Samantha Becker

5 senses 1st grade

Rationale: Teaching about the five senses is necessary for students to understand at
a young age because it helps them develop an understanding about the world
around them and how they can experience such.
For the purpose of these lessons a description of the classroom this will be designed
for will be included to demonstrate how to meet the student needs are being met at
all stages of development.

Day 1 Introduction to the five senses

NYS or other learning
standard
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings

Learning objective

Assessment

Students will name what

body part is used for
smell.

Students will correctly

complete a sheet where
they indicate that the
nose is used to smell.

Students will identify

things that smell.

Students will choose

something that smells
from a list of words.

Foundations:
Describe how you have considered the needs of gifted learners in the
development of this lesson plan. Include academic and affective needs, as
well as individual student interests, strengths and goals.
The lesson will include creating a KWL chart to determine what the students already
know as well as what they want to learn. This will allow for the gifted students in the

class to have their interests and goals for this upcoming assignment included in the
lessons.
Lesson introduction (anticipatory set):
The lesson will begin with the students watching a short video clip of the five
senses. This will be used to activate prior knowledge as well as give the students a
brief introduction to the senses.
Procedure:
The class will move to the carpet and begin to share what they know about the five
senses. What they know will be written in the K column of the chart.
The class will then describe what they would like to learn about the senses.
With the chart completed the students will return to their seats.
I will begin the lesson with the senses by having a variety of different things that
smell. The students will pass them around the room taking turns smelling. We will
discuss as the students do this as to what body part we are using and why the
sense of smell is important.
They will each then be given a packet to work on involving the 5 senses. This
packet will be used to assess which students in the class require the most
assistance within the topic and those who are gifted.
The students will complete the first of the senses sheets. Walking around the room I
will make a note of which students are struggling and those who are excelling. This
will allow me to determine who will need to be in which group for lesson two.
Differentiation (tiered by product, process, outcome, complexity,
resources, OR challenge) what are your tiers and how did you decide on
them?
The lesson is being tiered by product. The students are given options for the last
question on each of the senses sheets. It is here that the students have some
freedom to express their knowledge.
Acceleration or enrichment for gifted learners:
Gifted students have the option of completing the more difficult of the questions
within their packet. This provides them with choice as well as a chance to complete
slightly more challenging work.
Technology used:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQNqXnjJxH4

Closure:
The lesson will end with the students turning in their packets to the front of the
class. As they do this however they have to tell myself and their class what their
favorite smell is.

Day 2: Sight
NYS or other learning
standard
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings

Learning objective

Assessment

Students will identify why

sight is important.

Students will be shown

various PowerPoint slides
in which they must explain
why sight would be
important.

Students will identify what

we see with.

Students will complete a

worksheet where they
identify the body part
necessary to see with.

Foundations:
Describe how you have considered the needs of gifted learners in the
development of this lesson plan. Include academic and affective needs, as
well as individual student interests, strengths and goals.
By using the information gathered from the KWL chart the lessons have been
adapted to make learning more meaningful for the class as a whole. The gifted
students expressed an interest in learning about the various body parts that work

with each of the senses. The lessons have been adapted so that instruction for the
senses will also include more anatomical instruction.
Lesson introduction (anticipatory set):
To learn about sight I will have a few students volunteer to be blindfolded. I will have
them walk around (with my guidance) to see what it would be like to be blind.
This will be repeated with two more students. Each student will explain how they
felt about the experience, what was hard, what did you have to do to make up for
not being able to see?
Procedure:
Students will consider why it is important to be able to see. Students will pair up
and complete the same activity going slowly around the classroom. They will take
turns being the blind student and the student that would lead them around the
room.
Students will return to their seats and will be shown a variety of pictures in a PPT
and asked to make a list of things that they see; colors, shapes, hidden objects. The
list will be written on the board.
Students will then be shown a picture of the cross section of the eye. Discuss how
the image that we see if actually upside down in our brain but we switch the image
to make sense of what is around us.
The students will then be broken up into three groups. The gifted group will
complete their work either individually or on their own. The average students will
also be allowed to work in pairs to complete their work. The below average students
will work at the back table with me in order to work on the sight page of the sheet.
Differentiation (tiered by product, process, outcome, complexity,
resources, OR challenge) what are your tiers and how did you decide on
them?
The students are being tiered by challenge. The students are being more challenged
to work independently or in pairs. The students that need more assistance will work
at the back with me. The students are also being tiered by product for the last
question on the sheet provides various questions of different difficulties.
Acceleration or enrichment for gifted learners:
Students are given the option on their work to complete a question of various
challenges that will assist in accelerating their knowledge. The more challenging
option would be to either write or draw sight being demonstrated rather than things
that they could see.

