The Detective Game is one of the most engaging language games in the primary classroom! It consists of a wooden box with a lid containing triangles that vary in shape, size, and color. This work is first introduced as a one-on-one lesson, then can be practiced independently or within a small group. The presentation aims to emphasize the function and importance of adjectives. It requires learners to have prior geometry knowledge, which is reinforced during this exercise. Learners are asked to bring forward a triangle and are provided minimal information regarding the characteristic of the triangle that the adult has in mind. Slowly, the adult incites curiosity and provides more and more information until the child has enough information to guess what the triangle in question might be. You will find below a demonstration of how this presentation can be conducted.
Materials
- Detective Adjective Exercise or Detective Adjective Exercise (Premium Quality)
- Detective Adjective Task Cards (Printed)
1-Introduction with Labels
Bring the Detective Game to the working space, preferably a mat, and let the children know they will be working with the Detective Game. Tell children that you will ask for specific triangles and that their role as a detective will be to find this triangle. Lay out all the triangles on the mat, and set the box aside. Lay out all the label cards (included in the Detective Game Task Cards) on the side of the workspace in the following order: the triangle, red, blue, yellow, small, medium, large, scalene, isosceles, equilateral, acute-angled, obtuse-angled, and right-angled. Place the labels “the” and “triangle” in front of you.
Ask a child to give you “the triangle.” The child will likely look confused and ask which one. You may admit that you need to be more specific. Continue by asking, “the red triangle.” The child will still be unable to provide the triangle you have in mind. Encourage her to bring all the red triangles forward. Say that you will be more specific; bring the label “small” forward, and add it to the other labels in front of you. it should read, “the small red triangle.” Encourage the child to sort the triangles and set aside all the large and medium triangles. By narrowing the choices now, the child is getting close to guessing what triangle you are referring to. You now have small scalene, isosceles, and equilateral triangles. Add the label “scalene” to the phrase: “the small red scalene triangle.” Have the child remove all equilateral and isosceles triangles and put them away. You now have small red scalene triangles. It has a right angle. Select the label “right-angled” and add it to the phrase “the small red right-angled scalene triangle.”
You may practice with children as many times as needed. Once they feel comfortable, you may encourage them to use the Detective Game Task Cards independently or with partners.
2-Practice with Task Cards
Detective Game Task Cards is an excellent supplemental material that will encourage your learners to continue working with adjectives that relate to geometry. This knowledge will also be instrumental in the elementary years, where students will be required to identify geometric shapes based on characteristics such as side length (scalene, isosceles, equilateral) and angles (right, obtuse, acute).
The Task Cards set consists of 63 cards with commands. Children can work independently by selecting a card from the set and searching for the corresponding triangle. They can also use the set of Task Cards with a partner. Each child takes turns selecting a card from the pile and has their partner guess which triangle they need to find by disseminating information as they go. For example, for the following task: “Find the large blue obtuse-angled scalene triangle,” a learner might ask to find the “blue” triangle, then “large,” then “scalene,” then “obtuse-angled.” The child providing the information may serve as a control of errors by agreeing or disagreeing with the child, who is the detective.
The classic Montessori Detective Game, accompanied by our exclusive Detective Game Task Cards ensures long-lasting knowledge through collaborative work! For more Montessori materials with supplemental materials, visit our website www.alisonsmontessori.com.
