#332. Observation skills

Science, level: Elementary
Posted by Tanya ().
Materials Required: 1 hard candy for each student individually wrapped in cellophane, one brown paper bag for each
Concepts Taught: Using the five senses to observe

Make a work sheet for each student (using a picture
for emergent readers) along with the starter for a sentence
as follows:
(use a picture of a finger)It feels _______________
(picture of an eye)It looks _____________
(Leave a space with a box around it for the student to
draw a picture of it)
(picture of an ear)It sounds ____________
(picture of a nose) It smells _____________
(picture of a tongue) It tastes _____________
It is ________________

For each student provide a small hard candy individually
wrapped in cellophane. You can find these already wrapped.
They come in different shapes, colors and flavors. Before
bringing them to school place each in a brown paper bag and
staple it shut.

Pass out worksheets and fill in name and date. Look at the
words and pictures and discuss. Then as a class, brainstorm
words for things you can feel making a list on chart paper or
colored construction paper of shapes and a list of textures.
Students may volunteer to draw a picture next to the words as
reminders of their meaning. Make another list of words for
smells, lists for things you see like colors, etc.

Pass out the bags. Each child feels the object through the
paper bag. Discuss what is felt encouraging use of the words
already on the list or perhaps adding some that were not
mentioned but are appropriate. Tell students not to guess what
the thing is. As scientists they are to use their five senses
and just describe the properties of the thing. Then they are
to finish the first sentence on their worksheet.

Continue in this manner. Of course they open the paper bag for
the visual part but leave the cellophane on for this and for
the hearing part. The smell part is done with the cellophane
on and then with it off.

A follow up that my kids like is the same but instead of candy
half the class gets a lemon and half gets a lime. They also
liked predicting if it has seeds (after they have seen and
smelled it). To taste it they cut it in half and then cut one
half again in half so that they can share and everyone can
taste both a lemon and a lime.

This is a long lesson but it is surprising how they enjoyed it
so much that no one was bored and disruptive. It is also a
writing and reading lesson so the length is justified.