Our 5 senses

This morning we began a discussion about discovering our 5 senses

I decided that I would introduce this topic by using a pumpkin that Luke had brought to the classroom weeks ago. We had tons of fun answeing the following questions....

• What does a pumpkin look like? Our answers: orange, fat, big/medium/small, a green leaf, a brown stem, circle/oval/sphere, jack-o-lantern. We looked through our newly donated magazines and found something that had one of the attributes that was the same as the pumpkin. Children cut out pictures of wreaths (they were round), pajamas (they are orange), woman (she is big), and many other things
• What does a pumkpin sound like? I had all the children close their eyes and listen to what the pumpkin sounded like. Their answer? Quiet.
• What does a pumpkin smell like? I cut the top of the pumpkin off and passed it around the circle for them to take a big whiff. The reaction? "stinky, good, soup, candy, sweet"
• What does a pumpkin feel like? This question is a two fold question because a pumpkin feels very different on the outside vs. the inside. Once again, we passed the pumpkin around the circle with strict instructions to only touch the outside first (the top was still off from smelling it). Answer? smooth, hard, bumpy, cold. Then came the fun part: Let's pass the pumpkin around and feel the inside!  I actually put some newspaper down in the middle of the rug with some wipes and told them that they could reach their hands in and pull out some seeds/pulp if they wanted to. Watching them complete this task was hilarious: 1/2 just stuck the tip of their pointer finger, some pulled out a pumpkin seed or two, and some didnt want to do it at all! They then stated that the inside of a pumpkin felt "sticky, gooey, slimy, and icky!"

and last, but not least.......

• What does a pumpkin taste like? I explained how you make pumpkin and I brought a can in to school from the store. I also told them that pumpkin puree is different from pumpkin pie mix because we have to add more ingredients to it to make it into pie. I asked them that even though it doesnt taste the best, does anyone want to go on a "food adventure" with me and try some? About 3/4 of the class raised their hands. I put a very small portion on their spoons and told them to wait for all of us and we would try it together on the count of three. "One, two, three!" Oh, the faces they make are truly priceless (not gonna lie, my face doesnt look the best either).

I LOVE kindergarten!