Autumn

Scheme of learning

Year 1

© White Rose Education 2023

The White Rose Science schemes of learning
Schemes of learning
Our research-based schemes of learning are designed to teach
the aims and objectives of the National Curriculum.
Content over time
Our schemes are written for content rather than time. This
ensures that children are developing a solid understanding of
scientific processes and concepts.
Substantive knowledge
Our schemes of learning ensure full coverage of the scientific
content as stated within the National Curriculum.
Disciplinary knowledge (Working scientifically)
Each step has Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 1
a working Name and identify parts of the human body
scientifically skill
Notes and guidance
focus. Working In Reception, or at home, children may have identified certain
parts of the body through traditional songs and rhymes.
In this small step, children build on this knowledge to name
scientifically
and identify a more extensive range of body parts.
By the end of this step, children need to correctly identify the
neck, arms, elbows, legs, knees, face, ears, eyes, hair, mouth
skills are
and teeth.
Over the next two steps, children complete a simple pattern
seeking enquiry to explore whether the oldest children have
the longest feet.
developed At this point in the term, children have not yet looked at
measuring length in centimetres and so physically drawing
around their feet to allow children to order the footprints from
across years and
longest to shortest is more appropriate.
year groups. Things to look out for
• Children may use different names for the same body
part. For example, the area between the chest and hips
can be called the stomach, tummy or belly. Use the
correct vocabulary for body parts to address this.
Working practically
Research shows that children learn best from a ‘hands on and
heads on’ approach whereby practical activities are engaging
and relevant. This features throughout our schemes of learning.
Experiments
Children carry out experiments following a plan,
investigate and evaluate (KS2) model. Children plan
their investigations, carry out their experiments and
conclude and provide evaluations.
Modelling
Modelling is used wherever possible to explain abstract
scientific ideas and concepts. This makes it easier for children
to apply their knowledge and improve their understanding. In
Upper KS2, children are introduced to the limitations of models.
Outdoor learning
Key questions
•
•
Where is your ?
How many eyes do you have?
•
Children are encouraged to work outside the classroom
How many ears does your partner have?
• Do you have more toes or teeth?
• How many knees/elbows do you have?
wherever possible to help provide relevancy to scientific
• Is your footprint longer or shorter than your partner’s?
Enquiry question concepts.
•
Do the oldest children have the longest feet?
National curriculum links
• Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the
Scientific enquiry
human body and say which part of the body is associated
with each sense.
There is one enquiry question per block covering the
• Working scientifically − Asking simple questions and
recognising that they can be answered in different ways.
© White Rose Education 2023 five enquiry types. This allows children to develop
answers to a range of relevant scientific questions.
© White Rose Education 2023
Teacher guidance
Every block in our schemes of learning is broken down into manageable small steps, and we provide
comprehensive teacher guidance for each one. Here are the features included in each step.
Notes and guidance
that provide an overview
of the content of the
step and ideas for
teaching, along with
advice on progression
and where a topic fits
within the curriculum.
Things to look out
for, which highlights
common mistakes,
misconceptions and
areas that may require
additional support.
Year 3 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Skeletons | Step 1
Name and identify bones in the human body Key questions that can
be posed to children
Notes and guidance Key questions to develop their
In this small step, children explore the human skeleton for the • How many bones are there in the human skeleton?
scientific understanding
first time by naming and identifying bones. There are lots of
bones in the human skeleton, many of which have complex
• Where is the skull found in the skeleton?
names. The focus of this small step is on the skull, femur, • Where is the femur found? and reasoning skills.
pelvis, spine and ribcage. By the end of this step, children • Where is the pelvis found in the skeleton?
should be able to name, identify and locate these bones in the
• Where is the ribcage found?
human body.
The enquiry question for this block is “How can we sort and • Where is the spine found in the skeleton?
group animals based on their skeletons?” This is an identifying,
grouping and classifying enquiry. Within this step, children can
create relevant questions to begin the enquiry process.
Enquiry question
• How can we sort and group animals based on their skeletons?
Things to look out for
National curriculum links
• Children may think that the skeleton is one large bone,
rather than a collection of bones.
• Identify that humans and some other animals have
• They may believe that bones in the body do not have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and
specific names, for example, they may think all bones in movement.
the leg are called “leg bones”.
• Working scientifically – Asking relevant questions
• Children may think that the arms and legs are one long and using different types of scientific enquiries to
Enquiry questions are
bone, rather than made up of multiple bones. answer them.
© White Rose Education 2023
highlighted when
children are undertaking
the scientific enquiry
National Curriculum links process. Each block has
to indicate the objective(s) one enquiry question
being addressed by and there is coverage of
the step. the five enquiry types
across a year.
© White Rose Education 2023
Teacher guidance

