Sensory Awareness

Activities in this unit will teach us how to train our brain to pay more attention to the things that matter.

Mindful Smelling

What is Mindful Smelling?

Mindful smelling uses our sense of smell to be more aware of our environment.  It can help us to keenly observe our world and sharpen our memory.

It's important to take in new information (smells) without jumping too quickly to judgment ("gross") without really thinking.

Smells can make us remember memories and important information because smell and memory centers are so close to each other in the brain.

Day 1 - Linking to Brain Research

Dopamine: The Chemistry of Pleasure and Reward.

Neurotransmitters: chemicals that allow signals to pass between neurons

Dopamine: a neurotransmitter that helps the brain create positive feelings

Discuss:

What are some activities you find both enjoyable and rewarding?

Can you give an example of a time when you felt better after doing one of these activities?

What do you think was going on in your brain before and after?

3:00 YouTube Clip on how smelling works.

Day 2 - Warm-Up

That's NOT water!

Prepare 3 or 4 transparent bottles with a different clear fluid (rubbing alcohol, vinegar, baby oil,  vegetable oil, etc).  Place a REMOVABLE number on the side of each bottle to identify it (you will re-label these bottles on Day 6).

Pass one bottle at a time around the room allowing the students to smell what is inside.

On a piece of paper or personal whiteboard each student should write down the bottle number and record a word or two about what they smelled. What it reminds them of, what it is, and / or describing words such as:

sweet, strong, mild, rotten, fruity, spicy, sour, perfumey, fishy 

Once all the bottles have been passed around - share what was written and then identify the contents.

NOTE:  Save these bottles and their contents for use during Day 6: Mindful Match

COVID option:  Food Glorious Food.  Brainstorm list of scent adjectives (some are on web page).  Take turns naming a food - everyone shares one scent word it makes them think of.

Day 3 - Engage, Explore, Reflect - Common Scents

Set-up:

Decide on a group size (not larger than 5 or 6)

Organize 5 scents: coffee beans, vinegar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, baby powder, dried bacon bits, peppermint. 

Put these into dark / opaque containers with lids. 

Saturate cotton balls with the liquid scents. 

Label each container on the bottom with a number or letter that you keep track of.

Copies of Mystery Sounds / Scents activity sheet for each student.

Put this List of Possibilities on the smart board to help with recording.

Discuss:

Let's get our minds alert to all of the scents around us before we work with our specimens.

What are some things around you right now that you can smell?

Are there other things in the classroom that have a certain smell that you know but can't smell right now?

Activity:

• Divide the class into their groups.  

• Hand each group one specimen container.

• When you are told to start, be very quiet and focus all of your attention on your specimen.  Let your RAS gather all the images it can and let your PFC note every little detail.

• Do NOT make any faces or comments as you smell the specimen - "Poker / All Business" face.

• Look on the bottom of the container and note what number specimen you are smelling.

• When you hear the signal, pass it onto the next person in your group.

• On the Mystery Scents sheet, record your observations - think:

  • details:  what words best describe this scent?

  • remind you of: people, places or things?

  • guess: what do you think it is?

• Once everyone has had a turn you will pass your specimen onto the next group while receiving a new specimen.

Discuss:

Before we started you described scents that connect you with our classroom.  How was the activity different?

Which was harder, thinking about scents in our classroom, or of things the specimens reminded you of?

Which part of the brain stores our scent memories?

Can you think of how animals and humans might use scent memories to live in their surroundings?

Sometimes our amygdala is on alert and thoughts in our brain may be racing, even though we're not in danger.

What are some times during the day when you might pause, close your eyes, and take a moment to smell mindfully to calm and focus yourself?

COVID option:  Emotional Scents.  Smells can elicit all sorts of feelings.  Name these items one at a time - draw a face on your whiteboard showing how it makes you feel.

skunk, freshly baked cookies, gasoline, freshly mowed lawn, flowers, garbage, unwashed sock, perfume / aftershave lotion, shampoo, wet dog / pet, farm (cow barn) / manure, etc.

Smartboard Slideshow

Day 4 - Career Connection

Geologist

Do you have a nose for rocks?  If you have a keen sense of smell, your nose may lead you to a career in geology.  

Geologists identify rocks and minerals by relying on a range of sensory input that sometimes includes smell.

Some rocks and minerals have a distinct odor.

sulfur - smells like rotten eggs

shale - smells like mud

arsenic - smells like garlic

Into Geology - YouTube 4:33

What are some other careers that depend on mindful smelling?

Careers that require someone to smell things very closely.

Try:

- mindful smelling is a way to enjoy your most rushed meal

- take a moment to appreciate the smell of your food at breakfast or lunch before eating it

Day 5 - Journal Writing

Mindful Smelling

Use this journal page to....

• • • draw 2 things you DON'T like to smell - and where you smell them OR what they make you think of.

    • draw 2 things you DO like to smell - and where you smell them OR what they make you think of.

Day 6 - Mindful Match

• • • Pull out the clear bottles from day 2 "That's Not Water"

    • Change how each bottle is labeled and tell the class you've done this.

    • Ask the class if they remember what the different contents are.  Write these on the board.

    • Again on a piece of paper or whiteboard students should try to identify the contents from each bottle.  They should include some descriptive words.

Ask:

• • • How did / do you use mindful smelling to match the smells.

COVID option: I Think Of….  Write or say one smell adjective (sweet, fruity, spicy, fishy, stinky, moist / damp, fresh, rotten, musty, etc.).  Kids write or tell of one thing it makes them think of - record and/or share.

• • Words to use on the smartboard

Day 7 -  Scratch and Sniff

Talk about what a scratch and sniff book / sticker does.  The surface is coated with a scent and when it's scratched the scent, which is usually related to an image under the coating is released.

For example, if you scratched the drawing of a rose on a birthday card you would smell a sweet, rosy smell.

Take a look at each picture below.  If you could scratch and smell each picture what are some things you might smell?

Day 8 - A World of Scents

• There are scents that we smell every day without really noticing them.

• Choose a familiar object and smell it (or remember how it smells) as mindfully as you can.

• How does the smell make you feel?

• What does it make you think of?

• Which words describe the smell?

Use this frame and fill in the blanks on your whiteboard, then share.

I smell my _______________________.

It makes me feel ____________________.

It makes me think about ___________________.

These words describe the smell: ____________________.

Remember - smells and scents can bring back great memories.  Smells do not have to be funny.

Day 9 - Journal Writing

Seasonal Smells

• On this sheet, write at least three smells that you can remember from each of the 4 seasons.

Day 10 - Literature Link