Sense-ational Science Day 4

After Gratitude Circle, we played “That’s my stick!” (they found a stick, memorized length, bumps, etc and then blindfolded passed everyone’s stick in a circle and had to find their stick). Then we discussed how the sense of touch works and how some animals feel through their whiskers, antennae or tentacles. Then we did a few quick challenges with proprioception (muscle memory).  For example, mark an X on a paper. Next, raise your pencil hand above your head, close your eyes, and make a dot as close to the X as possible. Open your eyes and check your success.

Next in teams, we played “Find that Object” where they had to match specific shapes to a board using only their sense of touch.  

Then we split into three groups and rotated through stations. There was an “Are your hands as accurate as thermometers?” station, a “Touch and Match” station (match up as many sandpaper textures as you can blindfolded) and a “Feel it, Draw it” station with a partner drawing a simple image on your back that you have to redraw on paper.

Then we had snack, playwriting and obstacle course and they did a “Build it Blindfolded Challenge”. Using sticks and balls they built a square using eyesight first and then without. We also did a second round of building a triangle with the balls and sticks blindfolded. 

The last activity involved using Braille to make a bookmark with their name and/or secret messages using the Braille alphabet. First they planned out what they wanted to write, then they had to poke holes so it would be raised just like Braille.  

Then we ate lunch, played “Why are you late?” and “Hitchhiker” and then went to the creek.