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Eight boys and their teacher problem solve about how to learn what some construction workers are building without crossing the parking lot at school. The teacher says, “So we’re gonna try and figure out what they might be doing over there.” This activity encourages the children to make inferences about the goals and intentions of other people. Observe what theories the children share about what the workers are doing. Notice that the children assume the construction workers’ digging is purposeful. Learn what the children understand about the perspectives and experiences of others as they share comments like, “He can’t hear you.” When the boys have trouble establishing communication, observe what strategies they invent together in an effort to overcome the challenges. Learn more about the children’s world knowledge as they evaluate an alternate means of gathering the information they seek.

Keywords: Fours, Children-Teacher, Communication, Perspective, Mind of Other

Length of stand-alone master video clip: 3 minutes 5 seconds