*All the strategies I"ve tried I learned from either Louis Mangione or Rick Morris. They have both helped me to create a more innovative collaborative classroom.
Strategies
-Mix-Freeze-Group: Create a powerpoint with 4-6 slides about a concept where students need to form groups based on the correct answer. (For example, I've used this in Geometry to recall if students can identify polygons of a particular size). Students must clear desk, and mingle around the room while music is playing. When the music stops, students then look toward the board and form groups based on the correct.
*Announce the correct number of group members instead of the correct answer.
-Mix-n-match: Create a set of matching pairs (at least 20 pairs) and have students trade the cards back and forth until the music ends. Students then find their partner. (For example, an equation of line, y= 3x+4 is paired with its graph or table). Have students read off their pair to the class.
-Round table: Give students an opportunity to collaborate with one other on skills they have already acquired. Incorporate writing into this activity by having students go around their 4-partner group first writing, then speaking a concept(s) given by the teacher. (For example, have students say, one at a time, prime numbers, then have them write multiples of three).
*Begin this activiy with non-math ideas (i.e favorite color, middle name, etc...).
-NO Man Left behind: This activity requires students to collaborate, and stick together at the same time. I tried this a variety of ways, the first being where there are 10-half sheets of paper spread out, one at each group. At the top of the sheet was an answer, the bottom of the sheet was a question. The asnwer to the question was NOT the at the top of the half sheet, it is located on another half sheet. The gaal is to answer the question at the bottom (together) and find the answer (together) around the room. Once the group gets back to their original place, they have completed the actiivity. They must write down all questions and answers in the order in which they obtained them in order to receive credit.
*This activity was much more interesting for students and myself when I required each person to have a role (reader, writer, solver, and reporter). If you would like powerpoint on how I set up these roles please feel free to email me.
-Hocus pocus: Create electroniclly or by hand a 1-slide picture of all the content you would students to learn for a particular unit. Find an intense piece fo music that plays for only a short period of time (i.e. 27 seconds). Show students your 1-slide and haven them write down (in groups) as much information as they can capture in the alloted time. Students will automatically demand more time due to their initial inability to focus. Allow for 7-10 more seconds of the same slide to gain more information, encouraging groups to divide up what to capture..
-interactive notebooks: An AVID strategy to help students reflect and process information in their own way. To see some examples of what an interactive notebook looks like in the math classroom, click here.
-Match game: Just like the game you play as a child with matching pairs, this match game is quite the same. The only twist is that students are matching items that are equal, not identical. (For example, the word octagon should be matched with a picture of an 8-sided figure, or the equation of a line should be matched with its graph). This is similar to mix-n-match with the exception that students have their own individual cards to work with..
*If you would like a sample set of geometry terms, please email me.
-Bingo: A great way to review concepts or units is my creating your own bingo board. There is the most basic type whee students write in their own numbers. The game I used is from http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/5/. You can input your own words and print off as many individual sheets as needed! You could also copy and paste each chart into a word document and save for future use. When actually playing the game, call out or display the definition of the word(s) on students' bingo cards.
-Jeopardy/Millionaire: There are so many ways to create these games. I've created my own, using response cards, www.superteachertools.com lets you make your own, or use games already created. I believe any game should be catered to your students and your classroom. I am more than happy to share with you what I have, but it may not be what you want and/or what yoru need.
-I have, who has: Another AVID strategy -A set of cards that requires kids to read, listen, and speak about content they should know or content you would like to review. The goal is to time students on how fast they can read each card (1 card per student) and get back to the person that started. The cards (at least 30) consist of sentences that connect the "have" with the "has." (For example, one card will say, "I have 30, who has 5x4?" The next person to read should be the student that has 20. And so on, and so forth.
*Announce the correct number of group members instead of the correct answer.
-Mix-n-match: Create a set of matching pairs (at least 20 pairs) and have students trade the cards back and forth until the music ends. Students then find their partner. (For example, an equation of line, y= 3x+4 is paired with its graph or table). Have students read off their pair to the class.
-Round table: Give students an opportunity to collaborate with one other on skills they have already acquired. Incorporate writing into this activity by having students go around their 4-partner group first writing, then speaking a concept(s) given by the teacher. (For example, have students say, one at a time, prime numbers, then have them write multiples of three).
*Begin this activiy with non-math ideas (i.e favorite color, middle name, etc...).
-NO Man Left behind: This activity requires students to collaborate, and stick together at the same time. I tried this a variety of ways, the first being where there are 10-half sheets of paper spread out, one at each group. At the top of the sheet was an answer, the bottom of the sheet was a question. The asnwer to the question was NOT the at the top of the half sheet, it is located on another half sheet. The gaal is to answer the question at the bottom (together) and find the answer (together) around the room. Once the group gets back to their original place, they have completed the actiivity. They must write down all questions and answers in the order in which they obtained them in order to receive credit.
*This activity was much more interesting for students and myself when I required each person to have a role (reader, writer, solver, and reporter). If you would like powerpoint on how I set up these roles please feel free to email me.
-Hocus pocus: Create electroniclly or by hand a 1-slide picture of all the content you would students to learn for a particular unit. Find an intense piece fo music that plays for only a short period of time (i.e. 27 seconds). Show students your 1-slide and haven them write down (in groups) as much information as they can capture in the alloted time. Students will automatically demand more time due to their initial inability to focus. Allow for 7-10 more seconds of the same slide to gain more information, encouraging groups to divide up what to capture..
-interactive notebooks: An AVID strategy to help students reflect and process information in their own way. To see some examples of what an interactive notebook looks like in the math classroom, click here.
-Match game: Just like the game you play as a child with matching pairs, this match game is quite the same. The only twist is that students are matching items that are equal, not identical. (For example, the word octagon should be matched with a picture of an 8-sided figure, or the equation of a line should be matched with its graph). This is similar to mix-n-match with the exception that students have their own individual cards to work with..
*If you would like a sample set of geometry terms, please email me.
-Bingo: A great way to review concepts or units is my creating your own bingo board. There is the most basic type whee students write in their own numbers. The game I used is from http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/5/. You can input your own words and print off as many individual sheets as needed! You could also copy and paste each chart into a word document and save for future use. When actually playing the game, call out or display the definition of the word(s) on students' bingo cards.
-Jeopardy/Millionaire: There are so many ways to create these games. I've created my own, using response cards, www.superteachertools.com lets you make your own, or use games already created. I believe any game should be catered to your students and your classroom. I am more than happy to share with you what I have, but it may not be what you want and/or what yoru need.
-I have, who has: Another AVID strategy -A set of cards that requires kids to read, listen, and speak about content they should know or content you would like to review. The goal is to time students on how fast they can read each card (1 card per student) and get back to the person that started. The cards (at least 30) consist of sentences that connect the "have" with the "has." (For example, one card will say, "I have 30, who has 5x4?" The next person to read should be the student that has 20. And so on, and so forth.
