses?” – to review the overall unit concept. Following the
review, the teacher will show students a video (“People Adapt”). The teacher will then
read and guide students through the completion of the “Reading Braille” worksheet in
the student booklet. The teacher will play a series of videos for students related to the
content. Next, the teacher will read and guide students through the completion of the
“Sign Language” worksheet before students are given time to cut and paste their names
in sign language. Following the sign language activity, the teacher will play the “Signing
Time with Alex and Leah” video for students. To finish off the lesson, the teacher will
read and discuss with students the “Sensory Tools” worksheet. By the end of the lesson,
students should be familiar with some of the limitations that can be experienced with
senses.

Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies for this lesson include direct instruction
(explicit teaching, guided reading, guided worksheets), and interactive instruction
(discussion).

Assessment: Formative assessment for this lesson will take place through teacher
observation of student participation throughout the lesson. Guiding questions for
observations may include:
 How do people adapt to loss of sight and hearing?
 What are some sensory tools that help those with sensory limitations?

Resources:
 5 senses unit posters, “People Adapt” student booklets (digital copy too),
“People Adapt” video, sign language guide (for teacher), sign language videos,
pencils and erasers, scissors, glue sticks
6 Assessment Outcome(s):
 GLO:
o Students will use the senses to make general and specific observations
and communicate observations orally and by producing captioned
pictures.
o Students will describe the role of the human senses and the senses of
other living things, in enabling perception and action.
 SLO:
o Students will identify each of the senses and explain how we use our
senses in interpreting the world.
o Students will identify ways that our senses contribute to our safety and
quality of life.
o Students will apply particular senses to identify and describe objects or
materials provided and to describe living things and environments.
o Students will recognize the limitations of our senses and identify
situations where our senses can mislead us (ex – feeling hot or cold,
optical illusions, tasting with a plugged nose).
o Students will recognize that other living things have senses and identify
ways that various animals use their senses (ex – sensing danger, finding
food, recognizing their own young, recognizing a potential mate).
o Students will describe ways that people adapt to limited sensory
abilities or to the loss of a particular sense (ex – colour blindness,
inability to see objects at close range).
 o Students will describe ways to take care of our sensory organs, in
particular, our eyes and ears.

Overview: This lesson has been designed to review and assess grade 1 students and
their knowledge of the five senses. The focus of this lesson is for students to
demonstrate the learning that has taken place throughout the unit. To begin, the
teacher will ask students some questions – “What are our five senses?” and “Why do
we have our senses?” – to review the overall unit concept. Following the review, the
teacher will guide students through the Google Docs review presentation. Following the
review, students will be guided through the unit quiz – designed for non-readers – the
teacher will read a question and a student will respond on their quiz paper. Following
the quiz, students will be given a chance to do a self-assessment, demonstrating how
they are feeling about what they have learned. By the end of the lesson, students
should have demonstrated their learning from the unit as well as feel comfortable with
all that they have learned about the five senses.

Instructional Strategies: Instructional strategies for this lesson include direct instruction
(explicit teaching, guided reading), interactive instruction (discussion), and independent
study (quiz).

Assessment: Formative assessment for this lesson will take place through teacher
observation of student participation throughout the lesson as well as through student
self-assessment. Summative assessment for this lesson will take place through the unit
quiz – the teacher will mark these when completed to gauge student understanding.

Resources:
 5 senses unit posters, student booklets (digital copy too), unit review Google
slide presentation, unit quiz, pencils and erasers