Making Sense of Our Senses is a comprehensive, hands‑on Grade 1 resource that introduces children to the five senses through learning centers, experiments, activity cards, puzzles, and arts‑and‑crafts tasks. Students explore sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch using real‑world objects, sensory stations, and guided investigations. Activities such as “Why We Have Two Ears,” “Four Basic Tastes,” and “Taste and Smell” help students understand how their senses work together, while optical illusions and classification tasks deepen their understanding of perception.

The resource also integrates literacy, vocabulary development, phonics, and communication skills through matching activities, tracing cards, and listening tasks. Students record observations, follow directions, classify sensory information, and use appropriate scientific vocabulary. The program aligns with Canadian provincial science outcomes, U.S. Common Core literacy expectations, and NGSS Grade 1 life science standards, making it a versatile and curriculum‑aligned tool for early primary classrooms.

Introduction:

Learning Expectations – At A Glance

Rubrics:

• Teacher
• Student

Teacher Notes

• Teacher Input Suggestions
• Setting Up Learning Centers
• List of Vocabulary

Center Signs or Student Booklet Covers

• Let’s Look
• Let’s Touch
• Let’s Listen
• Let’s Taste
• Let’s Smell

List of Activities

Student Activity Tracking Sheet

Listening Activity

Braille Alphabet

Sign Language Alphabet 

Standards Alignment Charts

Canadian Standards Chart (Grade 1)

U.S. Standards Chart

 Activities Include:

Science Experiments:

1. Why do We Have Two Ears?
2. Four Basic Tastes
3. Taste and Smell
4. Temperature
5. Braille
6. Reaction Time

 Senses Worksheets and Activities:

1. Draw a Sight
2. Draw a Sound
3. Draw a Taste
4. Draw a Smell
5. Draw a Touch
6. Matching Senses
7. Which Sense?
8. Color and Write the Sense
9. Match the Picture and the Word

• What Color is it?
• What Things Make Noise
• Sweet Treats
• What Things Smell Good?
• How Does It Feel?

 Printing Worksheets:

1. Trace the Words – capital letters
2. Trace the Words – lowercase letters

 Phonics Activities:

1. “S” Sound
2. “T” Sound
3. Rhyming Words
4. Fill in the first letter of the color word

 Music, Arts and Crafts Activities:

• Music – Popcorn
• Music – Weather
• Arts & Crafts – Collages
• Arts & Crafts – Sense Mobile
• Arts & Crafts – Potpourri
• Arts & Crafts – Pomander Balls

 Optical Illusions

1. Which line is longer?
2. Which rectangle is bigger?
3. Do you see a vase or two people looking at each other?
4. Hermann’s Grid
5. Benham’s Top

 Puzzles

Glue to Bristol board, laminate and cut into puzzle pieces

1. Ear
2. Eye
3. Nose
4. Mouth
5. Hand

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