objects

Sorting Objects Objectively

In this unit you practiced sorting different types of things into groups and subgroups. Tomorrow during class you will be working on a similar activity but with objects that you bring from home.

Step 1 (homework for 3/24/14): Gather about 12 to 15 objects that are fairly small and that you can bring to school for the day. The objects should have one thing in common, but be different from each other in quite a few ways. Here are some examples of collections that I've seen kids use in the past for this assignment, but try to think "outside the box" and choose objects that you think no one else will choose.

• 1. stamps

  2. buttons

  3. writing implements

  4. coins

  5. hardware

  6. movies (DVDs)

  7. music

  8. books

  9. pictures from catalogs

  10. family pictures

  11. the contents of a pencil pouch

  12. contents of a "junk" drawer

  13. nail polish or other kind of make-up item

  14. webkinz, LPS, or other small stuffies/toys

  15. Lego pieces

  16. cards

  17. Things related to Kevin Gager

Step 2 (in class 3/25/14): During class you will separate them into groups. Use objective 'rules' and create groups of similar numbers of things. Write the rules in each part of the bubble diagram as well as the number of things that go in that part. On a piece of scratch paper or post-it, create an "answer key" that lists all of the objects in at their bottom level, from left to right.

Step 3: During class you will give your sheet and your objects to someone else. They will try to follow your 'rules' in order to sort the objects in the exact same way that you did. If they need to ask you for clarrification or if they don't get the same results on the bottom line that you did, then you need to change the way that you write your statements so that they won't be open to intrepretation.

Step 4: Turn in the pyramid sheet and the answer sheet, but not the objects.