This critical-thinking activity encourages your child to think about certain patterns that can be found while watching a weekly half-hour or hour-long TV program.

Step 1:

Sit down and watch a favorite weekly sitcom with your child. Have your child write down what happens on the program at every commercial break. Repeat this step each week for a month.

Step 2:

Have your child review his notes for the past month and determine if a pattern exists in the program. For example, if it's a comedy, the following pattern might be noticed:

a. A situation or a problem is presented.
b. Confusion and misunderstanding take place, creating a humorous predicament.
c. The problem is solved, resulting in a happy ending.

Your child can explain orally (and/or write a composition), summarizing any patterns found in the TV program over the past month.

Activities written by Howard I. Berrent, Ph.D. with Caren Churchbuilder of Steck-Vaughn/Berrent Publications.