2. Objective: Students will classify objects, using multiple categories.

3. Materials required: Assorted small objects, grouped to fit readymade Venn diagrams.

4. Resources: Original.

5. Teacher Directions: Gather a number of small objects. Group them to fit into Venn Diagrams. Place in bags. The FIRST student experience with Venns will be fairly controlled. A group presentation is necessary.

6. Student Directions: After the teacher has demonstrated several Venn Diagrams on the board, "Each of you has a Venn diagram and some small objects. Place the objects on the diagram in the correct place. Remember, some items fit in BOTH categories, so they fit in the middle!"

7. The items shown in the photo are actually from two different Venn sets. The set on the left would have two intersecting circles, with "BROWN" as the label for one circle, and "METAL" as the label for the second circle. Some items are both brown and metal.

The set on the right would be labelled with color words, "ORANGE" and "BLACK," because some items have both colors. Children enjoy working with manipulatives, and their first experience with Venn diagrams should be with already-labelled diagrams.

Later, they can make up their own classifications. (My second graders did this well midyear. It's amazing to see what classifications terms they come up with!)