The Sense of Touch and Case Number 2

image from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4591132-touching

Hello, Monday! It’s the start of yet another week, and we had a calm yet fun Monday. Last week we explored leaves with Sayaka by using our hands, and on Friday we solved the case of the mystery bag by just using our hands to touch and feel. Today we read a book called “Touching” by Helen Frost. We learned that we have five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Tasting is what happens inside our mouth when we eat, just like--

“When you eat ice cream?” Pauline asked.

“Good!” H immediately said.

“When you eat vegetables?”

“Bad!” L said, sticking out her tongue. We all laughed. There are some vegetables that taste bad for us, and some that taste good. Pauline said that for her okra tastes bad, but she likes lettuce, spinach, and bok choy. 

“I like okra!” H said.

We learned that for touching, we use our skin, and Pauline told us that our skin covers our whole body! Our skin has sensors that send a message to the brain and the brain then tells us what and how we feel. Just like when we touch a cute, fluffy dog, our brain tells us that it feels soft and good. 

“L has dog, too!” L said.

“Is it a real dog, or a toy dog?” Pauline asked.

“A toy dog,” L said.

“H, too,” H said. “I have a toy dog and toy cat,” she told us.

There are different, opposite things that our skin feels like hot and cold, smooth and rough, even light and heavy. Pauline asked if who can try to carry the small book she was currently reading to us, and Lea volunteered. She could easily carry it. But when Pauline asked her to carry four big chairs, she could barely lift it!

“I can’t do it!” L said.

“Why?” Pauline asked.

“It’s……. Heavy!” L said.  So that was the difference between heavy and light. 

Our skin also helps us to feel pain- and when we feel pain, that’s our skin and our brain’s way of telling us that it’s dangerous and we should stay away. It keeps us safe. 

After reading the book, Pauline asked us what are the things that we can think about that are cold.

“Water,” L said. “Ice. Snow,” she added.

“Ice cream,” K said.

“Rain is cold and snow is cold,” H said.

“How about things you can think of that are hot?” Pauline asked.

“Coffee,” K replied. “Dragon… dragon eat hot,” he added.

“How about things that make us feel pain? Or ouchie?” Pauline asked.

“Fire!” L said.

“Fire,” K agreed.

“Knife,” L said. That’s why when we use the knife we should be very careful.

“At home H cut by myself,” H said proudly.

“Scissors,” H added to the things that make us feel ouchie. “We should be careful, if not, go to the hospital. Nee- noo, nee- noo,” she said, imitating the sound of the ambulance.

We ate our snacks after circle time, and then because we didn’t have enough time to go outside, we just stayed inside. Pauline said we would play Treasure Hunt! It’s time for another mystery to be solved by the Petals Class Mystery Detectives. If we used our sense of touch previously, now is the time to use our sense of sight. We need to use our good looking eyes!

Case 2 investigation starts now! The first object that we needed to find was the polar bear- we found it hanging by the big calendar in our classroom. The next one was the small jack- o’- lantern which Pauline put up high by the door- she tried to make it tricky for us, but we still found it! Next was a red toy car which O found peeking out from S’s backpack pocket. Next was a small blue dinosaur that M found on top of the magnetic notice board that had our classroom jobs. Then, Pauline asked us to look for the “Touching” book we just read, which K found stuck on the wall together with our Fall Art. The last was a tiny stuffed koala that S found hanging way up high, clutching the rainbow decor. Our sense of sight, we reckon, must be excellent! Case solved!

Our morning free play was quite busy, too, as some of our friends did their birthday canvas. Our friends started to make our Thankfulness Wreath with Sayaka and drew the things/ persons they wanted to say “thank you” to. At the back of the room, we still played with our Halloween maze which we have converted most of the time into a house or tent.

That concludes our Monday- how about you? How was your day?

Love,

The Petals Class Mystery Detectives