You will learn
- Name the five senses.
- Match each sense to its body part.
- Give examples of using each sense.
- Say that senses help us stay safe.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- We see with our eyes.
- We hear with our ears.
- We smell with our nose and taste with our tongue.
- We feel with our skin.
Words to know
a way the body finds out about the world
the sense of seeing, with the eyes
the sense of listening, with the ears
the sense of feeling, with the skin
1. Discover: The mystery bag
Ada puts her hand into a bag. She feels something round and smooth. She smells a sweet smell. When she pulls it out, she sees an orange. Her teacher gives her a piece. It tastes sour and sweet. “I used all five senses,” says Ada.
Think: Which sense did Ada use first?
2. Understand: Our five senses
Idea 1: Seeing and hearing
We see with our eyes. We hear with our ears. Sight tells us colour, shape and size. Hearing tells us if a sound is loud or soft.
Idea 2: Smell and taste
We smell with our nose. We taste with our tongue. Taste can be sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Smell and taste work together.
Idea 3: Touch
We feel with our skin. Touch tells us if something is hot, cold, rough, smooth, hard or soft. Our senses help us stay safe, for example when we feel something hot.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Which sense?
You listen to a bell.
- Which part do you use? The ears.
- Which sense is it? Hearing.
- Is the bell loud or soft?
Answer: You use your ears. This is hearing.
Example 2 (We do it together): Which senses?
You eat an orange.
- See the colour: sight.
- Smell the orange: smell.
- Taste it: taste.
Answer: You use sight, smell and taste.
Example 3 (You try): Stay safe
A cup of hot tea.
Show the steps and answer
- Touch the side gently with the back of a finger.
- Feel heat: stay away.
- Tell an adult.
Answer: Touch tells us something is hot so we can stay safe.
Did you know?
A dog’s sense of smell is much stronger than ours, so dogs can find things we cannot smell.
Why this matters
Our senses help us learn about the world and keep us safe.
4. Explore: Mystery bag
Use senses to guess objects in a bag.
- An adult puts safe objects in a bag.
- Feel one without looking.
- Say what it feels like.
- Guess and then look.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Touch tells us a lot.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I see with my ___.
- I hear with my ___.
- I smell with my ___.
- I feel with my ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. How many senses do we have?
Five.
Question 2. What do we see with?
Our eyes.
Question 3. What do we hear with?
Our ears.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- How many senses do we have?
- What do we see with?
- What do we hear with?
- What do we smell with?
- What do we taste with?
Level 2: Grow
- Which sense tells us something is hot?
- Name four tastes.
- Which two senses work together when we eat?
Level 3: Stretch
- Explain how senses keep us safe.
- Describe an orange using the senses.
- Draw each sense organ.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Which senses do you use at lunch?
Show a sample answer
Sight, smell, taste and touch.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: We have five.
Fix: We taste with our tongue.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name the five senses.
- I can match each sense to its body part.
- I can give examples of using each sense.
- I can say that senses help us stay safe.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- We see with our eyes.
- We hear with our ears.
- We smell with our nose and taste with our tongue.
- We feel with our skin.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Functions of the senses. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name the five senses. [5 marks]
- Which part do we use to smell? [1 mark]
- Name a taste. [1 mark]
- How do senses keep us safe? [2 marks]
- Describe a fruit using three senses. [3 marks]
Total: 12 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch [1 each]
- Nose [1]
- Sweet, sour, salty or bitter [1]
- We feel heat [1]; we see or hear danger [1]
- Sight [1]; smell [1]; touch or taste [1]
Score guide: 11 to 12 = secure. 8 to 10 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 8 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- How many senses do we have?
- What do we see with?
- What do we hear with?
- What do we smell with?
- What do we taste with?
- Which sense tells us something is hot?
- Name four tastes.
- Which two senses work together when we eat?
- Explain how senses keep us safe.
- Describe an orange using the senses.
Homework
Find something to see, hear, smell, feel and (with an adult) taste. Draw each one.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. How many senses do we have? | Five. | 1 |
| 2. What do we see with? | Our eyes. | 1 |
| 3. What do we hear with? | Our ears. | 1 |
| 4. What do we smell with? | Our nose. | 1 |
| 5. What do we taste with? | Our tongue. | 1 |
| 6. Which sense tells us something is hot? | Touch. | 1 |
| 7. Name four tastes. | Sweet, sour, salty, bitter. | 1 |
| 8. Which two senses work together when we eat? | Taste and smell. | 1 |
| 9. Explain how senses keep us safe. | We see danger, hear warnings and feel heat. | 1 |
| 10. Describe an orange using the senses. | Round, orange, sweet smell, sour taste. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Five.; 2 Our eyes.; 3 Our ears.; 4 Our nose.; 5 Our tongue.. Level 2: 1 Touch.; 2 Sweet, sour, salty, bitter.; 3 Taste and smell.. Level 3: 1 We see danger, hear warnings and feel heat.; 2 Round, orange, sweet smell, sour taste.; 3 Eye, ear, nose, tongue, hand..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name the five senses | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Match each sense to its body part | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Give examples of using each sense | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say that senses help us stay safe | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “We only have four senses.” We have five.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Name five senses and their body parts.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns the five senses and the body parts used for each. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Go on a five senses walk.
- Ask, “What can you smell?”
- Talk about staying safe with senses.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name the five senses; match each sense to its body part; give examples of using each sense; say that senses help us stay safe.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. A cloth bag, safe objects, paper, crayons and pictures of the body senses. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Fill the bag with safe objects. Prepare a chart with the five senses.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Pass round the mystery bag and ask, “What can you tell?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach the five senses and body parts.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners play the mystery bag game.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners draw their senses chart.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Which sense am I using? Which part?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “We only have four senses.” We have five.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 12-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Name five senses and their body parts. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 5, topic 2; Next Generation Science Standards, from molecules to organisms (human body and senses); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, humans and animals; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.