Five Senses
FREE Lesson Planning Resources Exploring the “Five Senses”
Teaching Young Learners About the Five Senses
Exploring the five senses are lessons most teachers and parents truly enjoy planning and implementing with their young learners. Kids love to learn about the world around them, and are most interested in learning about themselves.
There are many wonderful resources to add to any good lesson plan. This post contains some of my favorite found, fun and FREE resources you might consider adding to your lesson plans. Included in this post are some online books, learning videos and some free digital downloads from some amazing teachers from TpT. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from links in the blog. Thank you, and happy teaching!
Day 1: Engage
Five Senses
There are many books about the five sense and even more individual books about eyes, ears, nose, mouth and the skin. My first choice to get students engaged in the topic of the five senses is My Five Senses by Aliki.
My Five Senses
My Five Senses by Aliki, is a wonderful introduction read aloud to the five senses. Here is an online reading of the book. After you read it to the kids and if your classroom has access to iPad and computers, they can listen again and again.
I have created an affordable book companion for My Five Senses and it is in my TpT Store. Included are 12 discussion questions (and much more) that can be used after reading the book. A few of these are, “When you are outside what do you smell?” or “Can you use more than one sense at a time?” You can some up with your own questions, or simply check out my packet.
Day 2: I See
HINT: Children will have fun exploring one sense per day, or for a few days. All of these resources and timelines are suggestions. Once you know what your students know and want, they will lead you to the perfect investigations about the five senses.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What DO You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. is a classic book that is all about what children can see with their eyes. Kids will probably be familiar with this book which makes it perfect for the sense of sight. Ask a repetitive question as in the book, something like “What does brown bear use to see the…?” By doing this repeating activity your students will associate eyes with seeing. Follow along with this sing-along reading.
Word Wall: Reinforcement
After reading the book this is a good time to share your Word Wall Cards. Either make your own or use the ones I have created in the packet;”Five Senses”, “see” and “eyes.”
Hands-On
My students LOVE this craft and exploration activity! I usually do this around springtime as the weather gets warmer and the plants and animals begin to appear in abundance. Call them anything you like; Spring Spectacles, Lucky Lookers or Binoculars. Check our blog to see how we made our Lucky Leprechaun Spectacles, and simply alter for your needs.
Once the students have made their spectacles, it is now time to take them for an adventure walk. If you can take your students outside, they will be talking about this for a long time. I really feel this is an amazing way to show them the power of sight though these lookers. They isolate the view and allow for a clear perspective on whatever they are exploring.
How Your Eyes Work
EXTEND: If students show a curiosity to learn more, try adding some technology. Here are a couple of videos they kids will enjoy.
The first video stars Chloe and the Nerb. When it comes to kids health I adore these two comical characters and their playful stories. I have included several of their videos in this post for your convenience.
More Hands-On
How Do We See Color?
If you read my blogs you are familiar with Squeaks and Jesse from Sci Show Kids. This video shows how our eyes and brains help us see colors. It is a bit advanced, however, kids will glean information.
Day 3: I Hear
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? is also in a series written by Bill Martin, Jr. I like this because kids always want more of Brown Bear, and they can have it in another sense with this cool book you might use to introduce your hearing sense day!
After sharing the book, reinforce with these Word Wall Cards; “hear” and “ears.”
Guess the Sound Game
Technology is wonderful when it comes to helping kids learn about their senses. This video will help them understand the importance of their hearing as they try to guess the sound. You will get lots of giggles with this one, too!
Hands-On
SOUND SHAKERS CENTER: There are many different hands-on experiences you could share with your students. This particular activity can be set up as a center for exploration. Items you will need are small paper plates, hot glue gun and various items to put in-between the two plates. Number the plates and have an answer key. Suggested items: erasers, legos, popcorn, buttons, coffee beans, dried beans, screws, rice, and anything small that fits within the plates.
GUESS the SOUND SHAKERS
Alternatively, this can be done as circle time.
