Explore Kits: Smell

GRADES K-2

In the basic lesson, using small smell jars the students will identify smells, determine if they are inside or outside smells and if they are good or bad smells. They will also draw a picture of what they think is smelling. Students will discuss they difference between good and bad smells and why some students will pick good and others will pick bad for the same smell.

In the advanced lesson, students can do the same activity as the basic lesson but the will extend it by classifying pictures as smelling bad or good and making a bar graph. Also the students will take a “Smelly Walk” around the school and record all the smells and where they are found.

STATE STANDARDS

Standard 2: Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate knowledge of properties, forms, changes and interactions of physical and chemical systems.

2.2 Students will be able to examine, measure, describe, compare and classify objects in terms of common physical properties.

EQUIPMENT PROVIDED IN THE KIT

• 5 bags of 5 smell jars (film canisters with holes poked in tops) numbered 1-5

  • Peppermint – 5 canisters, peppermint extract, plastic dropper

  • Pine – 5 canisters, pine wax, small fork

  • Orange – 5 canisters, orange extract, dropper – orange peel works best

  • Garlic – 5 canisters, garlic granules, small spoon

  • Licorice – 5 canisters, anise extract, dropper

• Smelly objects picture cards

• Cotton balls

DOWNLOADS

• Smell Lesson Plan K-2

• Smelly Data Table