D. Healthy Living · Healthy Living

My Body: Body Parts and the Five Senses

D1.3 D1.4About 30 minutes

Learning goals

I can name parts of my body using the correct words, including private parts.
I can talk about bodies in a kind, respectful way.
I can name the five senses and the body part for each.
I can explain how my senses help me learn and stay safe.

Words to know

private parts
The parts of your body covered by underwear or a bathing suit.

penis
A private part. Boys usually have a penis. Pee comes out of it.

testicles
Private parts. Boys usually have two testicles, in a small sac behind the penis.

vulva
The outside private parts. Girls usually have a vulva.

vagina
A private part inside the body. Girls usually have a vagina. It opens at the vulva.

senses
The five ways your body learns about the world: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.

brain
The body part inside your head that gets messages from your senses and tells you what they mean.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes!

Touch your head. Now your shoulders. Your elbows. Your knees. Your ankles. Your toes!

Every body part has a name. Using the correct names helps us talk clearly, like when we tell a doctor or a grown-up where something hurts.

Part of the body	Body parts
Head	hair, forehead, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, cheeks, chin
Upper body	neck, shoulders, chest, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers
Middle	stomach (tummy), belly button, back
Lower body	hips, bottom (buttocks), legs, thighs, knees, ankles, feet, heels, toes

Some body parts and their names. Point to each one on your own body as you say its name.

Private parts

Some body parts are private. Private parts are the parts covered by underwear or a bathing suit. They have correct names, just like elbows and knees do:

Penis and testicles: boys usually have these.
Vulva and vagina: girls usually have these. The vulva is on the outside. The vagina is inside the body.
Everyone has a bottom (buttocks).

These are just the real names for body parts. There is nothing silly or bad about them.

Why correct names matter

Knowing the correct names helps you:

tell a doctor or a trusted grown-up exactly where something hurts or feels itchy
speak up if anyone ever makes you feel unsafe about your body

Private parts are private. If anyone touches them in a way that makes you uncomfortable, or asks you to keep a secret about them, tell a trusted grown-up. You will learn more in the lesson on caring behaviours.

Kind words about bodies

Bodies come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Some people are tall, some short. Some have curly hair, some straight hair, some no hair. Some people use a wheelchair or glasses.

We use body-positive language. That means kind words about our own bodies and other people's bodies, like "My legs are strong!" or "My body helps me play." We never make fun of someone's body.

Your five senses

Your senses send messages to your brain. Your brain figures out what the messages mean.

Sense	Body part	What it does	How it keeps me safe
Sight 👁️	eyes	lets you see colours, shapes and movement	seeing a red light or a car coming
Hearing 👂	ears	lets you hear sounds and voices	hearing a fire alarm or a car horn
Smell 👃	nose	lets you smell things in the air	smelling smoke or food that has gone bad
Taste 👅	tongue	lets you taste sweet, salty, sour and bitter	tasting that milk is sour, so you stop drinking
Touch ✋	skin	lets you feel hot, cold, soft, rough and pain	feeling a hot pot and pulling your hand away

Each sense sends messages to your brain. Your brain puts the messages together and figures out what they mean.

Worked example

Let's use our senses together

You are sitting at the kitchen table. Someone is making toast. Which senses tell you about the toast?

Smell: your nose smells the toast cooking.
Hearing: your ears hear the toaster pop. Pop!
Sight: your eyes see that the toast is golden brown.
Touch: your skin feels that the toast is warm and crunchy.
Taste: your tongue tastes it. Yum!

All five senses! Smell, hearing, sight, touch and taste.

Worked example

Let's think about safety

Liam smells smoke in the house and hears a beeping sound from the ceiling. What are his senses telling him?

Smell: smoke can mean a fire.
Hearing: the beeping is the smoke alarm.
Brain: puts the messages together: "This could be dangerous!"
Action: get out of the house quickly with his family and go to the meeting place outside.

His nose and ears warn him of danger, so he gets out safely. Our senses help keep us safe!

Just for fun

What has ears but cannot hear a single sound?

A cob of corn! 🌽

Hands-on activity

Mystery senses bag

You need: a pillowcase or bag, and a grown-up to choose safe objects (a spoon, a cotton ball, a pine cone, a mitten, a toy car).

Touch: close your eyes, put your hand in the bag and guess one object by feeling it. Is it soft, hard, rough or smooth?
Hearing: close your eyes while the grown-up makes sounds (a spoon tapping a cup, keys jingling). Guess the sound.
Smell: with eyes closed, smell safe things like an orange, a cinnamon stick or soap. Guess them.
Taste: with a grown-up's help only, taste a little lemon (sour) and a little honey (sweet).
Sight: play "I spy" around the room.

Never smell or taste things unless a trusted grown-up says they are safe.

Your turn

Name four body parts on your arm and hand.

What are private parts?

What are the correct names for private parts? Name two.

Name the five senses.

Which body part do you use to hear?

Which sense helps you know that a pot is too hot?

Say one kind thing about your own body.

More practice: warm-up

Which body part do you see with?

Which body part do you smell with?

Which body part tastes your food?

Point to your elbow, then your ankle.

True or false: Making fun of someone's body is kind.

More practice: on your own

Which two senses tell you a fire truck is coming down the street?

Why is it important to know the correct names for all body parts?

Which sense helps you know the milk has gone bad before you drink it?

Your friend wears glasses. Another child says glasses look silly. What could you say?

Your senses send messages. Where do the messages go?

Challenge

You're walking to the park. Give one way each of your senses could help you stay safe.

Your little cousin calls a private part a silly name. How could you help?

Your eyes are closed and someone hands you an orange. Which senses could you use to guess what it is?

Check your understanding

Quiz

How many senses do we learn about in this lesson?

Which body part is used for touch?

What are private parts?

Which is a correct name for a private part?

You hear a smoke alarm beeping. Which sense warned you?

Which is body-positive language?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: The Grade 1 curriculum asks students to identify body parts, including genitalia (e.g., penis, testicles, vagina, vulva), using correct terminology and body-positive language, and to identify the five senses and describe how each functions.

Why correct names? Using correct names helps children talk clearly with doctors and caregivers and treats these parts as normal. Health and child-protection experts note that children who know the correct words are better able to tell an adult if something is wrong. Say the words calmly and matter-of-factly, the same way you would say "elbow".

Families' choices: This lesson is part of Ontario's human development and sexual health expectations. In Ontario, parents may ask for their child to be exempted from this instruction at school. At home, you decide how and when to cover it, but we encourage you to use the correct names from this lesson.

How to help at home:

Use correct names during bath time or doctor visits.
If your child giggles, that's normal. Stay calm: "That's just the name for that body part."
Praise what bodies can do rather than how they look.

Common difficulties: mixing up vulva (outside) and vagina (inside); naming the senses but not the body part; forgetting that senses help keep us safe.