DIFFERENTIATION: Have a picture of the items between the plates for kids to guess the sound.
Making Sound Shakers
Although this video is for younger children, even older kids will enjoy making these fun shakers.
Hot Cross Buns Plastic Egg Maracas for Kids
Next, is a good hands-on lesson for kids that are a bit older. Making egg maracas and then learning how to play Hot Cross Buns with simple pattern play and lots of practice. CLICK HERE for maraca blog post DIY.
Read more about FREE lesson planning ideas and implementing a lesson on percussion instruments using these Egg-cellent Maracas.
Charades
This classic game is idea for showing how difficult it would be to communicate without the sense of hearing. Make a list of things for the children to act out for classmates. Some suggestions are: Eating an ice cream cone, seeing a rainbow or smelling a flower. Simply whisper the action to the student.
How Your Ears Work
Next, this video will share what happens inside the ear and shows how we hear.
What is Sound?
If your kids want more, this is an advanced learning video about sound. High level learners will truly be stimulated by this and on level learners will engage with most of the video. To make the musical instrument from the video you will need a coffee can and a rubber band. This additional hands-on experience would be fun reinforcement.
More Hands-On
“Learn more about the music and the science of sound with our Music Science Box! This Discovery Box celebrates music science and sound with fun and creative projects that will have everyone moving and grooving long afterwards. Kids will make their own maracas, finger cymbals, ankle bells, box guitar and two different kinds of kazoos, and conduct experiments sound waves, frequency, volume and vibration. Comes with a 12-page STEAM magazine full of games, puzzles, and more learning opportunities.” – Excerpt Green Kids Crafts
Day 4: I Touch
I Can Touch
I Can Touch by Julie Murray is a simple book about the sense of touch. After reading the book, add more word wall cards; “touch” and “fingers.” This book is no longer in print, but you can follow with the read aloud below.
My Hands
My Hands by Aliki is great to start the lesson, as well. The “I Can Touch” book is very simple and My Hands adds some scientific terms and examples of hands and the concept of touch.
Touch! A Five Senses Song
Mr. R’s Learning Songs for Teaching are a wonderful addition to any unit of study. Kids love these songs and I highly recommend adding them to your lessons.
How Your Skin Works
We couldn’t live without the skin. Chloe and the Nerb find out what’s going on under the surface of the skin.
Hands-On
There are so many hands-on explorations that can be done for touch. One of the favorite experiments among young learners is making slime. This is a simple and fun way to reinforce the sense of touch. As a teacher led experience make a large vat of slime in front of the class. Then one by one allow students to come over to a sink (if you have one) let them play with the slime. As they are exploring the textures ask them to describe how it feels. As they are sharing their adjectives, write them all down on a sheet of paper.
When all the students have had a chance to describe the slime share all the responses as a whole group. The sense of touch was what allowed them to describe the wet, gooey, sticky feel of the slime.
Let’s Make Oobleck!
Here is a video from Sci Show Kids on how to make Oobleck. I do NOT recommend adding food coloring, it stains the hands in this formula.
Mystery Bags
Another option is to create mystery bags. Items needed are five numbered brown paper bags, and five different objects, one in each of the bags. Review the five senses and ask the children to think about the ways to discover what is in the bags without using their sense of sight.
Have students describe the object in the bag, as they feel and try to discover what the object is in the bag. Why were some objects hard to identify?
EXTEND: You will need two large brown grocery bags and several different items —you will need two identical items; one for each bag. Have students take turns putting one hand in each bag at the same time to touch their way in finding the match in each bag. Some examples of this might be 2 matchbox cars, 2 Legos, 2 erasers, 2 markers, ETC.
More Hans-On
Day 5: I Smell
Big Smelly Bear
Big Smelly Bear by, Britta Teckentrup is a fun introduction to the sense of smell. After reading the book add more Word Wall Cards; “nose” and “smell.”
How Your Nose Works
This video shares how the nose actually works. Kids Health has done a wonderful job creating these videos.