Relevant and
The key vocabulary purposeful practical
During experiment steps, section highlights ideas to encourage a
experiment variables and essential vocabulary ‘hands on and heads
equipment are clearly identified. and definitions. on’ approach.

Year 5 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Forces | Step 3 Year 3 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Skeletons | Step 2

Plan – parachute experiment Functions of the skeleton

Experiment variables Experiment information Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Independent variable (what will change) – the surface area
Equipment needed • Children could work in pairs
of the parachute. Skull – The bones to draw around the outline of
• Plastic bags • Stopwatch in the head that their partner’s body on large
• Scissors • Scales Ribcage – Curved protect the brain. sheets of paper. Children can
• 12 pieces of string 30 cm each • Modelling clay to attach to bones in the chest then correctly identify and
• Ruler the strings that protect the label the locations of the bones
• 12 paper clips heart and lungs. learnt in Step 1

• Dependent variable (what will be measured) – the time taken

Practical activity
skull ribcage femur pelvis spine
for the parachute to fall to the ground. Spine – A group Pelvis – A rounded
• Put children in small groups. of small bones “bowl-like“ set They should then describe the functions of each of the bones.
(Note: If drawing round a partner’s body is not appropriate,
Give each group the equipment needed for the experiment. stacked on top of bones which
of each other connect the spine a printed outline could be used.)
Children should identify what the equipment is and why it is
in the back to the legs.
used within the experiment.
that support
Factual knowledge
movement.
• Controlled variables (what is kept the same) – the material Femur – A long
that the three parachutes are made from, the object that is
Planning sentence stems
bone in the upper • Bones have specific functions.
attached to both parachutes, and • I predict that … leg that supports • The skull protects the brain.
the height that the parachutes are
dropped from. • I think this will happen because … movement.
• The femur helps humans to stand and move.

• The independent variable will be … • The pelvis helps to support the spine.

• The controlled variables will be … • The spine helps humans to twist and be held upright.

• The ribcage protects the heart and lungs.

© White Rose Education 2023 © White Rose Education 2023

Sentence stems to help promote Factual knowledge written

the use of scientific talk in the in clear, child-friendly
classroom. language.

© White Rose Education 2023

Symbols

Key Stage 1 and 2 symbols Sustainability

The following symbols are used to indicate: Sustainability blocks are highlighted with a leaf symbol.

Children are answering an Yearly overview

The yearly overview provides suggested timings for each
block of learning, which can be adapted to suit different
term dates or other requirements.

enquiry question. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

Seasonal changes

Seasonal changes
The human body Materials

Autumn term

(autumn)

(winter)
Highlights when and how
health and safety measures

Seasonal changes
Animals Caring for

Consolidation
Spring term
the planet

Planting A

Planting B
(spring)
need adhering to.

Seasonal changes
Plants Growing and

Summer term
cooking
Consolidation

Planting C

(summer)
An outside activity or one that uses
resources from nature.
© White Rose Education 2023

Each year group has two blocks dedicated to sustainability. We want to

help children to:
Children talk about and compare
their answers and reasoning.
A question that should really
make children think. The question
may be structured differently or
require a different approach from
others and/or tease out common
misconceptions.
Understand the current issues around sustainability and
climate change.
Identify that they have a role to play in creating a more sustainable
future for themselves and others.
Think of ways to make a positive impact on their local and wider
environments.
Have a positive and proactive mindset when it comes to making
sustainable changes.

