Sample Show and Tell Lesson - for math and science education
This sample Show and Tell Lesson, using the items the children bring to class (see previous page), gives you an idea of how you can use the items the children bring for a science or math lesson.
After completing the preliminary steps on the previous page, the children place their Show and Tell items on the center of the carpet, then sit down in a circle around them.
Start with observation type questions
Example: Each child brings a feather for show and tell.
"What do you notice about the feathers? How are they the same? How are they different? Lets sort the feathers by size. Which feather is the largest? Which is the smallest?
Lets make a long line of feathers, starting at the red block with the widest and ending here at the blue block with the narrowest. Everybody takes a turn placing his or her feather with student or teacher suggestions to rearrange items when necessary.
Now lets sort the feathers by feathers with spots and feathers without spots. We can put the feathers with spots on this mat and the feathers without spots on the other mat.
Continue with further investigations.
Examples, Are there more lighter feathers or more darker feathers? Are there fewer ... or fewer ...?
This sample Show and Tell lesson is flexible, easy to change to suit whatever items the children bring, and easy to implement with larger groups of children.
When there is a large quantity of the same object it is easy to use them for:
- Observing with magnifying glasses
- Counting
- Graphing
- Extending vocabulary
- Comparing
- Sorting and classifying
- Making and labeling collections
- Writing about "what I noticed"
Record Show and Tell Observations
I encourage children to record their observations to the best of their ability. This skill will increase as you model the process for the children.
Scroll down the science center page for an example of how to encourage your students to record their observations. Verbalize your thinking process as you draw. Stamp the drawing with a date stamp. Once you have modeled what you want the children to do, have them repeat the process.
