Cooperative Learning Strategies – Burtis

All students need the ability to work cooperatively with others. Whether they are the trainee, or the trainer, working together is necessary. Jigsaw is a method that really tackles that aspect. The student must take ownership in learning their piece of the puzzle, and then be able to communicate that learning to their peers. Finding a topic in Algebra that has several independent pieces to be able to utilize the Jigsaw strategy is another thing altogether. While Jigsaw is not a method that could be used often in an Algebra class, due to the nature of topics building on what came before it, I believe it can be effective strategy in certain areas.

As for team-building. I have participated in team building when in the corporate world. I have participated and conducted team building with various teams I have coached. I had never thought about using it in the classroom to help facilitate students working together. Sometimes good ideas are hiding in plain sight…

Cooperative Lesson – The Family Picnic²  –  (Jigsaw)

Topic: Properties of quadratic functions

Duration: 4 class periods

Student Goals:

1. I can convert a quadratic equation from standard form to vertex form.
2. I can discover properties of a quadratic equation by looking at the equation in vertex form.
3. I can graph a quadratic equation from vertex form.
4. I can work with my team to reach the above goals.

Materials:

• Packets for discovery and development of the “Experts” and problems for them to work on. The packets can be a discovery lesson, using Desmos to discover what changes to the equation do to the graph, a Powerpoint, videos to watch (including but not limited to Khan Acacemy), or a combination.
• Problem for the Experts to use when teaching their team. Will vary by teacher and class. Some may need guided notes included with a problem set, some may be able to do the discovery lesson that the Experts used and only need a problem set.
• Paper (regular and graph) and pencil for taking notes.
• Video links (as possible supplements to the packets for the Experts).
• Headphones – if one to one and videos an option, need to keep the noise level down.

Scenario: The class has already established teams of 5 from earlier cooperative work. They will be in their teams for most of this unit.  So that students cannot pick and choose a segment that they think is easier or harder, I will present it in a different format.

THE PLAN: Day 1

Lesson Introduction: Everyone has a been to a family picnic, whether their own family or as a guest at someone else’s. There are some dynamics that show up at these gatherings! (at least there is in my family!)

1. First, there is the organizer: the one who makes sure everything and everyone is there.
2. Second is the early bird: someone always seems to show up early.
3. Third is Mr./Mrs. punctual: they are always on time and hang around in the middle of things.
4. Fourth is the fashionably late person: holds up things and bring up the rear.
5. The photographer: someone is always taking pictures, whether on their phone or with their camera.

Each team member assumes one of the 5 roles. Decide now… (5 minute limit)

Once everyone has a number/role, they will group by their numbers to become the Expert on their topic. The topics that accompany each role are:

1. Organizer: Converting standard form to vertex form, finding the vertex, and finding the y-intercept.
2. Early Bird: study what “a” tells you about the function.
3. Punctual: study what “h” tells you, determining the domain, and the axis of symmetry.
4. Bring up the rear: study what “k” tells you and how it tells the range.
5. Photographer: study how to graph from vertex form.

The rest of the class will be spent grouped by topic, with them working through the packets and videos to make sure that they understand their topic well enough to teach it to their teammates, and devising a plan for how they intend to do that. They will be told that they get a maximum of 15 minutes to teach their topic. Homework is finalizing that plan. Wrap up the last 10 minutes of class with a quick quiz to make sure the Experts are in fact experts.

The Plan: Day 2

The experts teaching their teams will take 2 days. So, on the 2^nd day of the unit, the three  middle topics will be taught:

1. Effects of “a”
2. Effects of “h”, and the domain
3. Effects of “k, and the range.

Stress the need for the students being taught to take notes as their teammate teaches. The students will group into their 5 person teams. I will let the Experts decide who goes first, but will recommend alphabetical order. Each student will get 15 minutes to teach their topic to the team. I will call out time every 5 minutes (or project the timer onto the board) so they can time themselves.

At the end of class, they will take a quick quiz over the three topics they learned about. (3-5 questions at most)

The Plan: Day 3

The second day of the teaching will cover the topics of:

1. Converting from standard form to vertex form, finding the axis of symmetry, and finding the vertex.
2. Graphing from vertex form

After the 30 minutes of instruction, the students will take another short quiz, covering the two ideas they learned today. (Again only 3-5 questions)

As a wrap-up to the Jigsaw, I will have the students write a short reflection paper answering the questions:

1. How did your “Expert” groups work together? What was one positive and one negative thing about it?
2. How did your team work together? What was one positive and one negative?
3. Would you like to do this on other topics? Explain your answer.

They can work on their paper for the remainder of class, and finish up as homework, due at the start of class the next day.

The Plan: Day 4

Materials: White board and markers, packet of review questions.

Start class with a 5- to 10-minute whole class Chalk Talk. The prompt: “Properties of Quadratics”.  This is so the teacher can get a feel for anything that may need to be revisited.

