Question Detectives Teacher Guide
Teacher Guide
Small Group Station
Question Detectives
Interactive sentence-building and question-sorting station with WHO, DOING, WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN.
Learning Objectives
- • Identify components answering Who, Doing, What, Where, and When.
- • Match visual real-life scenarios with color-coded word and rebus cards.
- • Collaborate to build complete descriptive sentences.
Materials Needed
- 5 Color-Coded Sorting Mats
- 6 Photo-Scenario Cards
- 30 Matching Component Cards
Station Setup & Preparation
1. Print & Cut Print and laminate mats. Cut out individual scenario cards and the 30 component cards.
2. Organize Mats Place the 5 mats (WHO, DOING, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN) side-by-side in order on the table.
3. Prepare Stack Mix component cards in a central pile. Lay the 6 large Scenario Cards face up.
Small Group Facilitation Steps
- 1 Choose Scenario: Students select a scenario card and identify the setting, characters, and actions.
- 2 Sort Five Parts: Search and find matching cards to place on the 5 color-coded mats (Who, Doing, What, Where, When).
- 3 Synthesize & Read: Read aloud the complete five-part structured sentence.
EL Language Supports & Scaffolding Prompts (with "When")
Beginner (Level 1) Pointing & Choice:
- "Point to the clock. Does it mean where or when?"
- "Is the boy drinking juice in the morning or at lunch time?"
- "Echo: early in the morning."
Early Intermediate (Level 2) Frames:
- "When is the firefighter spraying water? He is doing it ______."
- "The cat is sleeping ______ (in the afternoon / at night)."
- "The chef is baking bread ______."
Quick Reference 5-part Scenario Key Color-coded columns match mats
| Scenario Card | WHO (Orange) | DOING (Green) | WHAT (Blue) | WHERE (Purple) | WHEN (Rose) |
|---|
| 1. Chef baking | The chef | is baking | warm bread | in the kitchen | early in the morning |
| 2. Dog playing | The dog | is catching | a yellow ball | at the park | in the afternoon |
| 3. Firefighter | The firefighter | is spraying | cold water | at the house | at night |
| 4. Teacher reading | The teacher | is reading | a big book | at the school | during reading time |
| 5. Cat sleeping | The cat | is sleeping | on a soft pillow | in the bedroom | in the afternoon |
| 6. Boy drinking | The boy | is drinking | sweet juice | at the table | at lunch time |
Question Detectives • EL Scaffolded Station Guide WHO, DOING, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN
Question Detectives Sorting Mats
Question Detectives
WHO?
A Person or Animal
Una persona o un animal
Place Card Here
Pon la tarjeta aquí
Clues to find the "WHO" card:
People boy, girl, chef, firefighter
Animals dog, cat, bird, rabbit
Color Prompt Orange Borders & Emojis
Question Detectives • Sorting Mat 1 Step 1: Who is the story about?
Question Detectives
DOING?
An Action / Verb
Una acción / verbo
Place Card Here
Pon la tarjeta aquí
Clues to find the "DOING" card:
Starts with "is" is reading, is baking...
Ends in "-ing" catching, drinking...
Color Prompt Green Borders & Emojis
Question Detectives • Sorting Mat 2 Step 2: What is the action?
Question Detectives
WHAT?
An Object or Thing
Un objeto o una cosa
Place Card Here
Pon la tarjeta aquí
Clues to find the "WHAT" card:
Things bread, juice, water, book
Objects ball, pillow, toy, box
Color Prompt Blue Borders & Emojis
Question Detectives • Sorting Mat 3 Step 3: What object is used?
Question Detectives
WHERE?
A Place / Location
Un lugar o ubicación
Place Card Here
Pon la tarjeta aquí
Clues to find the "WHERE" card:
Starts with "at/in" at school, in the kitchen...
Places park, school, kitchen, table
Color Prompt Purple Borders & Emojis
Question Detectives • Sorting Mat 4 Step 4: Where did it happen?
Question Detectives
WHEN?
A Time / Moment
Un tiempo o momento
Place Card Here
Pon la tarjeta aquí
Clues to find the "WHEN" card:
Starts with "at/in" at bedtime, in the morning...
Time phrases at lunch time, at night...
Color Prompt Rose Borders & Emojis
Question Detectives • Sorting Mat 5 Step 5: When did it happen?
Question Detectives Scenario Cards
Scenario Cards (Page 1 of 4)
Cut along the dotted lines. Use as visual prompt guides.
Visual Prompts
Scenario 1 👩🍳 🍞 ⏰
👨🍳🥖🍳⏰
The Baking Chef
"A professional chef wearing a tall white hat stands in a warm kitchen baking fresh bread early in the morning."
Match: 5 cards Level 1/2 EL
Scenario 2 🐕 🎾 ⏰
🐕🥎🌳⏰
The Park Dog
"A happy golden puppy leaps through the green grass at a sunny park in the afternoon to catch a yellow ball."
Match: 5 cards Level 1/2 EL
Scenario 3 🚒 💦 ⏰
👨🚒💧🏠⏰
The Brave Firefighter
"A firefighter in full yellow protective gear sprays a powerful hose of water at a smoky house at night."
Match: 5 cards Level 1/2 EL
Scenario 4 👩🏫 📖 ⏰
👩🏫📚🏫⏰
The Reading Teacher
"A friendly schoolteacher sits on a rug in the classroom reading a large picture book during reading time."
Match: 5 cards Level 1/2 EL
Scenario 5 🐈 🛌 ⏰
🐈🛌🛏️⏰
The Sleeping Cat
"A fluffy orange tabby cat curled up tightly sleeps on a soft white pillow in a bedroom in the afternoon."
Match: 5 cards Level 1/2 EL
Scenario 6 👦 🥤 ⏰
👦🥤🪑⏰
The Thirsty Boy
"A young boy sitting at the kitchen table takes a refreshing drink of sweet orange juice at lunch time."
Match: 5 cards Level 1/2 EL
Question Detectives Small-Group Station Page 1 of 4
Component Cards (Page 2 of 4)
Cut along dotted lines. These cards match WHO (Orange) & DOING (Green) mats.
Who & Doing
Scenario 1 • WHO
👨🍳
The chef El cocinero
WHO? Mat
Scenario 2 • WHO
🐕
The dog El perro
WHO? Mat
Scenario 3 • WHO
👨🚒
The firefighter El bombero
WHO? Mat
Scenario 4 • WHO
👩🏫
The teacher La maestra
WHO? Mat
Scenario 5 • WHO
🐈
The cat El gato
WHO? Mat
Scenario 6 • WHO
👦
The boy El niño
