Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities Activities for Primary 6

Title: Life CyclesArea of Learning:Language and LiteracyPossible Learning Intentions:Write for a variety of purposes and audiences, selecting, planning and usingappropriate style and form.Thinking Skills/Personal Capabilities:Managing Information: Communicate with a sense of audience and purpose.Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:Examine options and weigh up pros and cons.Activity:Use information to label a cyclical diagram. The diagram is to be used byyounger children so it is important to make sure the labels are written for theappropriate age group.Classroom Management:Groups of two or moreHow It Works:• Look at a collection of information books aimed at children aged 9-11 andcompare them with books written for 4-5 year olds. Discuss the differencesin the language and layout, e.g. text size, amount of text, pictures and use oftechnical language.• Explain that they are going to consider this in more detail by analyzing a textfor older children and making it applicable for a younger child.• In groups give the children a copy of the text (Pupil Resource Sheet – LifeCycle of the Frog) to read and discuss its suitability for younger children.• Share the cyclical diagram (Pupil Resource Sheet). How might this be used topresent the information to younger children? Why is it called a ‘cyclicaldiagram’? Do pictures help younger children understand the text? Would achild unable to read still get information from this diagram?- 44 -