The Senses: Smell – Basic 2 Basic Science Lesson Note (First Term)

Learning Objectives: By the end of this lesson, pupils should be able to:

• identify the nose as the organ of smell
• recognize items (like fruits, food etc) through smelling
• describe pleasant and unpleasant odors
• associate odors with specific pleasant and unpleasant smells
• appraise the importance of nose/odors in daily activities

Lesson Content:

The Sense of Smell: Smell is our ability to detect different odors in the air using our nose. It helps us know about things even without seeing them.

The Nose – Organ of Smell:

• Nose is the organ we use for smelling
• It has two openings called nostrils
• Inside the nose are special cells that detect smells
• We breathe in air and smell comes with it

How We Smell:

• Odor particles float in the air
• We breathe them in through our nose
• Special cells in nose detect the smell
• Brain tells us what we are smelling

Pleasant Odors (Good Smells):

• Flowers: Rose, jasmine, sunflower
• Food: Fresh bread, cake, rice cooking
• Fruits: Orange, apple, pineapple, mango
• Clean things: Soap, shampoo, clean clothes
• Nature: Fresh air after rain, grass

Unpleasant Odors (Bad Smells):

• Rotten food: Spoiled fruit, bad meat
• Dirty places: Garbage, toilet, stagnant water
• Smoke: Cigarette smoke, burning plastic
• Body odors: Sweat, dirty clothes, bad breath
• Chemicals: Paint, petrol, strong cleaning products

Recognizing Items Through Smell:

Fruits:

• Orange: Sweet, citrus smell
• Banana: Sweet, fruity smell
• Apple: Fresh, sweet smell
• Mango: Sweet, tropical smell

Food:

• Bread: Warm, yeasty smell
• Rice: Light, grain smell
• Soup: Rich, savory smell
• Chocolate: Sweet, rich smell

Other Items:

• Flowers: Sweet, perfume-like
• Soap: Clean, fresh smell
• Medicine: Strong, chemical smell
• Books: Paper, ink smell

Importance of the Nose/Smell:

• Safety: Warns us of gas leaks, fire, spoiled food
• Food: Helps us know if food is fresh or spoiled
• Hygiene: Tells us when we need to wash or clean
• Enjoyment: Let us enjoy flowers, perfumes, good food
• Memory: Smells remind us of places and people
• Health: Loss of smell might mean we are sick

Taking Care of Our Nose:

• Keep nose clean by washing face daily
• Don’t put fingers or objects in nose
• Blow nose gently when congested
• Stay away from strong, harmful chemicals
• Tell adults if you can’t smell or if nose hurts

Smell and Safety:

• Don’t eat food that smells bad
• Move away from smoke or strong chemical smells
• Tell adults about gas or burning smells
• Don’t smell unknown substances