Sense Detectives Slides
Sense Detectives
Discovering the World with Our 5 Senses
Warm-Up: Simon Says
Listen Carefully!
- Touch your ears!
- Point to your eyes!
- Touch your nose!
- Stick out your tongue!
- Rub your arms (skin)!
Ready?
Set...
The Five Senses Overview
Watch & Learn
Embedded media
Teacher: Pause after each sense to identify the body part!
Station 1: Sight
I Spy Detective
Use your EYES to find the hidden objects in the I Spy books!
Find Shapes
Find Colors
Station 2: Hearing
Shaker Egg Mystery
Use your EARS to listen to the shaker eggs. Can you guess what is inside?
Shake it!
Guess it!
Station 3: Smell
Scented Jars
Use your NOSE to smell the jars. Do they smell sweet like lemon or spicy like cinnamon?
Lemon
Cinnamon
Station 4: Taste
Flavor Test
Use your TONGUE to taste the fruit. Is it sweet or sour?
Sweet Apple
Sour Lemon
Station 5: Touch
Mystery Box
Reach in with your HANDS. How does it feel on your SKIN?
Soft & Fluffy
Rough & Bumpy
Circle Time Share
Which station was your favorite?
Which sense did you use there?
Sensory Stations Teacher Guide
Sense Detectives
Station Setup & Facilitation Guide
Grade Level
Kindergarten - 1st Grade
Learning Objective
Students will identify the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) and match them to their corresponding body parts (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin).
Pacing
- Warm-up: 5 mins
- Video/Intro: 10 mins
- Stations: 20 mins
- Reflection: 5 mins
Sensory Station Setup
Station 1: Sight (I Spy)
Materials: 3-4 "I Spy" or "Look and Find" books.
Challenge: Ask students to find something red, something round, and something small.
Station 2: Hearing (Mystery Shakers)
Materials: Plastic eggs or small jars filled with rice, beans, coins, or cotton balls. Tape them shut!
Challenge: Can they find the egg that sounds the loudest? The quietest?
Station 3: Smell (Scented Jars)
Materials: Jars with cotton balls soaked in lemon juice, vanilla, or sprinkled with cinnamon. Use opaque jars if possible.
Challenge: Does the smell remind them of a food or a place?
Station 4: Taste (Sweet vs. Sour)
Materials: Small slices of sweet apple and sour lemon. Provide napkins and a small waste bin.
Note: Check for fruit allergies before starting this station!
Station 5: Touch (Mystery Box)
Materials: A shoebox with a hole for a hand. Inside: Sandpaper (rough), faux fur (soft), a pinecone (prickly), a smooth stone.
Challenge: Use describing words like "bumpy," "fuzzy," or "hard."
Teaching Tips & Discussion
Video Pause Points
0:58 (Sight): Pause. Ask: "Look around! Name 3 things that are different colors."
1:48 (Hearing): Pause at the siren. Ask: "How do our ears help keep us safe?"
2:35 (Smell): Pause at garbage. Ask: "Why is a bad smell a good warning?"
3:00 (Taste): Pause after the list. Ask: "What is a food that tastes salty? What about sweet?"
3:30 (Touch): Pause at the wheel. Ask: "Rub your desk, then rub your hair. How do they feel different?"
Key Vocabulary
- Sense Organs: Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin.
- Interpret: How the brain understands the signals.
- Texture: How something feels (rough, smooth).
- Umami: The savory taste of meat or cheese.
Managing Transitions
To keep the "Sense Detectives" focused, use a chime or a "Senses Secret Signal" (like touching your nose) to indicate when it is time to rotate.
Reflection Question: "If you could only have ONE sense for a day, which one would you pick and why?"
Sense Detective Log Worksheet
Sense Detective Log
Name:
Date:
Visit each station and record what you find!
STATION 1
I See...
Draw one thing you found in the book:
STATION 2
I Hear...
Was the shaker egg...
LOUD
QUIET
STATION 3
I Smell...
Circle your favorite smell:
Lemon
Spices
STATION 4
I Taste...
How did the lemon taste?
Sour!
STATION 5
I Feel...
Circle the Soft one:
Draw something Rough or Bumpy:
Detective Reflection:
Which sense was the most fun to use? Draw its icon below: