This document describes a learning task where students match laminated picture cards of real and imaginary objects under the corresponding headings, with the goal of helping students distinguish between real and imaginary things by recognizing patterns in images from stories, television and movies. The task accommodates different abilities and can be made easier by using subsets of the cards or more advanced by mixing all cards.

1. ECED4080 Creating Materials for Use by Young Children
Sample Album of Learning Task Documentation Entry
Learning Task: Real & Imaginary – Match
Description:
Students work independently trying to
decide whether an image a card represents a
real or imaginary thing. Laminated cards
with pictures of animals, people, and
inanimate objects are used. There is
matching picture of a real thing for each Student Learning Outcomes:
imaginary thing. A header card provides
both the heading in either Arabic or English Reading:
and a sample picture of an imaginary duck
• uses and interprets pictures in books to
and a real duck. The student browses
‘read’
through the cards until a match of a real and
an imaginary thing are found. The matching
Understands Media Materials:
pair is then placed beside each other under
• distinguishes between the imaginary
the appropriate heading. The activity can be
and the real
used either on a table or on the floor. While
there are eighteen matching things a subset
Prerequisite Concepts, Skills, & Values:
of these can be used for students beginning
this activity. • follows class routines for selecting,
using and returning individual learning
Learning task adapted from: tasks
Child Care Centre, Sultan Qaboos • adopts class routines for obtaining
University. teacher support to demonstrate
learning tasks and to obtain assistance
Age Group: • has experienced stories, television, or
4.5 to 6.5 years cinema where real and imaginary
characters are depicted
Subject Area: • has experience finding similarities and
Language differences in pictures
• recognizes one to one correspondence
Subject Strands: and can match similar objects and
Reading & Understands Media Materials pictures
Subject Topic: Learning Theory & Instructional
Real & Imaginary Things Strategies:
• the activity is based upon a cognitive
Background Information: approach where students make links
Children are often confused between what is with previous experiences
real and imaginary particularly when they • a teacher demonstration is how the
see quite realistic characters on television learning task commences
and in the cinema. By comparing images of • this activity can be thought of as an
the real with the imaginary children, begin to advanced organizer for the more
recognize patterns. It is important that these complex concept of fiction and non-
concepts are reinforced as they are applied fictions literature
during the reading of storybooks and factual
texts.

2. ECED4080 Creating Materials for Use by Young Children
Student Characteristics Accommodated:
• accommodating linguistic, spatial
and naturalistic intelligences was
important in the design of this
activity as student enjoy matching
people, animals and things from their
world of literature and media.
• having the ability to rearrange the
cards as they recognize patterns and
self-correct allows children to work
in a trial and error type of strategy.
• children only engage in this activity
when it is developmentally
appropriate for them and are not
forced to move along with the entire
class or through the forced
progression inherent to printed
workbooks
Introduction of the Learning Task:
• Show the child how to remove the
activity tray from the shelf noting the
placement of each item.
• Take the learning task to an open
space at a table.
• Demonstrate how to take the cards
out of the plastic bag and place them
under the column headers. Using Partial Decks of Cards:
• The level of difficulty of this
Checklist of Tray Items: learning task can be adjusted by
• tray or box using subsets of the eighteen cards
• plastic zip-lock bag containing the provided.
subset of cards that the student will • Perhaps all of the cards related to
use. people could be used initially.
• Card not used at the time should be • This could be followed by using a set
stored in a safe easily locatable of cards showing animals.
place. • A third subset would consist of cards
with non-living things.
Extension Activities: • For more advance students the
1. Students could use the entire set of difficulty could be increase by
cards rather than a subset. mixing these subset until all eighteen
2. Students should be asked to identify cards are in play.
characters and objects in stories read
to them are real or imaginary.
3. Students could identify characters in
drama, television, animation, or
movies are real or imaginary.

3. ECED4080 Creating Materials for Use by Young Children
Enrichment Activities: Evaluation Rubric:
1. Students could use make finger 1. Does not distinguish between the
puppets of things both real and imaginary and the real.
imaginary. 2. Begins to distinguish between
2. Students could use real and imaginary cartoons and real life.
objects as sets for workjobs in math 3. Distinguishes between cartoons
or language. and real life.
3. Students involved in role-play 4. describes the differences between
activities could be asked whether their animations and real life.
characters were real or imaginary.
Vocabulary:
Assessment Techniques: real, imaginary, cartoon, living, non-
• Student compares objects aligned to living, animation
ensure that they are a matching pair
and that each is under the correct References:
header as a self-correction exercise. Images from Clipart.com, Animation
• Instructor observes student while Factory.com, and Hermera Photo–
working and provides formative Objects.
feedback.
• Instructor examines and analyzes Comments, Hints, & Suggestions:
finished product. • Use a glue stick to anchor the
pictures on a card before
Feedback Suggestions: applying the sticky film.
• How can you decide which column
an image should go in? Key Words:
• What is difference in pictures that are real, imaginary, living, non-living,
real from the imaginary ones? animation, match, pattern recognition,
• Which image does not belong in this fiction, n0n-fiction
column?
• All of the images are in the correct
columns! Which images do not fit
together?
• All of the images match their twin.
Which ones need to change
columns?