Organise vocabulary by meaningful subject relationships.
Melting · energy transferred to the substance
Freezing · energy transferred from the substance
Evaporation · particles escape at the surface
Condensation · energy transferred from the substance
Science: sort melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation by direction of state change; then regroup by whether energy is transferred to or from the substance.
Choose a small set of terms and a sorting rule connected to the subject concept.
Introduce the sorting criterion with one example.
Pairs sort the words and mark uncertain choices.
Discuss a borderline item using evidence or a definition.
Change the criterion and explain why the grouping changes.
Remove category labels and ask learners to propose a useful classification.
Keep the subject challenge. Offer one model, visual or language prompt where needed, then check a fresh independent response.
Choose a small set of terms and a sorting rule connected to the subject concept.
Introduce the sorting criterion with one example. Pairs sort the words and mark uncertain choices.
Use a new term or diagram and ask for the criterion, not just the pile.
Remove category labels and ask learners to propose a useful classification.
Use a new term or diagram and ask for the criterion, not just the pile.
Adapt these prompts to the task and your learners.
Our purpose is: Organise vocabulary by meaningful subject relationships.
Which detail supports your explanation? Show me how you know.
Try the new case on your own. Show the detail or reasoning that supports your answer.
Which support do you still need, and which part can you now do independently?
Maths: sort quadrilaterals by properties, allowing overlapping categories.
Humanities: sort causes into short-term and long-term, discussing disputed cases.
Use a small word bank, visuals and partner rehearsal when needed. Extend with precise explanations and qualifications. Judge the support from the response to this task.
Keep the strategy. Change the subject.
Use the task, response and evidence check as a starting point for your curriculum.
Sort melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation by their starting and ending states.
Melting is solid to liquid; condensation is gas to liquid.
Invite a second sort by energy transferred to or from the substance.
Sort statements into observation, interpretation and unsupported claim.
“The poster addresses young men” is an observation; “everyone agreed” is an unsupported claim.
Ask learners to justify any disputed placements with evidence.
Sort whispered, roared, murmured and shouted using a named criterion.
Whispered and murmured describe quieter speech; shouted and roared suggest louder speech.
Discuss how context can affect a word’s force rather than insisting on one fixed ranking.
Sort y = 2x, y = 3x, y = 2x + 1 and y = x² into categories.
The first two are directly proportional; y = 2x + 1 is linear but not directly proportional.
Ask where y = x² belongs and why it does not fit either linear group.