Look and Learn by Seeing
Welcome to a Making Sense Lesson Plan
In this lesson plan we explore one of the five senses, seeing
Seeing helps us live life to the full. In our fast paced world there is so much that can be missed and yet so much to discover. By inspiring children with music, story and games and equipping them with a magnifying glass to help them identify what they are seeing, a whole new world will be opened up.
Look And Learn is aimed at helping your group of children to open their eyes and learn whilst they look, to instill in them a love for the world around them and their own potential within it. Read on to find a treasure of resources that have been tried and tested with young children. Most of all, have fun!
Introduction- Open Your Eyes
What can you see?
Display a variety of
- small objects
- insects
- flowers
Encourage the children to look at these items using a microscope or magnifying glass. Let them take turns to look and learn.
Ask them questions that could be written down and shared later, such as:
- What color is it
- How many legs does it have
- What shape is it?
When they have finished seeing, sit them down and discuss their findings.
They say that seeing is believing. Once the children have had a chance to see the amazing sights through the magnifying glass they will be ready to believe that they are special, unique and a part of our wonderful world!
Circle Time With A Star Guest- The Seeing Eye Dog
What is it like/what does it mean to be visually impaired?
Do you know a blind person who uses a guide dog?
Maybe they could visit your group and tell everyone how their dog helps them.
The children could do some role play. One child is blindfolded and another child slowly leads them from one destination in the room to another. Ensure there are no objects in their path to fall over.
Discuss what it was like.
Support A Charity For The Blind
Take a collection in aid of the blind, (having informed them beforehand to bring some money if they like). Explain how their money will be used and why the charity needs donations. Maybe you could watch a short video about this charity and have some leaflets to show the children.
The Kids Will Love Watching This Short Film To Encourage Discussion About Guide Dogs
A Blind Game- Squeak Piggy Squeak
For this game, one child is blindfolded and all the others sit in a circle on chairs. One child is nominated to start squeaking until the blindfolded child finds them and sits on their lap, trying to identify them by their squeak. If unsuccessful they are turned around several times before setting off to find another squeaking lap. Once they guess correctly, they swap places with the child who's lap they are sitting on.
Storytime- Jesus Heals Bartimeus, The Man Born Blind
An Amazing Bible Story
To instill faith and hope in an otherwise hopeless situation.
This story recounts how a blind man was sitting begging when Jesus walked by, for that was all he could do. But when he reached out and asked Jesus to heal him, He did and Bartimaeus could see again. Strangely, the church leaders of his day were not happy about this..
I Spy With My Little Eye
Begin by saying that once Bartimaeus was healed, he could see many things for the first time. Think of something that everyone can see and say: "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ....(say either the first letter or a color as the clue). The first one to guess is the next person to spy something.
Drawing What You See- Arts & Crafts
Ask the children if they know what a portrait is. Do they know the names of any famous ones? Here are some arty suggestions:
- They draw what they think Bartimeus from the story would have seen, once he had been healed
- Divide them into pairs and get them to draw each others portraits.
- Each child places an object (e.g. from the introduction) on a table and draws what they see.
- .
If you seek, you will find
At the end of your session, get the children to explain what they have learned. Can we see what we want to see? Do our hearts have eyes? Are you looking for something? Where might you find it?
Treasure Hunt Hide And Seek
Will they see what they are looking for?
If you still have time at the end of your session, hide some things around the room that they could take home with them, such as balloons. You could modify this for older children by sending them off with clues from one place to the next, until they eventually find the treasure.
You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29v13 (The Bible)
