Thursday, September 19, 2013

Senses Were Tantalized

Little noses were put to the test as students played a game called, "Mothers and Babies." I learned about this game years ago at a Sea World Mother's Day overnight sleepover event. The game is based on the fact that animal mothers use their sense of smell to identify their babies. In science we have been learning about our five senses. During Read Aloud time, I've been reading, "Helen Keller." We finished the book Tuesday and watched Disney's "Miracle Worker" movie on YouTube on Wednesday. In the movie Helen Keller knows her mother enters the room by her scent. Helen rushes to her and begins to sniff her mother's hand. I set my students to task finding partners by scent. Prior to class I made up 17 containers of cottonballs soaked in 8 different scents. Each student was given a container and took a moment to familiarize himself with his scent. Then on my signal the children mingled and started, "sniffing out" their partners. When they believed they had found matching scents they reported to me so I could check their match. Incredibly all students were successful. I heard lots of giggles and a couple "Eeeew's," as one scent was garlic.
 

 
Once students found their partners they went right to work on another activity.  I provided each student with a copy of the hand alphabet. We practiced signing the alphabet the day before. On Pinterest I found an activity, by Rebecca Reid, where students sign the first words Helen signed with a partner. Each partner takes a turn signing to the other who then has to determine what word was spelled.



 

The students seemed to really enjoy this lesson. Once they completed this activity, the students signed this weeks spelling words.

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