Planting a Sensory Garden
OBJECTIVE
Students connect their five senses to something in the garden
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Which senses do we use in the garden?
MATERIALS NEEDED
- A plant/seeds for each sense
- hand rakes
- trowels
- compost
- a laminated copy of the 5 senses scavenger hunt to use as a reminder
Touch: sage, mullen
Smell: herbs
Taste: pea shoots, sorrel, cherry tomatoes, kale
Sound: wind chime, bird feeder to attract birds
Sight: zinnias, calendula, merigolds
PROCEDURE
Buy plants or have starts ready, choose a bed to designate as the sensory garden bed
Introduction:
If planting a sensory garden after the Five Senses Scavenger Hunt lesson, ask students if they can name each of the five senses. Work together to name them all, using the worksheet from last time. Explain that this week we’re going to plant a sensory garden bed, with one (or more) plant for each sense.
Activity:
- In the garden, pass around each plant/seeds, tell the students what it is, and ask them what sense they think it’s for. Let them smell/touch etc.
- Give each child a hand rake, and let them prepare the soil by removing all the weeds and loosening it with the rakes. Add bagged compost if necessary, and mix it in.
- Split the group into five groups, and give each group a plant. Have each group work together to dig a hole if they’re planting a potted plant, or plant their seeds according to the instructions on the packet.
Wrap up/ Assessment:
When everything’s been planted, ask the group which senses they would use with their plant. Is it something to eat? Something to touch? They can be more than one! Etc.
FOLLOW UP & EXTENSIONS
Paint wooden signs that say “smell”, “taste” etc. and place around the sensory garden bed