Elementary Level: The Five Senses
Mid Level: Characteristics of Living Things
High Level: The Structure of Cells

Elementary Level (Kinder to Grade 2)

Subject: The Five Senses

Alignment with Standards:

– NGSS: K-LS1-1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

Duration:

1-2 hours (can be split into shorter sessions)

Objective:

Children will be able to identify and explore the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) through hands-on activities.

Materials Needed:

• Touch Station: Various textured objects (e.g., cotton balls, sandpaper, feathers, rocks, fabric scraps).
• Smell Station: Small containers with scented items (e.g., lemon peel, coffee beans, vanilla extract, cinnamon, mint leaves).
• Taste Station: Small samples of different flavors (e.g., sweet: honey, salty: crackers, sour: lemon, bitter: dark chocolate).
• Sight Station: Magnifying glass, colorful pictures, or objects with patterns.
• Sound Station: Objects that make noise (e.g., bell, drum, shaker, whistle).
• Worksheet: A simple five senses matching or labeling worksheet (optional).
• Paper and crayons/markers: For drawing and labeling.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Begin by asking the child: “How do we learn about the world around us?”
• Explain that we use our five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
• Briefly describe each sense and its purpose.
• Show a picture or diagram of the five senses to help visualize the concept.

2. Sensory Stations (40-60 minutes)

Set up five stations, each dedicated to one sense. Allow the child to explore each station for 5-10 minutes.

Station 1: Touch

• Place various textured objects in a box or on a table.
• Have the child close their eyes (or use a blindfold) and feel each object.
• Ask: “How does it feel? Is it soft, rough, smooth, or bumpy?”

Station 2: Smell

• Provide small containers with scented items.
• Have the child smell each item and guess what it is.
• Ask: “Does it smell good or bad? Can you describe the smell?”

Station 3: Taste

• Offer small samples of different flavors (sweet, salty, sour, bitter).
• Have the child taste each one and describe the flavor.
• Ask: “Which one is your favorite? Why?”

Station 4: Sight

• Provide a magnifying glass and colorful objects or pictures.
• Encourage the child to observe details (e.g., patterns, colors, shapes).
• Ask: “What do you see? Can you describe it?”

Station 5: Sound

• Use objects that make noise (e.g., bell, drum, shaker).
• Have the child listen to each sound and describe it.
• Ask: “Is it loud or soft? High or low?”

3. Discussion and Reflection (10-15 minutes)

• Gather the child and discuss their experience at each station.
• Ask: “Which sense do you use the most? Which station was your favorite?”
• Reinforce the importance of each sense in daily life.

4. Activity: Draw and Label (15-20 minutes)

• Provide paper and crayons/markers.
• Ask the child to draw a picture of themselves using their five senses (e.g., smelling a flower, listening to music, tasting ice cream).
• Label each sense in the drawing.

5. Assessment (Optional)

• Use a simple worksheet where the child matches each sense to its corresponding body part (e.g., eyes → sight, ears → hearing).
• Alternatively, ask the child to name one thing they can do with each sense (e.g., “I can see the sun with my eyes”).

Extension Ideas:

• Take a nature walk and have the child identify things they can see, hear, touch, smell, and (if safe) taste.
• Read a book about the five senses (e.g., My Five Senses by Aliki).
• Create a “senses journal” where the child records one thing they experienced with each sense every day.

Mid Level (Grade 3 to 5)

Subject: Characteristics of Living Things

Alignment with Standards:

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

• 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
• Science and Engineering Practices:
  • Engaging in argument from evidence (e.g., explaining why something is living or non-living).
  • Analyzing and interpreting data (e.g., comparing living and non-living things).

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.
  • Addressed in the drawing and labeling activity.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
  • Addressed during brainstorming and discussion activities.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a scientific text.
  • Addressed when discussing the characteristics of living things.

Duration:

1.5-2 hours (can be split into shorter sessions)

Objective:

Children will be able to identify the characteristics of living things (growth, reproduction, response to stimuli) and compare living and non-living things.

Materials Needed:

• Chart paper or whiteboard: For brainstorming and creating a T-chart.
• Pictures or objects: Examples of living things (e.g., plant, animal figurine) and non-living things (e.g., rock, toy).
• Magnifying glass: For observing living things (optional).
• Worksheet: A Venn diagram or table for comparing living and non-living things.
• Video or book: A short video or book about the characteristics of living things (optional).
• Paper and markers/crayons: For drawing and labeling.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction (10-15 minutes)

• Begin by asking the child: “What does it mean to be alive? How do we know if something is living or non-living?”
• Write their ideas on chart paper or a whiteboard.
• Introduce the three key characteristics of living things:
  1. Growth: Living things grow and develop.
  2. Reproduction: Living things can reproduce (make more of themselves).
  3. Response to stimuli: Living things respond to their environment (e.g., plants grow toward light, animals move away from danger).

2. Brainstorming Activity (15 minutes)

• Create a T-chart on the board or paper with two columns: Living Things and Non-Living Things.
• Ask the child to name examples of living and non-living things and write them in the appropriate column.
• Discuss why each example fits into its category.

