Hot Seat
Definition and Purpose
Hot seat is a role-playing activity used to help build children’s comprehension. Children take on the role of a character from a story, or an author whose books they have read, and they sit in a chair called the “hot seat” to be interviewed by their classmates. It is referred to as the “hot seat” because children have to think quickly to respond to their classmates’ questions and comments. Children are often encouraged to wear a costume that they have created when taking on the character’s role.
The use of the hot seat activity helps deepen children’s understanding of the book they are reading. They are able to explore characters, analyze story events, draw inferences and try out different interpretations.
Steps
1. Children prepare for the hot seat activity by reading a story or a biography to learn about the character or author that they will be impersonating.
2. Children design an appropriate costume for their character. In addition, they can collect objects or create artifacts to use in their presentation.
3. Children think about the important things to share about their character and plan what they’ll say at the beginning of the “hot seat’ activity.
4. One child sits in the “hot seat” and tells about the character that he or she will be role-playing. The student will present using first-person viewpoint, and share the collected artifacts.
5. Classmates ask questions to learn more about the character and offer advice, the child in the hot seat remains in role to respond to them.
6. The child doing the role-play selects a classmate to summarize the important ideas that were presented about the character. The child on the hot seat clarifies any misunderstandings and adds any big ideas that weren’t mentioned by classmates.
Application and Examples
Hot seat is a role-playing activity used to help build children’s comprehension. Children take on the role of a character from a story, or an author whose books they have read, and they sit in a chair called the “hot seat” to be interviewed by their classmates. It is referred to as the “hot seat” because children have to think quickly to respond to their classmates’ questions and comments. Children are often encouraged to wear a costume that they have created when taking on the character’s role.
The use of the hot seat activity helps deepen children’s understanding of the book they are reading. They are able to explore characters, analyze story events, draw inferences and try out different interpretations.
Steps
1. Children prepare for the hot seat activity by reading a story or a biography to learn about the character or author that they will be impersonating.
2. Children design an appropriate costume for their character. In addition, they can collect objects or create artifacts to use in their presentation.
3. Children think about the important things to share about their character and plan what they’ll say at the beginning of the “hot seat’ activity.
4. One child sits in the “hot seat” and tells about the character that he or she will be role-playing. The student will present using first-person viewpoint, and share the collected artifacts.
5. Classmates ask questions to learn more about the character and offer advice, the child in the hot seat remains in role to respond to them.
6. The child doing the role-play selects a classmate to summarize the important ideas that were presented about the character. The child on the hot seat clarifies any misunderstandings and adds any big ideas that weren’t mentioned by classmates.
Application and Examples