Materials
- Empty film canister and lid with cotton ball inside
- Note to parents explaining science activity
- Extra film canister lids with slits cut with utility knife (only the teacher uses the knife)
What to do
1. Give each child a closed film canister to take home, along with a note to parents.
2. The parent is asked to help the child find something at home with a strong smell and put it in the film canister.
3. Explain to the child that the "smell" can be pleasant or unpleasant.
4. The following day, invite the children to share their "smells" one at a time by switching the closed lid on one film canister to the lid with the holes.
5. Pass each canister around. Ask each child to smell, but don't identify the smell until everyone has had a turn.
6. Bring extra "smells" from your house for the children who forget to bring theirs from home.
More to do
- Science: Help the children use their noses all day long to smell aromas around the school.
-Ann Wenger, Harrisonburg, VA
