ICT at key stages 1 and 2 (Year 2)

Unit 2E: Questions and answers
Section 2: SHORT FOCUSED TASKS

Objectives

Children should learn:

key idea: that there are different types of questions which can be answered in different ways

Activities		Outcomes
		Children:
Discuss with the children the kind of information that might be useful when looking at houses (but any topic would do). Ask children to suggest questions to find out the information needed. Record these questions so that all children can see them. Select one of the questions and ask the children what types of answers they would expect. If the question is, Which family lives in this house? they might suggest a surname as the answer. Write down the answer. There will be a different answer for each house they consider. If the question is, Does this house have a garden? there can be two possible answers - yes or no. These are the types of questions that will be practised over the next few activities. Games such as 'Guess Who' provide an excellent way of practising the asking of questions with yes or no answers. You can make your own version of the game using coloured photographs of children in the class. Children should be encouraged to ask simple questions, eg Is it a boy? In response to the answer, children should turn over the photographs that do not comply. This process should be completed until only one photograph remains.		understand what is meant by 'information' construct questions suggest plausible answers understand the difference between questions and answers ask questions that comply with the rule that it can only have a yes or no answer

Points to note

It is important that children understand that when questions are asked answers can be: a word, yes or no, a number, a sentence or a description.

Although the main focus at this stage is to practise asking questions with yes or no answers, children will go on to look at other types of questions and answers.

Such activities provide a concrete context for asking and answering questions and using the information to find the solution. Another variation is to play games to find a number. Give each pupil a number line and some counters. One person thinks of a number and writes it down so they cannot cheat! Children ask questions such as Is it an even number? or Is it less than n? They use the counters to cover the numbers that do not comply. This is a very good way of 'making the thinking visible' and discussing strategies for solving these problems.

Sections in this unit

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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.


	1. SETTING THE SCENE
	2. SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
	3. SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
	4. SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
	5. SHORT FOCUSED TASKS
	6. INTEGRATED TASK

ICT at key stages 1 and 2 (Year 2)

Objectives

Activities

Outcomes

Points to note

Sections in this unit