86 The Five Senses: Supplemental Guide 3C | I Use My Nose to Smell
If you are sick, the extra mucus can stuff up your nose. When there
is extra mucus in your nose, it is hard for odor molecules to travel
high enough into your nose to reach the smell receptors. The odor
molecules are blocked, or stopped, by the mucus.^ Show image 4A-5: Sneezing
And when you have a stuffy nose, it’s time to grab a tissue and blow
your nose to try to get the extra mucus out![Have students act out blowing their nose.]
Show image 4A-6: Oven
Your sense of smell can help protect you.
Tell your partner two ways your sense of smell protects you. I will call
on two partners to share their answers.[Allow thirty seconds for students to talk. Call on two partner pairs to share
their answers.]
Even if you are not sure you smell a dangerous odor—you only think
you do—it is better to have an adult check. Better safe than sorry!
“Better safe than sorry” is a saying that means that it is better not to
ignore a warning—like the smell of fire—and risk getting hurt. Show image 4A-2: Sniffing a flower
But your sense of smell doesn’t only identify bad odors or dangers. It
can be a lot of fun to sniff, because many things smell great and have
great scents. Tell me about some things that have great odors.[Pause for students to answer.]
Next time you’re enjoying your favorite scent, try to remember that
odor molecules are traveling to your smell receptors and telling your
brain, “Wow, that smells great!”