- Definition
A "place mat" is an activity where your child and their classmates write down their own ideas about a topic, then share and group together the ideas they all agree on in the middle of their paper.
When brainstorming ideas for a class mural, each student sketches ideas in their own section, then they put the shared theme of 'community' in the middle.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A place mat activity is like a dinner table for ideas, where everyone has their own space to write, and the ideas you all share go in the middle.
Ask your child: If we all brainstormed fun weekend ideas, what one idea might we all agree on for the middle?
Common mix-up: Kids might think this is just about writing down their own ideas. The goal is to find the common ground where everyone's thinking overlaps.
Examples
- A group planning a short play writes character ideas in their own sections and agrees on the main conflict for the centre.
- Students designing a poster list different colour schemes on their part of the mat and put the agreed-upon colours in the middle.
place mat 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 ↗
