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Grade: Elementary
Subject: Mathematics

#2253. Instructions

Mathematics, level: Elementary
Posted Sun May 13 20:30:39 PDT 2001 by Tania Yap (ytu_7@yahoo.com).
Singapore
Materials Required: Materials for making an apple pig
Activity Time: 1 hour
Concepts Taught: Importance of instructions

Objectives
Pupils should be able to
1. understand what instructions are.
2. recognise the importance of sequencing them.

Strategies
Game, Direct Teaching, Individual Activity and Group Activity

Context
In this lesson, pupils can practise listening, speaking and writing.

INTRODUCTION
Tuning-in:
1. Teacher teaches pupils to play the game 'Leading the Blind':
i. Blindfold Pupil A and get him to stand at a certain position in the classroom. Then, get him to turn round twice.
ii. Get Pupil B to stand at a corner of the classroom.
iii. Place obstacles (tables and chairs) between Pupils A and B.
2. Pupil B is to give instructions to Pupil A to move towards him, without bumping into the obstacles.

DEVELOPMENT
3. Teacher discusses with pupils on the importance of instructions. Ask pupils:
i. What happens if the instructions were unclear?
ii. What happens if the instructions were wrongly sequenced?
Explaining Language Feature:
4. Teacher explains that the instructions give the recipients information on how something should be done in order to achieve a goal.
5. Teacher to give examples of instructions: recipes, origami, etc.
6. Teacher also highlights that written instructions can involve number sequencing or words such as 'First', 'Next', 'Then', 'Finally', etc.

CONCLUSION
7. Teacher demonstrates making of an 'apple pig'.
8. After demonstration,
- the high ability pupils are to recall and write out the instructions for making the 'apple pig'.
- the middle ability pupils are to fill in missing information in the set of instructions for making the 'apple pig'.
- the low ability pupils are to fill in missing information in the set of instructions for making the 'apple pig' using helping words.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY
9. Teacher puts pupils into groups.
10. Each group is given two sets of instructions, all mixed up. The pupils have to sort out the instructions and arrange them in the correct sequence.

*Reference: http://family.go.com/features/family_1998_09/famf/famf98appleactivities/famf98appleactivities5.html