Doctor or Repairperson?

Me with (Smart) Objects

5-6 years

15 min

Learning goal :

Learning to differentiate a human being from an "intelligent" machine

Pedagogical Intention :

Identify biological differences

Target skills :

Understanding illness vs. breakdown.

Materials :

Doctor kit + toy tools

Detailed Procedure :

1. The teacher proposes a role-play: a child plays the doctor. 2. They treat a "sick" puppet. 3. The teacher then shows a broken object and asks how to fix it. 4. They conclude: "Living things get sick; objects break down."

Progress Indicators

The child spontaneously says 'sick' for living things and 'broken' for objects.

Research Foundations

Symbolic play – Bodrova & Leong