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Science lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes

Body parts and the five senses

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.1-LS1-1CCSS NGSS.4-LS1-2England: KS1 Y1 Animals, including humans

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Body parts and the five senses.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: no earlier skill in the map; start from what students know.

Leads to: Food groups and a balanced diet; Skeleton and muscles; Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval: three short questions students should already manage. Answers on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which body part do you use for seeing a rainbow? (skin / tongue / ears / eyes) → eyesPrompt: Is it about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching?
  2. Which of these do you do with your nose? (spotting a red ball / feeling a cold ice cube / smelling a flower / reading a book) → smelling a flowerPrompt: Act out each one. Which body part are you using?
  3. Our senses: which statement is true? (Our skin can feel hot and cold. / We hear with our eyes. / Each part of the tongue can only taste one flavour. / Only fingers can feel touch.) → Our skin can feel hot and cold.Prompt: Think about what each body part does.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Body parts and the five senses. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which body part do you use for feeling a cold ice cube?
  • Step 1: We feel touch, heat and cold with our skin.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: skin
  • Answer: skin
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which body part do you use for tasting honey? (tongue / skin / nose / ears) → tonguePrompt: Is it about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching?
  2. Which of these do you do with your eyes? (feeling a cat's soft fur / smelling toast burning / tasting salty crisps (chips) / spotting a red ball) → spotting a red ballPrompt: Act out each one. Which body part are you using?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Our senses: which statement is true? (We hear with our eyes. / Smell helps us taste food. / Only fingers can feel touch. / Each part of the tongue can only taste one flavour.) → Smell helps us taste food.Prompt: Think about what each body part does.
  2. Which of these do you do with your eyes? (spotting a red ball / feeling a cold ice cube / feeling a prickly cactus / tasting a lemon) → spotting a red ballPrompt: Act out each one. Which body part are you using?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Food groups and a balanced diet; Skeleton and muscles; Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/kindergarten.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Body parts and the five senses

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which body part do you use for listening to a song?

    • A. eyes
    • B. ears
    • C. nose
    • D. tongue

  2. Question 2

    Which of these do you do with your skin?

    • A. tasting a lemon
    • B. smelling soap
    • C. listening to a song
    • D. feeling a cold ice cube

  3. Question 3

    Our senses: which statement is true?

    • A. Each part of the tongue can only taste one flavour.
    • B. We hear with our eyes.
    • C. Taste buds can detect sweet, salty, sour and bitter tastes.
    • D. Only fingers can feel touch.

  4. Question 4

    Which body part do you use for smelling a flower?

    • A. nose
    • B. skin
    • C. tongue
    • D. ears

  5. Question 5

    Which of these do you do with your ears?

    • A. feeling a cat's soft fur
    • B. hearing a whisper
    • C. smelling soap
    • D. feeling a cold ice cube

  6. Question 6

    Which of these do you do with your eyes?

    • A. reading a book
    • B. tasting a lemon
    • C. feeling a cold ice cube
    • D. smelling a flower

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Answer key: Body parts and the five senses

  1. 1. B. ears

  2. 2. D. feeling a cold ice cube

  3. 3. C. Taste buds can detect sweet, salty, sour and bitter tastes.

  4. 4. A. nose

  5. 5. B. hearing a whisper

  6. 6. A. reading a book