For teachers and coaches
Is that really true?
10 minutes · all levels · checking claims
What the children learnnot simply to believe a move, but to check it. To refute a false claim with a rule or a reply.
What you needtwo short exercises, each with one claim. At least one claim is false; both may be false. The refutation is on your Planning sheet. Examples: “This move is checkmate.” – but the king can still get away. “Here White wins the queen.” – but the queen can move away. “The rook attacks the king.” – but a piece is in the way.
How it goes
- Say: “I will tell you claims, including false ones. You check them.”1 minute
- Claim 1: 45 seconds of quiet thinking, fist on the table. On “Now!” everyone shows at the same time: thumb up means “true”, thumb down means “not true”. The partners give each other reasons. One child shows at the front the move that proves it.3 minutes
- Claim 2 the same way.3 minutes
- Show each false claim again, with the refutation and the right solution. The children draw the refutation with the coloured pencil as an arrow beside the exercise, or circle the piece that is in the way. Each child explains one refutation to their partner.3 minutes
Level 1 and 2
read the claim aloud; the children check in the workbook.
From Level 3
show the position and the claim at the front.
Tip
the reason counts, not the majority. A third claim makes the exercise 13 minutes – then the playing time is 3 minutes shorter.
In a large class
reasons are given at the table first. At the front, children from the Listening list give the reasons.