© White Rose Education 2023

Premium supporting materials

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© White Rose Educatio
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© White Rose Education 2023

 Meet the characters
Our class of characters brings the schemes to life and will be sure to
engage learners of all ages and prior attainments. Follow the children and
their class pet, Diddy the duck, as they explore new scientific concepts and ideas.

Alex Sam
Teddy Dora
Ron Rosie
Mrs Kha Tommy Kim
n

Jack Eva
Mo Whitney
Amir Annie

Dexter

Jo Max
Diddy

© White Rose Education 2023

 The yearly overview provides suggested timings for each
The yearly overview provides suggested timings for each
Yearly overview block of learning, which can be adapted to suit different
block of learning, which can be adapted to suit different
term dates or other requirements.
term dates or other requirements.

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

changes

changes
The human body Materials

Seasonal changes

Seasonal changes
Autumn term

(autumn)
(autumn)
Seasonal

Seasonal
(winter)
(winter)
changes
Animals Caring
Caring for

Seasonal changes
for

Consolidation
Spring term

the
the planet
planet
PlantingAA

Planting BB
Seasonal
Planting

Planting
(spring)
(spring)
changes
Plants Growing
Growing and

Seasonal changes
and
Summer term

cooking
cooking
PlantingCC

Consolidation

(summer)
Seasonal
(summer)
Planting

©
© White
White Rose
Rose Education
Education 2023
2023
Autumn Block 1

The human body

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body

Small steps

Step 1 Name and identify parts of the human body

Step 2 Draw and label parts of the human body

Step 3 Sight

Step 4 Sound

Step 5 Taste

Step 6 Touch

Step 7 Smell

© White Rose Education 2023

Key resources

Step 1 – Name and identify parts of the human body Step 5 – Taste

• Large sheets of paper • A sample of food

• Blindfolds

Step 2 – Draw and label parts of the human body

• Labels of body parts

Step 3 – Sight
Step 6 – Touch
• Bucket
• A selection of
• Bean bags textured objects

• Torches
• Thick gloves

• Blindfolds
• Feely bag

• Blackout material
Step 7 – Smell

• Objects to smell
Step 4 – Sound • Plastic jars

• A selection of musical instruments • Paper (to cover the jars)

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 1

Name and identify parts of the human body

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Reception, or at home, children may have identified certain • Where is your ?
parts of the body through traditional songs and rhymes.
In this small step, children build on this knowledge to name • How many eyes do you have?

and identify a more extensive range of body parts. • How many ears does your partner have?
By the end of this step, children need to correctly identify the • Do you have more toes or teeth?
neck, arms, elbows, legs, knees, face, ears, eyes, hair, mouth
and teeth. • How many knees/elbows do you have?

Over the next two steps, children complete a simple pattern • Is your footprint longer or shorter than your partner’s?
seeking enquiry to explore whether the oldest children have
the longest feet.
Enquiry question
At this point in the term, children have not yet looked at
measuring length in centimetres and so physically drawing • Do the oldest children have the longest feet?
around their feet to allow children to order the footprints from
longest to shortest is more appropriate.

National curriculum links

Things to look out for
• Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the
• Children may think that age determines height. human body and say which part of the body is associated

• Children may use different names for the same body with each sense.
part. For example, the area between the chest and hips • Working scientifically − Asking simple questions and
can be called the stomach, tummy or belly. recognising that they can be answered in different ways.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 1

Name and identify parts of the human body

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

Hair • Adults draw around each child’s foot, creating a footprint.

Eye Write the child’s name, age and birth month on the footprint.
Cut around the outline of each footprint.
Ear
Ask children to order the footprints from longest to shortest.
Nose
Teeth Children should identify the oldest child’s footprint and the youngest
child’s footprint.
Mouth
Neck

Elbow

Arm
Hand • Play games, sing songs and rhymes with the children to test their
knowledge of body parts.
Games such as “Simon says” allow children to recap and recall the
Leg key vocabulary introduced in this step.

