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Pre-k Grade  Project 4 weeks

Sense-Around Sacramento Adventure

Nicole Q
Updated
Effective Communication
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Academic Mindset
Self Directed Learning
Content Expertise
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Purpose

Children will engage their senses through immersive exploration of Midtown Sacramento, cultivating a deep connection to their local community. Through hands-on interactions with local businesses, art, and culinary experiences, students will develop critical communication skills, creative problem-solving abilities, and a strong sense of belonging. This project empowers them to represent their sensory discoveries creatively while reflecting on their community's diversity and richness, culminating in a shared exhibition that celebrates their learning journey.

Learning goals

Through this project, students will engage their five senses to understand how these senses facilitate exploration and connection to their community, specifically Midtown Sacramento. They will develop expressive communication skills by observing, sharing, and reflecting on sensory experiences at various locations. Students will also cultivate critical thinking by considering diverse perspectives and cultural contexts, and self-directed learning will be supported through feedback loops and self-monitoring. Finally, the program nurtures an academic mindset as students build an awareness of themselves in their community while discovering the interconnectedness of sensory experiences with cultural and community practices.

Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.

Products

Students will collaboratively create a five senses discovery map of Midtown Sacramento, featuring illustrated depictions of key locations they visit. Each map section will have interactive elements such as texture swatches for touch and ‘scratch and sniff’ spots for scents encountered during the project. The map will serve as a tangible expression of their exploration and understanding, to be displayed during the culminating 'Five Senses Fair.'

Launch

Embark on a school scavenger hunt where pre-k students use their five senses to discover hidden treasures and locations around the school campus, setting the stage for a broader exploration of Midtown Sacramento. Teachers and staff will present challenges that engage sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing, such as identifying scents or textures in the environment or listening for specific sounds. By the end of the hunt, students will collectively find a “hidden map” that hints at exciting spots they will explore in Midtown Sacramento during the project.

Exhibition

Host a vibrant 'Five Senses Fair' in the school gym, inviting families, the neighborhood, and school community to explore interactive stations. Each station will focus on a different sense featuring elements like sound gardens, visual art displays, taste tests, touch boxes, and scent stations. Encourage students to guide visitors through their five senses discovery maps of Midtown Sacramento, highlighting key locations with tactile, olfactory, and visual surprises.