- Definition
Imagine two circles of kids discussing a story. The inner circle pretends to be one character, and the outer circle pretends to be another, so they can share how each character feels about what's happening.
The inner circle, playing the Big Bad Wolf, explains why they were so hungry, while the outer circle, playing the Three Little Pigs, describes how scared they were.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: An inner and outer circle is like having two team huddles, where one circle of kids shares one character's feelings and the other circle shares a different character's feelings.
Ask your child: If the inner circle is the wolf, what are the pigs in the outer circle thinking?
Common mix-up: Kids might think this is just a group chat about the story. The key is to stay in character and speak from that character's specific point of view, not as yourself.
Examples
- The inner circle speaks as Cinderella, describing her feelings at the ball, while the outer circle speaks as the stepsisters, describing their jealousy.
- One circle argues for building a new factory, while the other circle, as local residents, argues to protect the forest.
inner and outer circle is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