Knee
Factual knowledge

• The body has lots of parts.

• Each of these body parts has a name.

• Most bodies have a neck, arms, elbows, legs, knees, face, ears, eyes,
Feet hair, mouth and teeth.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 2

Draw and label parts of the human body

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Step 1, children named and identified parts of the body • Where is your ?
through songs, games and rhymes. In this small step,
children build on this knowledge to draw and label these
• What body part have I drawn?

parts correctly. • What labels are needed for these body parts?

In the previous step, children began a simple pattern seeking • Who is the oldest child? Do they have the longest feet?
enquiry to explore whether the oldest children have the • Who is the youngest child? Do they have the shortest feet?
longest feet. They drew around their feet and ordered their
footprints from longest to shortest. • How did you order the footprints?

In this step, children should identify simple patterns within

the data they collected. They should identify the oldest and Enquiry question
youngest children and state whether they have the longest or
shortest feet. Children should make simple written or verbal • Do the oldest children have the longest feet?

conclusions to show their findings.

Things to look out for

• Children may struggle to identify who is older/younger.
Create a line from oldest to youngest to support them
with this.
• Children may find it difficult to spot patterns in data.
Sort the footprints from longest to shortest. Match these
to the line order of the children.
National curriculum links
• Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the
human body and say which part of the body is associated
with each sense.
• Working scientifically – Using their observations and ideas
to suggest answers to questions.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 2

Draw and label parts of the human body

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Put children in a line from oldest to youngest.
Hair Give each child their footprint outline from Step 1
Eye

Ear

Nose Teeth

Mouth
Neck
Ask children questions about their age and length of footprints.

Elbow Who is the oldest?

Does _______ have the longest feet?
Arm
Who is the youngest?
Hand
Does _______ have the shortest feet?
Do the oldest children have the longest feet?
Leg
Allow children to make simple conclusions based on their findings.
Knee
Factual knowledge
• The body has lots of parts.

• Each of these body parts has a name.

• Most bodies have a neck, arms, elbows, legs, knees, face, ears, eyes,
Feet hair, mouth and teeth.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 3

Sight

Notes and guidance Key questions

For the next five steps, children focus on their five senses in • Which body part do you use to see?
greater detail. In this small step, children explore sight. They
should identify that humans use their eyes to see. Children
• How many eyes do you have?

should be encouraged to look closely at their own eyes to
identify their eye colour and any similarities and differences
between their eyes and the eyes of others.
Children should also perform simple tests to investigate sight
further. These are highlighted in the ‘Practical ideas’ section.
• What is your eye colour?
• How many children have ___________ eyes?
• How are your eyes like your partner’s?
• How are your eyes different to your partner’s?

They should repeat investigations, each time limiting their • What can you see when you cover one eye?
ability to see. Children should discuss whether this influences
the outcome of the task.
• What can you see when you cover both eyes?

• Can you see in the dark?

Things to look out for

• Children may not have experienced true darkness and
therefore think humans can see in the dark.

• Some children may think that sight is not affected National curriculum links
when one eye is covered. Ask children to say what
they can see when one eye is covered compared to • Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the
their full vision. human body and say which part of the body is associated

• Children may not recognise that some people cannot with each sense.
see and are therefore blind. • Working scientifically − Performing simple tests.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 3

Sight

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Eyes – The parts of the body that people see with. • Get buckets and beanbags.
Children should stand
1 metre away from the
bucket.
Children should try to throw a beanbag into the bucket.

• Light – Something that allows people to see. Ask children to cover one eye and repeat the throwing task.
Repeat again covering both eyes with a blindfold.
Discuss with children which attempt was the easiest and which was
the hardest and why.

• Use blackout material to darken the room.

Explore how light is needed to see.
Compare how easy it is to see items in the room with and without a
• Dark – When there is no light. torch and with and without the blackout material.

Factual knowledge

• Humans use their eyes to see.

• You can see when there is light.

• You cannot see in the dark.

