#1474. Is it in? Is it on? Is it under?

Language, level: Pre-School
Posted Thu Dec 30 18:36:11 PST 1999 by jeanne (jmhart@worldnet.att.net).
Wood Elementary School, Arlington, TX USA
Materials Required: 3 - 5 oz. plastic cup; m&m's, cereal pieces, or small blocks -- up to 10 pieces of one (1) type
Activity Time: 5 - 10 minutes
Concepts Taught: Positional words; following directions

OBJECTIVE: to help the students to master the concept of
position and to practice following directions.

PROCESS: each participant in the lesson (including teacher)
has1.) an empty cup (small)and 2.) some type of manipulative
(m&m's, cheerios, small blocks or beads, etc.) directly in
front of them. #1 -- teacher demonstrated placing manipulative
(1) IN cup; students imitate, then repeat (after teacher) the
_____ is IN the cup. (2) and (3) repeat as in (1) using concept
of ON and UNDER. (4) ask students to place manipulative in
various positions (IN, ON, UNDER) without imitating model.
(5) when lesson is completed, the students may 'eat' the
manipulatives used for the lesson (you might add a few extra for
those who didn't eat the ones started with ... as incentive to
keep the set intact for practice!)

ASSESS: later in day ... later in week, have students place
objects IN, ON, or UNDER different items in the room (as placing
backpack UNDER chair or a book IN the box by the door, etc.)
alternatively, ask student to place object somewhere in the room,
then have the student send a 'friend' to retrieve the object
'hidden' by the friend -- the student must use the position word
to describe the location.

EXTENSION: make it a position and number and/or color related
activity by telling the child to place ____(number), ____(color)
___(object name) in a specified location. To continue the
listening/direction following ... or 'reading/direction following
... nature, add other descriptors -- sizes, shapes, etc. to
continually challenge and enhance the child's attention to
detail in listening.