Technology used:
PowerPoint
Closure:
The students will begin working on their final project for this unit. The students will
create either a fact sheet, a model, a story, or web on one of the senses. For
students who want more of a challenge they may include more than one sense. For
today they will chose what sense or senses they want to do as well as what project
they want to do.

Day 3: Hearing
NYS or other learning
standard
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals

Learning objective

Assessment

Students will identify what

body part they use to
hear.

Students will correctly

answer a worksheet in
which they identify what
body part is used to hear.

Students will identify

things that they can hear.

Students will correctly

answer a worksheet in
which they identify things
that they can hear.

enable the animals to

sense their surroundings
Foundations:
Describe how you have considered the needs of gifted learners in the
development of this lesson plan. Include academic and affective needs, as
well as individual student interests, strengths and goals.
The gifted students will be completing an assignment that allows them to go as far
in-depth into the topic of their choosing. This allows the gifted students to also
choose a product that they will find interesting to express their knowledge to the
teacher and the class.
Lesson introduction (anticipatory set):
The class will begin by making a circle around the desks. The students will play
telephone by having one student start by saying a phrase and seeing how the
phrase changes by the end of the circle. This will show how everyone hears just a
little bit differently.
Procedure:
The students will then sit down and create a list of reasons for why they think
hearing is important with the student next to them. While they do this I will walk
quietly around the room and sneak up behind students in an attempt to startle
them, providing them with one example as to why hearing is important.
The pairs will create a uniform class list of reasons for why hearing would be
necessary.
We will then talk about sound. The students will touch their throats to feel the
vibrations as they talk.
Sound waves then travel from your mouth to the air around you.
When the sound waves hit your ear drums your brain determines what sounds are
being made and forms it into words or recognizable sounds.
I will say the phrase how does this sound four times. The first time students will sit
as they normally do with me at the front of the class. The second time they will
cover their ears. The third time I will stand in the hall with the door open. And the
fourth time I will close the door and stand in the hall. This will show how sound can
differ depending on location and barriers.
Students will then complete the hearing page in the workbook before continuing on
their independent projects.

Differentiation (tiered by product, process, outcome, complexity,

resources, OR challenge) what are your tiers and how did you decide on
them?
The students are being tiered by challenge. The students are being more challenged
to work independently or in pairs. The students that need more assistance will work
at the back with me. The students are also being tiered by product for the last
question on the sheet provides various questions of different difficulties.
Acceleration or enrichment for gifted learners:
The students are each completing an independent project. Some have chosen to do
options other than those given. One has chosen to write a song about all five of the
senses. She is being enriched in her learning for she is advancing her musical and
writing talents to demonstrate her deep understanding of the material.
Technology used:
none
Closure:
Students will have a discussion about sound and some of the dangers we currently
have with the high use of technology. What dangers would headphones have?

Day 4: Taste and Touch

NYS or other learning
standard
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,

Learning objective

Assessment

Students will identify what

body part is used to taste.

Students will complete a

worksheet where they
determine what is used to
taste and a descriptive
taste word.

and skin of some animals

enable the animals to
sense their surroundings
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings

Students will identify what

body part is used to touch.

Students will complete a

worksheet where they
determine what is used to
touch and a texture word.

Foundations:
Describe how you have considered the needs of gifted learners in the
development of this lesson plan. Include academic and affective needs, as
well as individual student interests, strengths and goals.
For this lesson students will be working together in groups of three to describe taste
and touch. The taste and touch worksheets have been specifically chosen to
challenge certain groups more than others. These sheets were changed after Day 1
to better meet the needs of these students. The more advanced students will be
comparing the two since all three have chosen to discuss all five senses in their
project.
Lesson introduction (anticipatory set):
I will pass out a variety of different objects for the students to touch and pass
around the room. The students will discuss with their group characteristics of these
materials pertaining to touch.
Procedure:
I will read aloud all of the directions for both groups of students.
The students will then in their groups work on both the sheets. I will walk around
and assist the students as they need.
For the sense of taste students will think about when they eat and why taste would
be something that they need. The sheets will be differentiated for the ability groups
for this lesson.
Once each of the groups is done with the worksheets they may continue to work on
their projects until the last ten minutes of the lesson.

Differentiation (tiered by product, process, outcome, complexity,

resources, OR challenge) what are your tiers and how did you decide on
them?
For this lesson the sheets that the students will be completing will be differentiated
by challenge. The students will be challenged based on vocabulary usage and their
ability to compare and contrast at a more complexed level.
Acceleration or enrichment for gifted learners:
The students will be enriched by using higher order thinking skills in order to
compare two senses. This is also designed to help the three students with their
projects that they are completing.
Technology used:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14-sCPetUMc
Closure:
The lesson will conclude with a short video of the sense of taste and how taste
works. While the students are watching they will be given a small plate of foods,
none of which any of the students are allergic to. They will be given a piece of
apple, orange, pretzel, skittle, and popcorn.