• Blind – When a person cannot see. • Some people cannot see.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 4

Sound

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children continue to look at their senses and • Which body part do you use to hear?
focus on sound. They should identify that humans use their
ears to hear sounds.
• What sounds can you hear in the classroom?

This step lends itself to practical activities such as sound walks

• What sounds can you hear around school?

or playing different instruments. Children should identify • What sounds can you hear in the playground?
the source of a sound played to them and develop their How can you describe each sound?
vocabulary to describe different sounds.
• Can you make the sound louder?
In this step, there are links to the “abstraction counting principle”
How did you do it?
covered in Reception maths. Children can count claps heard, or
the sound of items being dropped into an opaque bucket. • Can you make the sound quieter?
How did you do it?

Things to look out for

• Children may have limited vocabulary to describe
sound. This may need to be taught before they
complete the practical tasks.

• Children may think that they can only hear one sound
at once. Encourage children to identify how many
different sounds they can hear at once when conducting
sound walks.
• Children may not recognise that some people cannot
hear or have different levels of what they can hear.
National curriculum links
• Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the
human body and say which part of the body is associated
with each sense.
• Working scientifically − Performing simple tests.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 4

Sound

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Ears – The parts of the body that people hear with. • Complete a sound walk around school.
Ask children to list the different sounds they can hear.
Which are loud? Which are quiet?

• Hear – When we listen to sounds. Model the vocabulary associated with the description of sound.

• Have a selection of musical instruments.

• Loud – When sound is easy to hear.

Ask the children to close their eyes and listen to one of the
instruments being played.
Can they identify which instrument was played?

• Quiet – When sound is hard to hear. Encourage children to use the instruments to make different sounds.
Discuss with children how they can make sounds louder and quieter.

Factual knowledge
• Noisy – When a lot of loud sounds can be heard.
• Humans use their ears to hear sounds.

• When sounds are quiet, they can be hard to hear.

• When sounds are loud, they are easier to hear.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 5

Taste

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children explore taste. They look at their mouths • What body part do you use to taste food?
to identify the teeth and tongue. Children should understand that
their tongue helps them to taste food.
• What are the five basic tastes?

Children should understand that there are five basic tastes –

• Is ________ a sweet/salty/bitter/sour/savoury taste?

sweet, salty, bitter, sour and savoury. They should be given • Which is your favourite taste?
opportunities to sample food from each of these five tastes, • Which is your least favourite taste?
whilst being careful about any allergies within the class.
They can sort and group different foods based on their • Can you sort these foods into the five basic tastes?

dominant taste. • Can you name this food only using taste?

When completing the practical activities, there are • Is it easier or harder to name the food with your eyes
opportunities to explore how removing a dominant sense covered?
can affect other senses. For example, when sight is removed,
children may find it more difficult to identify the food they are
eating through smell, taste, touch or sound.

Things to look out for

• Children may think that the tongue has ‘zones’ that only
National curriculum links
recognise a specific taste. Taste buds that detect the five
basic tastes are found throughout the mouth. • Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the

• Some children may not have had experience of each of human body and say which part of the body is associated
with each sense.
the different types of taste. Ensure that children have had
the opportunity to eat foods with each of these tastes. • Working scientifically − Performing simple tests.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 5

Taste

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Sweet – A taste similar to sugar. • Get a sample of foods for children to taste.

    

• Salty – A food that contains salt.

Ensure there are no allergies in the class.

Include food from the five basic tastes.

• Sour – A food with a sharp taste.
bitter sweet savoury sour salty

Ask children to taste and describe the different food.

Sort the food into groups according to taste.

• Bitter – A sharp and sometimes unpleasant taste. Ask children to order tastes linked to their preference.

• To extend learning, cover children’s eyes and ask them to identify the
food simply through taste.

Factual knowledge
• Savoury – A taste that is not sweet.
• The tongue helps humans to taste.

• The tongue is in the mouth.

• There are five basic tastes – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and savoury.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 6

Touch

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children explore their sense of touch. • Which part of the body do you use to touch?
They identify that touch is sensed by the skin. They should
understand that skin covers the human body and touch can be
• What does the object feel like?

sensed at any point on the body through contact with the skin. • Can you guess the object only using your feet to touch it?

