# Day 43 — A small question with real responses

**25 minutes · AC9MFST01 (collect, sort and compare responses to a familiar question); partial practice · educator review pending**

**Success:** The child understands that a response token represents one participant's choice, sorts only the responses received, and makes a cautious comparison from the resulting display.

**Prepare:** three original place cards: LIBRARY, GARDEN, MAKING AREA; anonymous identical tokens; three labelled covered envelopes behind a simple privacy screen and [plain-text or paper display](print-aids.md). Invite **up to six** voluntary responses so collection, sorting and discussion fit the lesson. The class toy's pretend journey is the topic: “Where should our toy visit first?” A child may pass privately. Do not record names or describe results as the whole class's preference.

1. **Retrieve, 3 min.** Show one token in a labelled container. Ask what it represents: one received choice, not a real trip or family story.
2. **Model, 5 min.** State the question and three choices. Place your own **demonstration** token, then remove it before collection. Say, “One person can give one response. Passing is okay. We will count responses received, not children who did not answer.”
3. **Collect and display, 10 min.** Invite up to six voluntary participants, one at a time, to place one identical token in a chosen labelled envelope behind the screen; a child may direct a trusted adult privately. The teacher empties each envelope onto its category mat without names. Children count each category and total responses, then identify a category with most or a tie if present. If no responses are collected, use fictional [D10](print-aids.md) to practise the same routine without a class claim.
4. **Fresh try, 4 min.** Give a separate **fictional** sample: three GARDEN, two LIBRARY and one MAKING token. Ask for the most selected option and total responses.
5. **Check, 3 min.** Ask, “Can we say every child wanted the option with most tokens?” **Key:** no; only the received responses are represented. Fresh fictional sample: garden 3 most; six responses. Actual class counts vary and have no fixed answer key.

**If the child assumes missing responses mean zero preference:** Point to the difference between “no token received” and a known choice; report only what was collected. If a token is dropped twice, return it to one category and count again.

**Access and record:** Offer private pointing, symbol choice, AAC, sign or a trusted adult to place the token as directed. No public speaking, home disclosure or reason for passing is required. Record the given question, response method, actual counts, comparison and any caveat the child expressed.