Divide your class into groups of four. Give each group an area of the topic being studied. The group must generate approximately ten facts about that topic from their own knowledge. These facts must be checked by you. Once checked, students must produce a paragraph by putting the facts into a logical order. Next the group removes a number of the words from the paragraph randomly to leave blank spaces. The removed words or phrases can be jumbled up and added at the bottom of the page to act as clues. The finished paragraphs can now be swapped with another group who must fill in the gaps. Once completed, the paragraphs are returned to the first group for marking.
Group Work Category
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
Group presentations with audience participation
Divide your class into groups of 3 or 4 students and allocate a section of a topic or a study to each group. Allow the group plenty of time to plan and prepare a presentation to be done in front of the rest of the class. The audience must take notes from the presentation to check that they are listening.
The presentation must make use of visual aids and every member of the group must contribute. Students must not simply read out a script - this is not allowed. The group may produce a short handout for their audience to accompany their presentation or might produce a written test.
To make the presentation more interactive, the presenting group must find a way of testing their audience and, at the end of the presentation, members of the audience must ask the group questions about the content of their presentation. As an added incentive, the audience could rate the groups on the quality of their teaching with the highest scoring group receiving a prize.
Tags: audience, groups, presentations, questions
Saturday, May 16th, 2009
Make a mobile
An opportunity for students to get creative. Divide the class into groups of 4 and provide them with a study/theorist/idea/topic. Provide the class with cardboard, pipe cleaners, glue, scissors, felt tip pens, glitter, gummed paper etc and ask them to construct a mobile to hang from the classroom ceiling (alternatively a line of string can be hung across the room). Groups must only use key words and images for their mobile, but the challenge is for them to tell a story using their mobile. A prize could be offered for the best mobile. The resulting mobiles add interest to any classroom; particularly good for parents evenings and open evenings.
Tags: creative, key images, mobile
Saturday, May 16th, 2009
Write your own exam paper.
Using past exam papers as a template, divide your class into small groups and ask each group to write 1 or 2 short exam questions using the correct terminology. The group should also produce a brief marking scheme for their questions. The questions may require stimulus material and the group can have fun making this up too. All of the exam questions can then be collated by asking groups to take turns to type both their questions and mark scheme separately creating one complete exam paper. This exam paper may then be used with the class as a test, or could also be given to another class who in turn swap over the paper they have written. This task enhances students’ understanding of how the exam is set out and how it might be marked - all questions and mark schemes must be carefully checked by you before being typed up.
Tags: exam questions, groups, test
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Posters For the Classroom Wall
A small group of students produce a poster to display on the classroom wall. Using poster paper and pens students should summarise key points of the topic using a main heading and several sub-headings that you might dictate to them The information might be set out as a spider diagram. Make the posters eye catching using relevant images to illustrate the content. Each group member must research facts and contribute to the poster. Every group displays their poster and other members of the class go round to take down notes from the posters. Could offer an incentive to the group who produce the best poster (ask another teacher to judge them).
Tags: classroom wall, poster, spider diagram, visual images
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Role Play
Set up a role play to act out a study or theory. Allocate specific roles within the group and ask the group to write a script including props they might need to act out their play. The group presents their play to the rest of the class who might rate them on how good their play is. The play should demonstrate the key points of the topic. Those students who are not confident in acting can contribute to the group by writing the script, making props and directing the play. If role plays are especially good, consider filming them and putting onto youtube for other students to use.
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
Great Big Balloon Debate
Choose at least 4 opposing theories/theorists/themes/ideas/approaches etc and allocate one to each group of students. Each group has to research their theory/approach etc and also research the opposing groups theories etc. The aim is to provide support for their own theory and evidence to criticise other groups’ theories. Each group has one person in the ‘hot air balloon’ and the debate commences to decide which theory is the most worthy of remaining in the balloon. Only one person is allowed in the balloon at the end. Work out a scoring system such as 1 point for a valid contribution but 1 point deducted for someone criticising your ideas. To avoid a free for all, allow each group one minute to speak without interruption, then allow opposing groups to challenge.
Tags: balloon debate