Exploring concepts Opposites Up and Down

What’s included?

x4 pages, landscape orientation, pdf format.

What’s it for?

This resource has been designed to investigate the concept of ‘up’ and ‘down’ by looking at six pairs of images which demonstrate this concept. The images included can be interpreted in different ways and this activity provides opportunity for learners to explain their thinking, developing their speaking and listening skills.

Who’s it for?

This resource has been designed for early years aged children. This resource may also be suitable for older learners needing to revisit/explore this concept further.

Preparation

Print sheets on to paper/card stock, cut out (following dotted lines) and laminate. Shuffle pairs of picture cards and place on a table top with the two 'sorting sheets' ready for learners to organise.

How to use this resource

This activity is suitable for learners to use individually, in pairs or small groups or even a large group/whole discussion, introductory or recap carpet session.

Learners look at the images and pair these as one image showing 'up' and the matching image showing 'down'. Once pairs have been matched these can be placed onto the correct 'sorting sheet', labelled up/down. Encourage learners to explain their thinking to develop and improve their speaking, listening and reasoning skills.

Resource Details

Pages 1 and 2 There are x6 pairs of images which are examples of up/down. Learners first match the pairs of images and identify which shows 'up' and which shows 'down.

Pages 3 and 4 Once the pairs have been matched (pages 1 and 2), learners sort these into two groups using these two sorting sheets.

Answers

These are a guide for one way the items could be paired and sorted as examples of up/down, your learners may well have their own ideas which fit:

up/down

• dog going up/down a flight of stairs
• seesaw, focus on one of the children at a time. In each image each child is either up/down
• girl swinging forwards and backwards, going up/down. The arrows guide learners on which direction she is travelling in to help make the up/down direction simpler and clearer
• boy throwing a basket ball up, the basket ball then dropping down through the net
• building a tower (up) using wooden blocks, a tower of wooden blocks falling down. The arrows guide learners on the direction of the blocks shown in each image.
• bird flying 'up' away from the ground, bird landing 'down' on the ground.

Suggestion

Cards can be cut out and laminated to improve durability. Velcro dots could be used to secure the up/down images to the larger, A4 sorting sheets.

Important message…

Any issues with this resource please let us know, we are happy to make changes.