Top tips: What just happened activities

Our What Just Happened? activities consist of a short video showing a change over time. They feature familiar animals, plants or changing materials. Most children will have seen the changes happening in real life or know about it from stories that have been read to them. But have they really thought about the change? Encourage your pupils to watch carefully and think about what’s happening. Draw their attention to the important events as they watch. What do they know about this change?  

How to run What Just Happened? activities   

Explain to the class, or group, that they are going to watch a video and afterwards talk about what just happened. They could watch on a big screen, or on a tablet if it is a small group. Ask them to watch carefully and try to remember everything they see.

1. Open the classroom view and start the video. When the first image appears, pause the video and ask the children what they can see? What do they think the video might be about? Why? 

2. Continue playing the video, reminding the children to watch carefully. You can pause the video at any time, while it’s playing, to discuss what they can see and what is happening.  

3. When the video is near the end you will see the question What Just Happened? appear on the screen followed by a set of images of key moments from the video. Pause the video here. 

4. Ask the children to tell their partner what just happened in the video. What happened first? After that? At the end? The images of key moments will help them to remember. What do they know about this material, animal or plant? Encourage them to share what they know. Did they find out something new today? What questions do they have? 

You can follow up the What Just Happened? with one of the suggested activities in the Take it further or share one of the recommended stories.