Naming smells

• Smell only things you know are safe. Never smell unknown substances, chemicals, gas, smoke from fires or anything that could be harmful, and waft gently instead of inhaling hard. If you have a smell-related health concern, ask a medical professional.
• Check for allergies and sensitivities before any smelling activity, and let any pupil sit out.
• Use closed cups and waft; never ask pupils to sniff strongly or to smell cleaning products, fuels, chemicals or anything unknown.

• Three safe, familiar items in closed paper cups (for example an orange peel, a coffee bean, a pencil shaving)
• Paper and pencils

1. Read the safety note together.
2. Pass each cup round; pupils waft gently and write one word for each smell.
3. Collect the words on the board and group similar ones.
4. Open the matching Atlas entries and compare the class words with SmellBook's descriptors.
5. Discuss: did everyone use the same word? Why might words differ?

Classroom guides are free, like all of SmellBook Learn. They are suggestions for teachers, not a curriculum standard, and they are not tied to any school, programme or partner.