K2 · Science · Science inquiry
Using our senses to observe
Children use sight, hearing, touch, smell and (when safe) taste to describe objects, and share what they notice with drawings and talk.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to Singapore levels by age (Primary 1 is the first year of primary school). They are not aligned to MOE syllabuses or the PSLE, so check them against the syllabus your child is working towards.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Name the five senses and the body part used for each.
- Use the senses safely to observe and describe an object.
- Share observations through talking and drawing.
Success looks like
- I can name my five senses.
- I can use describing words to tell someone what I noticed.
- I can draw what I observed and talk about my drawing.
The big idea
Scientists find out about the world by observing. To observe, we use our senses.
We have five senses:
- Sight: we see with our eyes.
- Hearing: we hear with our ears.
- Touch: we feel with our skin, especially our fingertips.
- Smell: we smell with our nose.
- Taste: we taste with our tongue.
We describe what we notice using words. We can say what colour and shape something is, how it sounds, its texture, and how it smells.
Taste is special. We only taste food that a grown-up has given us and said is safe. We never taste things we find, like berries, leaves or anything from a bottle.
Scientists share what they notice so others can learn too. We can talk about it, or draw a picture with lots of detail.
Worked examples
Observing an orange
Use all five senses to describe an orange.
- Sight: it is orange, round and has tiny dimples on its skin.
- Touch: the skin feels bumpy and a little waxy.
- Smell: scratch the skin gently; it smells fresh and fruity.
- Hearing: tap it; it makes a soft thud.
- Taste: the adult gives you a peeled piece; it is sweet and juicy.
Answer: The orange is round, orange, bumpy, fresh-smelling and sweet.
Mystery sound
What is inside the closed container?
- Shake it and listen: it makes a rattling, swishing sound.
- The sound tells us there are lots of small, hard pieces inside.
- Open it and use your eyes to check.
Answer: Small hard pieces, like rice. Hearing gave the first clue and sight checked it.
Smell cups
Which cup smells like lemon?
- Hold the cup a little way from your nose.
- Wave your hand over the top to bring the smell towards you.
- Say what each smell reminds you of.
Answer: The cup with the sour, fresh smell is lemon. We used our sense of smell.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which body part do we use to hear?
Ears — We hear with our ears.
Which sense tells you that a rock feels rough?
Touch — We feel textures with our skin, using touch.
When is it okay to taste something in a science activity?
Only when a grown-up says it is safe food — Some things can make you very sick, so only taste food a grown-up gives you.
Which word describes something you can see?
Red — Red is a colour, and we see colours with our eyes.
You know bread is baking before you see it. Which sense told you?
Smell — The smell of baking bread spreads through the house.
We see with our ____.
eyes — Our eyes give us the sense of sight.
How many senses do we have in this lesson?
5 — Sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste make five senses.
Which body part do we smell with?
nose — We smell with our nose.
Watch out for
- Young children may think tasting is a good way to find out about anything. Teach that tasting is only for food a grown-up has said is safe.
- Children often think observing just means looking. Remind them that listening, touching and smelling are observing too.
- Children may think everyone notices the same thing. Two people can describe the same object differently, and sharing helps us notice more.
Tips for parents
- Model rich describing words ('bumpy', 'crunchy', 'sweet', 'sharp smell') and let your child add their own.
- Ask your child to describe an object with their eyes closed, then open them and see what else they notice.
- Safety: check for food allergies first, only use foods you have prepared for tasting, never sniff cleaning products or bottles, and show how to wave a smell towards the nose.
Go further
- Go on a senses walk in the garden or park and name one thing for each sense (except taste).
- Sit quietly for one minute and count how many different sounds you can hear.
- Play a feely bag game where you describe an object for someone else to guess.
About 30 minutes
You'll need
- An orange or a mandarin (an adult peels or cuts it)
- A small container with a lid and a spoonful of dry rice or pasta inside
- Two or three small cups with a cotton ball in each, dabbed with lemon juice, vanilla or cinnamon
- A feely bag (a pillowcase) with a few safe objects such as a pine cone, sponge and spoon
- A magnifying glass if you have one
- Paper and crayons
Key words
- senses
- The ways our body finds out about the world: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.
- observe
- To look, listen, feel and notice carefully.
- describe
- To use words to tell someone what something is like.
- texture
- How the outside of something feels, such as bumpy, smooth or fluffy.
- scientist
- A person who finds out about the world by observing, asking questions and testing.
Still tricky?
For parents
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Next steps (Primary 1)