Hands-On
Check out this video from Aruma for a quick sense of smell center. If you are doing this in a center indoors, I recommend using plastic jars.
More Hands-On
“Let kids’ imaginations run wild with these fun and educational science projects! We have created a Kitchen Science Discovery Box that will inspire your pint-sized scientist with three creative STEM science experiments. Our Kitchen Science activities for kids demonstrate how the addition of a few special ingredients can make everyday household materials extra-exciting. The Discovery Box includes supplies and instructions for three amazing projects: Homemade Soap! Fizzy Bath Bombs! and a Volcano!” – Excerpt Green Kid Crafts
Kitchen Science Box
from: Green Kid Crafts
Day 6: I Taste
Carla’s Sandwich
Carla’s Sandwich by Debbie Herman is a cute book about food and taste preferences. It is also good for differences. This would be a fun to read before having a tasting experiment day.
Add Word Wall cards; “taste”, “mouth” and “tongue.”
Your Tongue: The Taste Maker
Join Jesse and Squeaks as they explore why ice cream tastes so good! In this cool video about the sense of taste.
Sense of Taste Song
Watching this video song from Mr. R’s songs for teaching is a good introduction to my hands on choice for a tasting center or class taste test.
Hands-On
There are so many things to share with young learners, especially when it comes to taste! This hands on experiment allows children to explore the some of the different food tastes; salty, sweet, sour and bitter.
In the digital download I have included a tasting sheet, or feel free to make your own. The four foods I have chosen are pretzels, lemons, M&M’s and dark chocolate. I only included the four tastes children are most familiar.
More Hands-On
“A bag of candy can be so much more than a sugar rush! Have a STEM-tastic Halloween and learn how you can use candy to discover the ways molecules interact. Your pint-sized scientist will surely enjoy exploring the properties of sugar and more with SIX different projects inside this box, including crystal creation, gummy bear osmosis, Pixy Stix sand art, M&M solubility experiment and fizzy fun.” – Excerpt Green Kid Crafts
Sweet Science Box
from: Green Kid Crafts
Day 7: Review
You might want to take some time to review what you have already learned about the five senses. Here are a few lesson planning ideas to consider.
First, you might want to consider re-reading the My Five Senses book, written by Aliki. Next, watch Dr. Binocs or another five senses video.
Dr. Binocs Show “The Five Senses”
As children have learned much about their senses, it is fun for them to review with some technology. Children learn on knowledge they have obtained and build upon that knowledge.
Five Senses Report
Finally, after watching the video, if you obtained a copy of the My Five Senses Book Companion, you will see the Five Senses Report. You can differentiate by allowing your students to pick what they have an interest in writing about. Kids can do a traditional book review, write about the slime observations or maybe the taste testing activity. Give them two to three choices and you will be surprised at the quality of the work they will produce – kids love choice!
Day 8: Extend the Lesson
The last few resources are from some of my peers at Teacher Pay Teacher. Even if you are not a traditional classroom teacher, any caregiver can download free and/or purchase these teachers created resources from the TPT website.
Camping & My Five Senses
“Have students experience the world of camping using all of their five senses!” – Excerpt Curriculum Castle
Five Senses Popcorn Investigation
“This is an adorable, highly engaging activity. Students will use their 5 senses to investigate and make observations about popcorn.” – Excerpt Sunny and Bright in Primary
Five Senses Poster and Mobile
This is the perfect way to end the five senses unit study. Check out this freebie from Stay Classy Classrooms. This download includes posters and what your students will need to make a five senses mobile. Super cute!
If you like these free resources please consider following these teacher creators. They are always developing new and cool things, for you and I, to share with young learners.
Final Thoughts
Once you assess what kids already know and what they are interested in learning more about, you can alter the five senses exploration to meet their needs. This post is a starting point and guide to help share this lovely book My Five Senses.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. If you found this helpful and would like to follow us and learn about our lesson planning resources, we are on social media@ STEMHAX.
The full downloadable packet with all the printables are available in my 
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