LOGICAL THINKING - Grade 1
Lesson 1 of 8
Activity 1
Motivate the students by letting them know that they are going to help be a detective today.
Read this story to the students:
Detective Daisy and her Missing Badge
Daisy the Duck loved solving mysteries. She even had a shiny detective badge she wore every day. But one morning, when she woke up in her cozy treehouse, her badge was gone!
“Oh no!” said Daisy. “Where could it be?”
She looked around and saw something strange—muddy paw prints on the floor. They were small, like a squirrel’s! Then she noticed her window was open.
Daisy waddled outside to look for more clues. She followed the tiny paw prints through her garden and over the little fence. The prints led right to Sammy Squirrel’s tree next door!
Just then, she saw her friend Ruby Robin flying back to her nest high in the branches. As Daisy looked up, something sparkled in the sunlight from the tree. She went back into her tree house to get her sunglasses and think about the clues.
Ask the students what clues does Daisy have so far? After discussing, continue reading.
“Hmmm,” thought Daisy. “That sparkle I saw could be my badge!”
She ran to her tool shed and grabbed a ladder. Carefully, she climbed up to Ruby’s nest.
There it was—her shiny detective badge!
“I’m so sorry!” said Ruby Robin. “I saw something shiny in your window and just had to see what it was. I didn’t mean to take it.”
Daisy smiled. “Thanks for telling the truth. Now… I wonder why Sammy Squirrel was in my house!”
And with that, Detective Daisy had her next mystery to solve.
Discussion
Did Detective Daisy use every clue? ( No, she did not use the muddy footprints.)
Is it often necessary to put more than one clue together to find the needed information to solve the problem?
Who automatically thought it was Sammy Squirrel based on the footprints?
It is important to wait when thinking about the clues. We want to avoid jumping to conclusions.
Activity 2
What Am I?
Give a blank piece of paper to each student and have them divide it into four sections. Read the below information to them. Using the clues, have them draw the animal being described and label the animal.
1. Who Am I?
I have feathers and a flat bill.
I love to swim and waddle on land.
I say "quack" when I talk.
2. Who Am I?
I have long ears and a fluffy tail.
I hop around and love to nibble on carrots.
I live in a cozy burrow underground.
3. Who Am I?
I have black and white fur.
When I'm scared, I spray a stinky smell.
I come out mostly at night.
4. Who Am I?
I can turn my head almost all the way around.
I stay awake at night and sleep during the day.
I hoot softly from the trees.
