Who Knows What? Stories About What People Saw
Six short stories where one person missed something that happened. The student works out what that person knows and will do.
Leo puts his cookie in his lunch bag and goes outside. While he is gone his sister moves it to the fridge. Where will Leo look for his cookie first?
Session summary (SOAP)
Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.
Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.
How to run it
Read each story slowly and ask the student to retell it before choosing, so you know the facts landed. Then ask the key question: did they see it happen? Drawing a quick sketch of who was where can help. After each answer, ask what the person will feel when they find out, which links knowing to feeling.
Cueing ladder
Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.
- IndependentSet up the situation and wait for the student to respond on their own.Log as correct
- Nonverbal cueUse a look, a gesture or a point to the visual cue card.Log as cued
- Indirect promptAsk 'What could you say now?' or 'How do you think they feel?'Log as cued
- ModelShow what to say or do, then run the moment again so the student can try it.Log as cued
Adjust it
Give a script or two choices of what to say, and practise with you before a peer.
Role-play with a new partner, or add a twist the student has not planned for.
Matching IEP goal
Given social scenarios, Student will identify another person's thoughts or feelings and give a reason in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions, given no more than an indirect prompt.
Send it home through the parent portal →About this activity
Six short stories built on one idea: people act on what they know, not on what really happened while they were away. Leo's cookie is moved to the fridge while he is outside; Ana was never told the party moved; Max has not looked inside the crayon box full of buttons. The student works out what each person knows and what they will do. The last story is a check, because Kim watched the move.
What to listen for
Notice whether the student answers with where the cookie really is rather than where Leo thinks it is. That is the most common pattern and the heart of the skill. The Kim story shows whether the student is reasoning about seeing or just always choosing the old place. Listen for the word because in their answers; it shows the reasoning is theirs.
Carrying it home
At home, play hide and find with a twist: move an object while one person is out of the room and ask where they will look. Talk about surprises and secrets, which are built on someone not knowing. When a mix-up happens in real life, explain it in terms of who knew what, so the child hears the idea used naturally.
What's in this activity
- Leo puts his cookie in his lunch bag and goes outside. While he is gone his sister moves it to the fridge. Where will Leo look for his cookie first?
- In his lunch bag
- In the fridge
- Outside
- Ana thinks the party is on Saturday. Nobody told her it moved to Friday. On which day will Ana come to the party?
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
- A crayon box is full of buttons instead of crayons. Max has not looked inside. What will Max think is in the box?
- Buttons
- Nothing
- Crayons
- Mom hides a birthday gift in the closet while Sara is at school. Does Sara know about the gift?
- No. She did not see it
- Yes. It is in her house
- Yes. Mom told the dog
- Jon was out of the room when the teacher explained the new game. What does Jon need?
- Nothing. He knows the game
- Someone to explain the rules
- A new pencil
- Kim saw her friend put the ball in the red bin. Then the coach moved it to the blue bin while Kim watched. Where will Kim look for the ball?
- In the red bin
- In the blue bin
- On the field
Questions
- Who is this for?
- Students in grades 2 through 5 working on theory of mind and perspective-taking, including students who find it hard to separate what they know from what others know.
- Can I change the items?
- Yes. Open it in the Activity Studio, edit or add items and keep the same board, or switch it to another template that fits the content.
- Is it free?
- Yes. It plays free in the browser with no login. An account adds session data, goal scoring and assignment to a student.
Use this board with your caseload
With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.
Track progress freeFree for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.