Detective Reporter Mila

Detective Reporter Mila

Dad's help

Due Tue 6 Oct 2026. Poster at the class showcase Thu 8 Oct. Not graded.

The core move

Make her the reporter. Skip "what do you want to ask?"
She talks, you write. Speaking is her strength.
Her words for it: detective reporter. Someone who asks questions to find things out.
Link it to her politician dream. Good politicians ask questions and listen to people. Today she practises both.

Getting the questions out (about 15 min)

Start with something she can see. The Look screen.
Have her guess first. The Guess screen. A guess makes her want the answer.
Give her question starters. The Ask screen: What, How, Did you, Where, Why.
Stuck? Offer 2 options, not the answer. The I'm stuck button does this for you.
Let in 1 funny question. The Funny screen.
Stop at 4 or 5 while she is still enjoying it.

Before the interview

2-minute run-through. You play Papou. Use the Interview screen.
Teach one follow-up: "Tell me more about that". It is the real interview skill, and it helps her listen.
She copies 2 or 3 questions in her own handwriting. The school asked for handwriting practice, and it makes the questions hers. She copies from the Notebook screen.

During and after

She asks, Papou answers. You only whisper the next question if she freezes.
Jot his answers in the notes box under each question.
Afterwards ask "What surprised you most?" Her answer becomes a speech bubble on the poster.
She picks the pictures. You narrow it to 4 to 6 first.

If she gets frustrated

Stop. A few deep breaths. Come back. The same strategies the school uses.
Praise the effort, not the result: "You thought of that question yourself."
Don't push through a meltdown. There is room for 2 short sessions.

What counts as success

Every question is in her words, even if you steered the topic.
Full independence at 6 is not realistic. Expecting it is what usually causes the meltdowns.

Go to a screen

Her questions