***Note: Please read the post called “10 Lesson Helps” found under “Primary Lesson Listings” before reviewing any of my Sunbeam lesson plan ideas.

“What skills do I need to develop? The teacher reads that she should observe class members during lessons. She tells herself, “This is a skill that I need to develop, but it will take some practice.” She writes this plan in her journal. As she considers her plan, she realizes that she already has a least one strength that she can build one: she diligently prepares lessons. Because she is always familiar with the lesson material, she will be able to observe class members rather than focus too much on the lesson manual or her notes” Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 25

Materials needed: snack items that have a smell such as an orange, popcorn, pickles, or cinnamon toast; empty small jars (like baby food or film containers, or use Ziploc baggies instead) with cotton balls saturated with strongly smelling liquids such as ammonia, vinegar, perfumes, essential oils, lemon, and gasoline); sugar and salt in similar baggies or in unidentifiable shakers; Art Kit picture 1-35; paper plates with eyes already glued on and printed off paper noses and mouths; glue sticks.

Heavenly Father made our bodies to do many things.  When I point to something on my body, tell me what it does (nose, eyes, ears, fingers, tongue).

Bring out the food items you’ve brought for snack. We can use our tongues and noses to smell and taste these. Hold them under the students’ noses to smell. Tell them to close their eyes so they can think about the smell.  What does it smell like?

Give each child a piece of the snack and ask them to eat it slowly. If we give our tongues enough time, we can tell if it tastes sour, sweet, salty, or something else. Ask them how their snack tastes.

Let’s see how smart your tongues are! I have two things here: salt and sugar. Our eyes can’t tell the difference. They look the same. Salt and sugar can trick our eyes, but I bet they can’t trick our tongues! I’m going to put a little on your tongues and you tell me which one it is. The salt will taste salty and the sugar will taste sweet.

Here is a picture of the Children of Israel gathering manna (show picture 1-35). Remember this story? We talked about it when we wanted to learn about the Sabbath Day. What is another word for the “Sabbath Day”? (Sunday). Do we  work on Sunday? Can anyone remember the story and tell it to us (if no one does, or it they need help, you can tell it). The manna that the Children Israel picked every day except Sunday was very sweet. It tasted like honey, or the sugar we just tasted. They liked it very much.

Our noses can smell different things and it is very smart too. We smell all day. Have you ever smelled something that was burning? What did it smell like? Heavenly Father gave us noses and mouths to enjoying eating and smelling. They also warn us if there is something dangerous, like something burning or not to eat something dangerous. Some things are not good to taste or smell.  They are poison.  Do not taste anything unless you ask your mommy first, especially medicine and things she cleans the house with. (pass around strong smells in cotton balls). What smelled dangerous? What was your favorite?

Let’s see if you can remember all the parts of our bodies that Heavenly Father made for us:

“Monkey See, Monkey Do.”

Monkey see, monkey do,

I clap my hands now you can too (all clap)

Monkey see, monkey do,

I clap touch my nose now you can too (all touch noses)

Monkey see, monkey do,

I clap stomp my feet now you can too (all stomp)

Repeat with other actions.

Show the paper plate “face.” I see some eyes on this face, but what is missing? Point to your nose. Point to your mouth. Where does your tongue live? (in your mouth). We need to add a nose and a mouth! Let’s see…where should I put the nose (hold up the paper nose and put it in wrong places, and then have the children guide you to the middle of the face with their feedback. Do the same with the mouth). Give them each a plate and one nose and mouth. Once they have put them in their proper places, glue them on. Write around the edge: “I am thankful I can smell and taste.”

Have the children hold up their finished “faces.” Let’s pretend these are real faces and they can sing. We need mouths and tongues to sing. What song should we sing? (have the children pick their favorite Primary songs and sing each one, holding up their paper plate faces.

If you have “Mr. Potato Head” and face parts, this would be a good time to let the Sunbeam children play with putting on different facial features. Talk about the expressions and functions of each.

Bear testimony that our bodies are wonderful gift from Heavenly Father.  We need to take care of them so they can grow big and strong.  We need to eat healthy foods, exercise, get to bed early, wash our bodies to be clean and always give thanks in our prayers to Heavenly Father for our beautiful bodies.