Senses

In your journal, record what you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell from a seated position. Take your journal page and divide it in two vertically. List the five senses. Close your eyes to concentrate on what you hear. Run your hand on the surfaces around you and describe what you feel. Taste something! Sniff in the smells. Cover your ears and look around. What do you see? Time yourself. Take one minute to isolate each sense and use it fully to learn from your environment. Make a list of adjectives and phrases on one side of the page; on the other side of the page doodle what occurs to you as you reach out into the environment with your senses. Which sense gave you the most information? What percentage of your whole experience would you give to each sense? (Be sure your experience totals 100%!!!).

Sharpen your senses!

Take five walks around the same block with a friend. First, cover your eyes and let your friend lead you around: stop and record all that you heard. Take a second walk around and have your friend help you touch different surfaces. Enter the experiences in your journal using words and lines. Repeat this activity three more times concentrating independently on your sense of smell, taste, and finally sight. What did you see, hear, touch, taste, smell and learn? What do you think that you will remember most about this experience? Experience your senses!

Go to the ArcGIS Online website, and find out how they map the world differently. Then think about how you can map the route from home to school using sensory experiences, such as temperature, emotions, sounds or visions. How would you share your experience coming and going with someone who did not know your walk? Make a sensory map of your walk to and from school. Place sensory icons at key moments. Write a paragraph about the experiences. Heighten your senses! Become more aware of your environment!