About this activity
Twelve questions split between why and how: why is the sky blue, why do we sleep, why did you laugh, why do we wear coats in winter, why does ice melt; how do you make a sandwich, how does a car move, how do plants grow, how do birds fly, how do you tie your shoes, how do you get to school. Both demand explanation rather than identification, which makes them the hardest question words.
How to use it in a session
Do the personal why questions before the general ones. Why did you laugh has an answer the child owns; why is the sky blue requires knowledge they may not have, and failing on the second says nothing about their question comprehension. The how questions want a sequence rather than a single answer — how do you make a sandwich should produce several steps, and one step is an incomplete answer.
What to listen for
Listen for because clauses on the why answers. Cold is an answer and because it is cold is the target, and the clause is what school will require. Watch the how answers for sequence: a student who says with bread has named an ingredient rather than described a process, which is the characteristic error and needs a different prompt.
Carrying it home
Why questions are constant with young children, usually in the other direction. Answering in a full because sentence, and asking one back, gives the structure without any materials.
Questions
- What grades is this for?
- First through fourth, after who, what, where and when are secure.
- Do I need an account?
- No, all twelve questions are free to use here.
- Why are these harder than the other question words?
- Because they need explanation rather than identification. Who and where can be answered by pointing; why needs a causal clause and how needs a sequence, both of which are much larger language demands.