Students learn how to classify items and numbers on Venn Diagrams using computer applets.

Upon completion of this lesson, students will:

• have used Venn diagrams to sort objects based on characteristics

Technological: Students must be able to:
• perform basic mouse manipulations such as point, click and drag

Students will need:

• an opaque bag (only one for the class)
• two soft squishable objects (per class)
• two hard objects (per class)
• one large marshmallow (per class)
• one apple (per class)
• access to a browser (each)
• pencil and paper (each)

1. Focus and Review
   
   • Ask for several volunteers. Have a volunteer reach into the opaque bag and describe different characteristics one object in the bag. Have the student remove the object he/she just described from the bag and place it on the table so that the class can see it. Record the descriptions on the board and label them object 1. Have the second volunteer describe the characteristics of another object in the bag. Record the descriptions on the board and label them object 2. Continue this process until all the objects in the bag have been described and recorded.
   
   
   
   
2. Objectives
   
   • Tell the students they will be learning about a new way of sorting objects using a Venn diagram.
   
   
3. Guided Practice
   
   • Draw two large interconnecting circles on the board.
   • Choose two reoccurring characteristics among the items in the bag. For example: hard and soft.
   • Have a couple of the students come up to the board and place the objects into the appropriate circles.
   • After the students have finished placing all the items in the correct areas of the Venn Diagram, re-label the circles, and rearrange the items into the appropriate sections of the new Venn Diagram.
   
   
4. Independent Practice
   
   • Have the students open their browsers to the Venn Diagram and the applets.
   • Explain how to use the applets.
   • Have the students work with the Venn Diagram applet.
   • Wander around the room to ensure that everyone is on task and understands how to use the applet.
   • Instruct the students to switch to the Venn Diagram shape sorter applet and begin working with it.
   • Wander around the room to ensure that everyone is on task and understands how to use the applet.
   
   
5. Closure
   
   • Review how to classify items using a Venn Diagram.
   • Review all pertinent terminology.
   
   

If students struggle with the questions in the Venn Diagram activity have them try to write some of their own. You can even have them email their ideas to Interactivate (see link at bottom of screen) to get implemented in the site!