Exploring Our Toys

Overview

In this first lesson of the unit Toys and Childhood Traditions, students begin by exploring toys they play with today. They use hands-on sorting and simple speaking/drawing to identify similarities and differences over time-ready for later lessons.

Learning intentions

WALT: Identify toys we play with today.

Success criteria

• I can name at least three toys I play with today.
• I can draw each toy clearly.
• I can label my drawings using pictures or simple words.
• I can share one toy with a partner and say where/how I play with it.

Curriculum links

• Humanities and Social Sciences: Continuity and change between aspects of students’ daily lives and their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods (identifying toys and daily play experiences as a starting point for comparing past and present).
• Humanities and Social Sciences: Collect, sort and record information using provided sources (class sorting of toy pictures) and recording what we learn.
• English (Literacy): Create and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations with an opening, middle and concluding statement (sharing a toy talk with clear beginning/end) and use content-specific vocabulary.
• Learning as inquiry skills: Use evidence from observations (what toys we see and use) to make simple statements and conclusions about what is similar in daily play.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (shared play memory). Teacher shows 6–8 toy picture cards and asks: “Which toys do you play with? Point to one.” Students respond by pointing and telling a single word to a partner.

2. 5–12 min · Explicit teaching (model and words). Teacher models: “Today I play with a ball and a doll. First I name the toy, next I draw it, then I label it.” Teacher draws a quick example on the board (circle of drawing → add label → add one play detail). Students practise orally with the sentence starter: “Today I play with a ____.”

3. 12–20 min · Hands-on sorting (information gathering). Teacher sets up two sorting options: “I have / I don’t have” (or “Play at home / Play at school” if appropriate). Students place toy picture cards into categories and choose 3 they identified as toys they play with. Teacher circulates, prompting: “Tell me one toy and how you play with it.”

4. 20–27 min · Record (draw and label). Students complete a “My Toys Today” page: draw at least three toys and label each (words, or a picture/letter for support). Dyslexia-friendly option: students choose pre-printed label cards (e.g., “ball”, “doll”, “car”) to copy/attach.

5. 27–30 min · Quick share + formative check. Students turn and talk to a partner: “First… Next… Last…” Partner listens and checks their success criteria checklist (“named 3”, “drew 3”, “label 3”). Teacher takes a fast look at 5–6 students’ pages.

Resources

• Toy picture cards (assorted: ball, doll, car, blocks, teddy, puzzles, etc.)
• Class sorting mat headings (e.g., “I have” and “I don’t have”)
• “My Toys Today” drawing/record sheet (3–4 boxes)
• Pre-printed label cards for common toys (with picture + word)
• Coloured pencils/crayons
• Sentence starter strips: “Today I play with a ____.”
• Teacher example sheet (model drawing)
• Clipboard for quick teacher observation notes

Assessment

• Teacher observation during sorting: can the student name toys they play with today?
• Check drawings/labels at the end: evidence of at least three toys named/drawn and at least partial labeling.
• Partner checklist during the final 3 minutes to confirm speaking targets (“First/Next/Last” structure).

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide pre-printed toy label cards (picture + word) and allow students to attach labels rather than write independently.
• Sentence starters and word banks at tables (only a small set of toy words).
• Offer a “choose from 5” option rather than open choice for students who need reduced cognitive load.
• Extension (advanced learners):
• Challenge: draw 3 toys and add one “How it helps me play/learn” detail (e.g., “My blocks help me build tall towers.”).
• Add a fourth toy from a different category (e.g., outdoor toy) and share one similarity/difference in play with a partner.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options:
• Use picture-first identification: students select cards by image.
• Use short label cards to read/attach rather than independent copying.
• Keep labels consistent across cards and worksheets (same toy word and picture).
• Additional scaffold for speaking:
• Use a gesture routine for “First / Next / Last” (point to head → hands drawing → point to ending) to support clarity and memory.