Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum

Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum

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This science activity is from the Science IMAGES Viewer's Guide,
a video-based professional development program for elementary and middle school teachers.

Using their senses and observation skills, children explore a familiar location. This activity provides a common experience to children, heightens their awareness of sensory experiences, and helps them focus on how the senses interact in learning. It can be done with small groups of five or fewer.




student guide sheet

plain paper and crayons
for texture rubbings

plastic bags for
students' collection




  1. Trust Walk:
    Explain the activity to the children first. Starting in the kitchen, help them put on their blindfolds and have them hold onto each other by keeping their left hand in the small of their back and holding their right hand out to the person in front of them.

    Then lead children on a walk through parts of the house, to an area outdoors. You may say things like, "Be careful of something on your left," "You need to duck down now," "Watch your step," etc.

    Once you have led them to the desired outdoor location ( a basket with clipboards and materials are set out ahead of time), the still-blindfolded children try to guess their location. Children are asked to share their reasoning of how they ended up at their present location. Blindfolds are then taken off and time given for reactions. Parents and children can discuss what things they noticed while they had the blindfolds on.

  2. Student Exploration Time:
    Children are given clipboards (or something hard that children can write on) and pencils with their guide sheet. They will work in pairs to find and record smells, textures, sights, and sounds, and make textured rubbings.

  3. Personal Reflection:
    Upon returning to the kitchen, ask children to reflect on their experience and what they learned. Have them focus on what was different from what they expected and what they already knew. Have children write the comments in a journal and call it the Wandering Wonderers' Journals. They can then share it with other children who participated in the activity.

GET THE Exploratory Walk: Student Data Sheet

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