Where Is It?

Overview

In this lesson, kindergarten students practice positional words through movement, object hunts, pictures, and partner talk. This is Lesson 10 of 11 in “Hello, Changes Over Time” and builds classroom communication routines while preparing students to describe where objects are located.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Understand and use the words near, far, above, and below.
• Follow one-step and two-step directions using positional vocabulary.
• Identify an object’s location in relation to another object.
• Speak and listen appropriately with a partner.

Success criteria

• I can show what near, far, above, and below mean.
• I can follow a direction using a location word.
• I can tell a partner where one object is compared with another.
• I can listen, take turns, and use a complete sentence.

Curriculum links

• Speaking and Listening — participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults.
• Speaking and Listening — ask and answer questions about a topic or classroom experience.
• Speaking and Listening — describe familiar objects and experiences clearly.
• Language — use newly learned words and phrases in meaningful conversations.
• Reading History/Social Studies — integrate visual information from pictures with information heard and discussed.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Carpet hook and routines. Open with the opening picture and question and ask, “Where is the teddy bear?” Model sitting with hands in lap, eyes watching, and a quiet signal before showing a picture of a teddy bear near, far, above, and below a chair. Students look, think, and answer using one location word; practice the listening routine by turning their bodies toward the speaker.

2. 4–9 min · Teach the vocabulary with movement. Use the positional vocabulary slides and demonstrate each word with a classroom object and floor markers: place a beanbag near and far from a cone, then hold it above and below the cone. Students copy each movement and repeat the words with gestures. Check understanding by saying a word and having students show it with their hands or bodies.

3. 9–15 min · Follow-the-direction game. Clear a safe space and place two floor markers several steps apart. Use the movement direction prompts to give one-step directions such as “Stand near the blue marker” or “Put your hands above your head.” After several successful turns, give two-step directions such as “Stand far from the red marker, then crouch below the picture.” Students move only after listening to the complete direction, then freeze and show the position.

4. 15–22 min · Classroom object hunt. Display the object hunt instructions and quietly place or identify familiar objects around the room, such as a book, pencil cup, backpack, or tissue box. In pairs, students take turns choosing an object and locating another object that is near, far, above, or below it. Partners use the sentence frame, “The ___ is ___ the ___.” Students may point first, then say the sentence together before switching roles.

5. 22–27 min · Picture and partner descriptions. Distribute the picture location worksheet. Model one example by thinking aloud: “The kite is above the child.” Students complete the picture-matching and oral description tasks with a partner, circling or drawing to show locations and saying at least two sentences. Invite two or three pairs to share while the class shows a quiet thumbs-up when they hear a positional word.

6. 27–30 min · Review and exit check. Return to the review and closing slide and show four quick pictures. Students respond with the correct location word, then complete an individual oral exit check: each student describes one classroom object in relation to another, using “The ___ is ___ the ___.” Record whether the student uses the word accurately and follows the closing direction.

Resources

• the positional vocabulary and activity slide deck
• the picture location worksheet
• Teddy bear or soft classroom object
• Beanbag and two colored floor markers
• Familiar classroom objects
• Pencils or crayons
• Open, safe movement space
• Teacher observation checklist

Assessment

• During movement, check whether students respond correctly to near, far, above, and below without copying a peer.
• During partner work, listen for accurate positional vocabulary, complete sentences, turn-taking, and understanding of the object relationship.
• Use the final oral exit check to record whether each student can describe one object’s location relative to another.

Differentiation

• Demonstrate every word physically and keep the matching visual word card or picture visible during all activities.
• Begin with one-step directions, repeat them using consistent language, and move to two-step directions only when students are ready.
• Use real objects, floor markers, gestures, and pointing before expecting students to produce spoken answers.
• Pair learners strategically so a confident model can demonstrate, while allowing students who need support to answer through pointing, repeating, or using the frame “The ___ is ___ the ___.”
• Provide additional wait time, close teacher proximity, and a quiet movement space for students with attention, sensory, communication, or motor needs. Challenge ready students to describe two relationships in one sentence, such as “The book is near the cup and below the shelf.”