5 Senses Unit

Plan for 2 weeks to complete this unit.  I plan to give one day to each sense and one day for "overall senses."

Books:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see?, Bill Martin
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear?, Bll Martin
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear, Don Wood
Me and My Senses, Joan Sweeney
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, Al Perkins
Your Senses, Helen Frost
Seeing, Rebecca Olien
The Story of Ferdinand, Munro Leaf (this one is especially good for older toddlers...)
Any "Touch and Feel" books that you have--my daughter especially loves the animal ones

Music/Rhymes:
1. Five Senses Song: http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/5senses.htm
(Tune: Where is Thumbkin)

Five senses, five senses (hold up 5 fingers)
We have them. We have them. (point to self)
Seeing, hearing, touching, (point to corresponding body parts)
Tasting and smelling.
There are five. There are five. (5 fingers)

2. Sound Song: http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/5senses.htm
(Tune: Did You Ever See a Lassie)

Did you ever hear a bell ring,
A bell ring, a bell ring?
Did you ever hear a bell ring?
Ding, dong, ding, dong , ding.

Did you ever hear the wind blow,
The wind blow, the wind blow?
Did you ever hear the wind blow,
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.

3. Brite Music: When I sing La, La, La

4. Brite Music: Eyes were made for seeing (song)

5. Touch Rhyme: Open, Shut Them
http://www.amug.org/~jbpratt/education/theme/fivesenses.html

Open,shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give a little clap.

Open, shut them
Open, shut them.
Put them in your lap.

6. Taste Song: If All the Little Raindrops


Any ideas for a song about smells?

Activities:
1. Overall Senses: Science/Drawing/Writing Get a large sheet of butcher paper. Have your child lie down on the paper and trace them on the paper. Label the parts of your body where the five senses are: eyes, hands, mouth, ears, nose. Then color in the paper, cut it out and hang it in a favorite place.

2. Overall Senses: Physical Activity Take a 5 senses walk together. Bring along a bag and put things in them that you can touch (different textures). Listen for sounds. Point out different things to see (you could even take a picture). Smell different smells. You can even bring a snack to taste different things. This would probably work for all ages, but I think the older toddlers would like it the best.

3. Sense of Touch: Arts/Crafts Provide your toddler with a variety of textured materials. Sandpaper, cotton balls, fake fur, whatever you can find around your house. Glue them together on a piece of paper and make a collage with all of the things you touch.

4. Sense of Sound: Music: Make a musical instrument with your child. Take a cup or paper plate. Fill it with beans/rice/whatever you have on hand and seal it (with a stapler, tape, etc...). Let your child dance to some music with their "maraca." You can also play different kinds of music and have them shake it to the beat of the music.

5. Sense of Taste: Science/Math Prepare a few foods that are salty, sour, bitter and sweet. Some examples: salt, lemon juice, unsweetened baking cocoa, honey (if you child is 1 or older). You can also do this with general foods around the house. Make a chart to see if they like or don't like the foods they taste. You can have them tally or draw a picture of what they like/don't like.

6. Sense of Smell: Arts/Crafts Get a few different packets of Koolaid. Mix some water with a little bit of Koolaid (no sugar) in a cup. Get out some brushes and watercolor with the "smelly" paints. Once they dry you can "scratch and sniff" the paints. Use a few different kinds of Koolaid so they can smell the different smells.

7. Sense of Sight: Game Collect a group of objects and show them to your child. Have your child (or you) hide one of the objects and then go find it. You can also play the game "Huckle buckle beanstalk." Hide an object in the room and the child has to silently walk around and find it. If they see it they run to the "rug" and yell, "Huckle Buckle Beanstalk" and then they get to hide the item (this works better for older children--my 1st graders LOVED it).

Spiritual: Choose some of the songs/finger puppets/activities from the Nursery Manual lesson, "I Have a Body like Heavenly Father's."

Extras: Be "extra aware" this week to point out the five senses to your child.

What are some activities you've done with your children to teach them about their senses? Any good book/song/rhyme recommendations?