Day 5: Presentations and Review

NYS or other learning
standard
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings
3.1a Each animal has
different structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
- eyes, nose, ears, tongue,
and skin of some animals
enable the animals to
sense their surroundings

Learning objective

Assessment

Students will identify one

aspect of each of the
senses.

Students will correctly

answer 5 out of 5
questions correctly about
the five senses.

Students will create a

presentation where they
examine one or more of
the senses.

Students will present their

project of the senses to
the class.

Foundations:
Describe how you have considered the needs of gifted learners in the
development of this lesson plan. Include academic and affective needs, as
well as individual student interests, strengths and goals.
For the gifted students in the class they were able to complete a project that allows
them to demonstrate what they learned in a way that they felt best shows their
knowledge. These students were able to create projects that showed in-depth
understanding of the topics as well as allowed the students in the class to use their
strengths.
Lesson introduction (anticipatory set):
The students will begin by sitting in a circle on the rug. We will complete the what
we learned section of our KWL chart.
Procedure:
The students will return to their seats and finish up any finer touches on their
projects.

The students will then once more return to the carpet.

While the students take turns to present their works I will have various kinds of
spray that I will spray every once and a while, as well as provide the students with a
few snacks that they can enjoy while sitting. The students will also be sitting on
blankets or towels in order to show different textures.
Differentiation (tiered by product, process, outcome, complexity,
resources, OR challenge) what are your tiers and how did you decide on
them?
This lesson was differentiated by product. The students were each given a choice on
what project to create about the senses. There was a requirement of at least 1
sense so that even the students who struggled the most had the ability to succeed
within this project.
Acceleration or enrichment for gifted learners:
The gifted learners were enriched by being given the freedom to look into the
senses to any degree that they chose. The students had the freedom to be as
extensive as they wanted with their projects.
Technology used:
none
Closure:
The students will end by taking a short quiz about the senses.

Student work packet for the 5

senses

Name: ____________________________________________

Smell
Directions: Answer all of the questions below by circling the correct answer.

1. What part of our body do we smell with?

Hair

Nose

Tongue

2. What is something we smell?

Flowers

Spicy

Smooth

3. Draw a picture of smell or draw something that you can smell.

Sight
Directions: Answer all of the questions below by circling the correct answer.
1. We use what to see?
Nose

Hands

Eyes

2. List three reasons for why we need to see.

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
3. What can sight let us see?
Heat

Animals

4. Draw a picture of sight or draw something that you can see.

Sound

Sight (Advanced)
Directions: Answer all of the questions below.
1. What protects our eyes?
Hands

Eye lids

Hair

2. Give three reasons why we need to see.

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
3. When we see something the image is really?
Upside down

Black and White

4. Draw a picture of sight or draw something that you can see.

Backwards

Hearing
Answer all of the questions below.
1. What do we use to hear?
Ears

Throat

Nose

2. Hearing lets us do what?

Hear someone sing
Smell the flowers
See the rainbow

3. What is something you could hear?

Apples

Cold

4. Draw someone hearing or something that you could hear.

Thunder

Hearing (Advanced)
Answer all of the questions below.
1. How does sound travel?
Sound waves
Sound smell

Sound particles

2. What happens in our throat so that we can hear?

See an upside down image
Touch something hot
Voice-box vibrates

3. What is something you cant hear?

Wind

Lightning

4. Draw someone hearing or something that you could hear.

Thunder

Touch
Answer all of the questions below.
1. What part of your body do you use for touch?
Eyes

Nose

Hands

2. What is something you can touch?

Sweet

Sour

Candy

3. What are two different textures you can feel?

Smooth
Bumpy

Sweet
Yellow

4. Draw someone hearing or something that you could touch.

Spicy
Loud

Touch (Advanced)
Answer all of the questions below.
1. What part of your body do you use for touch?
Eyelids

Lips

Skin

2. What is not something you can touch?

Sweet

Toys

Candy

3. What are two different textures you can feel?

__________________________________________
__________________________________________

4. What is something similar between taste and touch?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Taste
Answer the questions below.
1. What body part do you taste with?
Tongue

Hand

Feet

Blue

Sour

2. What can you taste?

Red

3. Draw a picture of something you can taste.

4. Draw a picture of you tasting something.

Taste (Advanced)
Answer the questions below.
1. What body part do you taste with?
Tongue

Lip

Throat

Blue

Sour

2. What can you taste?

Red

3. How are taste and touch different?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. List 4 things that you can taste?

______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

Name:_____________________________________
Senses Test
1. What do you taste with?
Hands

Tongue

Eyes

2. What is something you can hear?

Birds

Red

Spicy

3. What are two textures you can feel?

Bumpy
Stinky

Smooth

4. What is something you can see?

____________________________________________________

5. What do you smell with?

Feet

Mouth

Nose