For teachers and coaches
Motif detectives
15 minutes · all levels · pair work, no contest
What the children learnthe children recognise which pieces work together. They look for the name of the motif, for example “fork”, only after they have found the move – not in the heading in the workbook.
What you needthree exercises the children have not solved yet, from three different chapters. (If they all come from one chapter, the page already gives the motif away.) Cover sheets for the headings. Three or four Motif cards per pair, for motifs already covered.
How it goes
- Say: “First the move, then which pieces work together, and the card last.” On exercise 1, A suggests the move and B checks. Then they swap.1 minute
- Exercise 1: one minute thinking alone. A names the move, B checks. Both explain to each other which pieces work together, and lay a card face down. On “Now!” everyone shows the move and the card. You show the solution.4 minutes
- Exercise 2 the same way; now B suggests.4 minutes
- Exercise 3 the same way; now A again.4 minutes
- Each child draws or writes in the workbook which pieces worked together in one of the exercises.2 minutes
Level 1 and 2
the cards “attack” and “protect” are enough. A correct description counts even without the technical word.
From Level 3
show the exercises at the front; if needed, the pairs check on the board.
Tip
if two motifs fit, both are right. When you show the solution, ask: “Which pieces work together, and what does each one do?”
Odd numbers
one pair works as three (see How every exercise runs).
In a large class
the children at the table compare their cards before you show the solution.