Connected and unconnected

Key ideas

Properties, classification. How do we classify things? What makes something part of a group? This session asks children to make connections and see similarities in things that they may not have previously and then generate reasons for it.

Resources

You can use a whole bunch of things to make this session interesting.  For example, I usually just grab odd-looking things from wherever I can:

• Mobile
• Pen
• Ball
• Umbrella
• Scarf
• Drum
• Lego brick
• Keys
• A fossil

Place one object in the middle. Ask a child to draw another object (a mobile, for example) then they have to say whether it goes with the keys.

 

Task Questions:

• Does it go with the keys?
• Why? Why not?
• Would anyone like to put 2 things (that they think are connected) in the circle?
• Would anyone like to put 3 things in?
• Can you put more than three things in?
• What about all of them?
• Are there any things that can’t go together?

 

Show me strategy

If the children are not able to say where the object goes. Then you can place on object in the circle and ask them to place the other in or out of the circle.  Ask them why they placed it where they did or ask other children to say why they placed it where they did.

 

Game (optional)

Teacher stands in the middle and and says a word. ‘Apple’, for example. Then children can try to offer a word (any word) that is not connected with apple. If someone says ‘grass’ (for example) the others have the opportunity to challenge by explaining why they are connected (because apples and grass are green)

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