They may want to explore and compare different textures
both inside and outside of the classroom to help them gain a
solid understanding of the key vocabulary used in this step.
Children should perform simple tests to investigate touch.
They should be encouraged to explore touch using body parts
• Can you guess the object only using your face to touch it?
• Feel an object with gloves on.
Can you name the object?
• Feel an object with your hands.

other than just their hands. Children could explore how easy Can you name the object now?
it is to identify an object using their feet, legs, forearms or
face and compare this to using their hands. Children should
• Is it easier or harder to touch when you wear the gloves?
Why?
be given the opportunity to explore a range of textures when
performing tests.

Things to look out for

National curriculum links
• Children may think that the hand is the only body part
that can sense touch. • Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the

• Children may have limited vocabulary to describe touch, human body and say which part of the body is associated
with each sense.
this may need to be taught before they complete the
practical tasks. • Working scientifically − Performing simple tests.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 6

Touch

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Skin – The part of the body that senses touch. All skin
feels.
• Get feely bags and a selection of objects.
Put children in pairs or small groups.
One child selects an object and places it in the feely bag.
Another child should identify the mystery object in the feely bag
through touch alone.

• Rough – An uneven surface. Children can repeat the practical task above, but
this time only using their feet to identify the objects.
Ask the children whether it is easier or harder to
identify the object using their feet.

• Smooth – An even surface. • Have a selection of objects in a tray.

Children should not look at the objects in the tray.
Ask them wear thick gloves to touch each object.
Ask them to describe the object while they wear the gloves.

• Hard – A material that does not bend or stretch easily. They can then touch the objects without the gloves.
What do they notice?

Factual knowledge
• Soft – A material that does not feel rough or hard.
• The skin is the body part that helps us to sense touch.

• Skin covers the whole body.

• We can sense touch using different body parts.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 7
Smell
Notes and guidance
In this small step, children look at their final sense – smell.
They should identify that the nose is used to sense smells. This
step lends itself to practical activities such as smell walks or
tasks to describe and identify a range of smells.
As in Step 5, children should complete tasks to order, sort and
group smells. For example, they can order smells in terms of
their own preference from least favourite to favourite.
Again, children should be given the opportunity to explore how
removing more dominant senses such as sight can affect other
senses such as smell.
Things to look out for
• Children may not be able to recognise that there are a
range of different smells. For example, some may be
pleasant or unpleasant. Introduce children to a range
of smells, including those with strong odours such as
garlic, onion or lavender.
• Children may have limited vocabulary to describe smell.
This may need to be taught before they complete the
practical tasks.
Key questions
• Which body part do you use to smell?
• What can you smell in the classroom?
• What can you smell around school?
• What can you smell in the playground?
• What is your favourite smell?
• What is your least favourite smell?
• Close your eyes and smell this object.
What can you smell?
What do you think the object is?
• Is it easier or harder to name the object only using your sense
of smell?
National curriculum links
• Identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the
human body and say which part of the body is associated
with each sense.
• Working scientifically – Performing simple tests.
© White Rose Education 2023
Year 1 | Autumn term | Block 1 – The human body | Step 7
Smell
Key vocabulary
• Nose – The part of the body used to smell.
• Smell – To sense something through the nose.
• Scent – A smell left by an object.
• Sniff – To breathe in a smell.
• Stench – A strong, unpleasant smell.
Practical ideas
• Choose five strong smelling items and put these in opaque jars.
garlic coffee vinegar vanilla cheese
Ensure there are no allergies in the class.
Allow children to smell each jar without looking at the item inside.
Ask them to describe the smell in the jar.
Can they guess the item inside the jar only using their sense of smell?
Children can sort the objects into appropriate groups according
to smell.
• Complete a smell walk.
Ask children to list the different smells they can identify.
How are the smells inside school different to the smells in the
playground?
Factual knowledge
• The nose helps us to sense smell.
• The nose is on the face.
• Some items have a stronger smell than others.
© White Rose Education 2023