3. Hands-On Exploration (30-40 minutes)

Activity 1: Observing Living and Non-Living Things

• Provide the child with pictures or objects (e.g., a plant, a rock, a toy, a stuffed animal).
• Have them examine each item and determine whether it is living or non-living.
• Ask guiding questions:
  • “Does it grow?”
  • “Can it reproduce?”
  • “Does it respond to its environment?”

Activity 2: Comparing Living and Non-Living Things

• Provide a Venn diagram or table worksheet.
• Have the child compare and contrast living and non-living things based on the three characteristics.

4. Discussion and Reflection (15-20 minutes)

• Discuss the child’s observations and conclusions.
• Ask: “What makes something alive? Can something be non-living even if it moves or changes?”
• Reinforce the three characteristics of living things and how they differ from non-living things.

5. Creative Activity: Draw and Label (20-30 minutes)

• Ask the child to draw a picture of a living thing and a non-living thing.
• Label the characteristics of the living thing (growth, reproduction, response to stimuli).
• Write a short paragraph explaining why the non-living thing does not meet the criteria for being alive.

6. Assessment (Optional)

• Provide a short quiz or worksheet where the child identifies whether examples are living or non-living and explains why.
• Alternatively, have the child create a poster summarizing the characteristics of living things.

Extension Ideas:

• Nature Walk: Go outside and identify living and non-living things in the environment.
• Experiment: Plant seeds and observe their growth over time, documenting changes.
• Research: Have the child research an organism and present how it demonstrates the characteristics of living things.

High Level (Grade 6 to 8)

Subject: The Structure of Cells

Alignment with Standards:

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

• MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
• Science and Engineering Practices:
  • Developing and using models (e.g., creating a cell model).
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information (e.g., labeling diagrams, discussing functions).

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments or technical tasks.
  • Addressed during the cell model activity.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.
  • Addressed in the labeling and reflection activities.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
  • Addressed during discussions and reflections.

Duration:

2-3 hours (can be split into multiple sessions)

Objective:

Childs will learn about the structures of plant and animal cells, identify their functions, and create a cell model (edible or diagram).

Materials Needed:

• Microscope (optional): For viewing prepared slides of plant and animal cells.
• Printed diagrams: Blank diagrams of plant and animal cells.
• Art supplies: Markers, colored pencils, or crayons for labeling diagrams.
• Edible cell materials (optional):
  • Animal cell: Gelatin (cytoplasm), various candies or fruits (organelles).
  • Plant cell: Cake or rice crispy treat (cell wall), various candies or fruits (organelles).
• Non-edible cell materials (optional): Clay, cardboard, or craft supplies to create a 3D model.
• Text or online resources: Information about cell structures and their functions.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction (15-20 minutes)

• Begin by asking the child: “What is a cell? Why are cells important?”
• Explain that cells are the basic building blocks of all living things and that plant and animal cells have unique structures.
• Show diagrams of plant and animal cells, pointing out key structures (e.g., nucleus, mitochondria, cell membrane, chloroplasts).
• Discuss the functions of each structure:
  • Nucleus: Controls cell activities.
  • Mitochondria: Produces energy.
  • Cell membrane: Protects the cell and regulates what enters and exits.
  • Chloroplasts (plant cells only): Conduct photosynthesis.
  • Cell wall (plant cells only): Provides structure and support.

2. Hands-On Activity: Observing Cells (30-40 minutes)

• If a microscope is available, prepare slides of plant cells (e.g., onion skin) and animal cells (e.g., cheek cells).
• Have the child observe the slides and identify visible structures.
• Ask: “What differences do you notice between plant and animal cells?”
• If a microscope is not available, use high-quality images or videos of plant and animal cells for observation.

3. Cell Diagram Activity (30-40 minutes)

• Provide the child with blank diagrams of plant and animal cells.
• Have them label the structures and write a brief description of each structure’s function.
• Encourage the use of colors to differentiate between structures.

4. Creative Activity: Build a Cell Model (60-90 minutes)

Option 1: Edible Cell Model

• Animal Cell: Use gelatin as the cytoplasm and candies/fruits for organelles (e.g., gummy worm for mitochondria, jellybean for nucleus).
• Plant Cell: Use a cake or rice crispy treat as the cell wall and candies/fruits for organelles (e.g., green jellybean for chloroplasts).
• Have the child assemble the model and label each part.

Option 2: Non-Edible Cell Model

• Use clay, cardboard, or craft supplies to create a 3D model of a plant or animal cell.
• Label each structure and write a short explanation of its function.

5. Discussion and Reflection (15-20 minutes)

• Discuss the child’s cell model and diagram.
• Ask: “What did you learn about the differences between plant and animal cells? Which cell structure do you think is most important, and why?”
• Reinforce the importance of each structure in maintaining cell function.

6. Assessment (Optional)

• Provide a quiz or worksheet where the child matches cell structures to their functions.
• Alternatively, have the child write a short essay comparing plant and animal cells.

Extension Ideas:

Experiment: Investigate how different conditions (e.g., saltwater, sunlight) affect plant cells.

Research Project: Have the child research a specific organelle and present its role in the cell.

Virtual Lab: Use online simulations or virtual labs to explore cell structures and functions.