Inspired by: Children's Games - Week 2

In a vibrant lesson focused on writing captions, children delve into the world of games, both past and present. The task at hand is to bring to life various games by re-enacting them and capturing these moments with photographs. The children are then introduced to the concept of captions and labels, exploring their purpose and understanding how they aid readers. By examining examples around the classroom and in books, the children discuss the distinction between a label and a caption. They compare simple game names to more descriptive sentences, such as "Playing Jacks" versus "Two girls are playing a game of jacks," noticing the added context and detail provided by a caption. Working in pairs or small groups, the children are encouraged to observe different games and articulate captions that succinctly describe the actions they see. This exercise hones their ability to craft complete sentences that convey a clear message, with the added challenge of extending captions over two lines to maintain clarity.

Another engaging activity focuses on sequencing sentences through the game of Hoop and Stick. Children first observe a painting, guessing the game depicted, and then venture outdoors to experiment with hoops themselves. They explore various actions with the hoops, such as spinning and rolling, and learn to guide a rolling hoop with a stick. Documenting each stage with photographs, the children then sequence these images and write instructional sentences using time connectives like "First," "Then," and "Finally." This activity not only teaches sequencing but also allows children to exercise creativity in naming the game they've learned to play. Additionally, the lesson incorporates the use of prepositional language. Children are tasked with creating sentences using words like "up," "down," and "into," as they describe the various actions captured in the pictures. Through oral rehearsal and interactive games, they practice using prepositions such as "in front of," "behind," "above," and "between," further developing their ability to form coherent sentences with clear spatial context.