Classification and clues formats

Students complete ‘classification activities’ involving clues, grouping objects, identifying larger and smaller classes, and creating clues to identify a character or member of a class.

Students learn that some things are in a particular class and other things not in that class. As the number of things in the class gets bigger, the number of things not gets smaller. Likewise, as the number of things in the class shrinks, the number of things not in that class increases.

Use an ‘auditory signal’ for this exercise because Students will focus on their books.

The Process

The process involves the following:

Say; “Everybody, find Part ‘D'” and make sure Students are on the correct Workbook page. 

Say; “Touch ‘Circle One’ (checks). The objects in circle one are tools. 

Listen: A ‘tool’ is made to help you do work. Touch ‘Circle Two (checks). The objects in circle two are vehicles. 

Listen: A ‘vehicle’ is made to take things places”.

Say; “Everybody, what is a ‘vehicle’ made to do?” and signal. 

Say; “What is a ‘tool’ made to do?” and signal. 

Repeat until firm. 

Say; “Get ready to play a game. Listen carefully: I’m thinking of an object in one of the circles. I’m going to give you clues. Here’s the first clue: The object I’m thinking of is a tool. So, you know which circle it must be in. Touch that circle”.

Signal and check responses.

Say; “Here’s the next clue: You use this tool to cut. Everybody, do you know which tool I’m thinking of yet?” and signal. 

Say; “But you should know some tools I could not be thinking of. I could not be thinking of a hammer. Why not?” and call on a student.

Say; “I could not be thinking of a screwdriver. Why not?” and call on a Student. 

Say; “I could be thinking of the saw because it’s a tool and you use a saw to cut. Or I could be thinking of scissors. How do you know could be thinking of scissors?” and call on a Student.

Say; “Here’s the next clue: This kind of tool cuts wood. Everybody, do you know which tool I’m thinking of yet?” and signal. 

Say; “Which tool?” and signal.

Says, ‘Listen: You cut with scissors. How do you know I wasn’t thinking of scissors?’ and calls on a student.

The teacher emphasises the words in bold by pausing and punching on those words. Pausing and punching means pausing briefly before the word, emphasising the word and pausing briefly after the word. 

Turn to page 26 in ‘RMSE-LA 2’ Teacher’s Guide. Practice exercise 5 with your partner with no student-errors.