The rest of the period is a work/review activity, reviewing and working on problems in their teams and trying to iron out any issues students may have. Since there is an Expert on each topic in each team, questions should be able to stay within the team. Teacher is circulating through the room for anything that needs their input. This day is entirely about preparing for a more substantial quiz over the unit that will happen on Day 5.

Supplemental Materials:

The following links are a few of the possible videos that could be in the Expert groups, or that could be given to the class as supplemental material should any feel the need for some extra help.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99lNRqLjBA  (graphing)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FezeWsRrJz0  (std to vertex)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnw95KLxPkw  (a,h, and k)

 

 

Cooperative Lesson – Team Building

Topic: Team Building

Duration: 2 days (+)

Student goals:

1. Learn to work with your teammates
2. Learn about your teammates
3. Learn to communicate with your teammates
4. Create an identity for your team

Materials:

• Will vary by task

Scenario: The class has been split into teams of 4 or 5 (depending on the number of students in your class). Now you want them to get to know each other and become a team that can talk to each other, depend on each other, and work together. Teacher note: my lesson assumes 5 per group. You can adjust accordingly.

The Plan: Day 1:

The first day is designed around the students getting to know their teammates, learning to help each other, and learning the art of communication.

• Task #1 – Scavenger Hunt. (15 minutes total)

Goal: Working together

Materials: the handout with the questions and a writing utensil.

Teacher notes: I happen to have 60+ posters in my room. They vary from Math related (the majority), problem solving and test taking, slogans and comic relief, and pictures of beautiful scenery with slogans on them. If things are not the same in your room, maybe there is a room in the school that you could use for this exercise.

Each team will receive a handout that has 10 questions on it. The answers are on the wall! They have ten minutes to answer their set of questions.  Teacher will circulate, looking for which teams work together, which divide it up, which pairs off and works…

Teacher notes: Try to make sure that there are very few questions that are on multiple teams’ worksheets, so they can only depend on their teammates. Try to put questions that will require them to scour all four walls. Putting a time limit adds a little stress and the need to help each other.

• Task #2 – Blind Draw

Goal: Communication and creative thinking

Materials: paper and pencils, multiple pictures of simple drawings (see examples below), handout of questions for homework.

• Arrange the desks such that four students are sitting back to back, they cannot see each other’s desk top. They need a pencil and sheet of paper. The students that are drawing are NOT allowed to talk during the task!
• The fifth student is handed a folder with a picture inside of it. It is his job to describe the picture for his teammates to draw. He cannot use any names of logos or companies or reference anything that may give the picture away. He cannot tell what it is.
• The goal is NOT drawing a good picture because you know what it is. The goal is following your teammates directions and ending up with a good picture that is close.
• Once the student talking opens the folder, they have 4 minutes to complete the drawing.
• Then reveal all the drawings and take 2 minutes to discuss the process.
• The person who spoke first trades places with one of his teammates and they do the process all over.
• Repeat the process until all the teammates have had a turn as the speaker.
• Keep the original and all drawings together in the folder. They will be discussed tomorrow.

Below are some examples of the drawings that could be used. Nothing fancy, uses basic figures, but requires some thought to communicate. Can use anything you feel appropriate, just make sure it’s something your students can communicate. I try to stay away from easily recognized logos and figures.

Homework: Fill out the handout that asks information about the student (i.e. Favorite book? Favorite band? Brothers and/or sisters? Favorite subject? Topic in Math they like? Topic in math they do not like? Hobbies? Extra-curricular activities?) Teacher note: this is just to facilitate Day 2, where they will learn about each other, so you can tailor the questions to whatever you deem appropriate based on age of class.

The Plan: Day 2

Start the day by having the teams debrief the drawing exercise from yesterday. What could they have done different? What directions were unclear? Did they get better in the 4^th and 5^th attempt? Why or why not?

Give them 10 minutes to do this, with someone taking notes addressing the questions.

• Task #1 – Naming Rights/classification (15 minutes)

Goal: Get to know your teammates

Materials: Worksheet each filled out individually.

Start by having the students share out some of their answers. Remind them of the decorum expected and to keep things positive! During this 15-minute discussion, they are trying to find some common ground among the team member. The end goal is to come up with a name to represent their team. (examples: night owls, early birds, burger lovers, etc.) Remind them no negative, prejudicial, or discriminatory terms can be in their name…

• Task #2 – Make a logo for your team.

Have them take a blank sheet of paper and devise a logo for their team. It should be simple artistically, but incorporate some of the ideas and likes that they share. The logos will be colored in, laminated, and displayed in the room.

Teacher note: The naming and branding may take longer than 40 minutes, so hopefully you have some wiggle room to allow them to finish up in a Day 3. It is important they get to express themselves and cutting them off before finishing would end an otherwise positive process on a negative.

Possible Extention: I cannot take credit for this idea, it came from a colleague’s idea. If you have that extra day available, your students are versed in using Desmos, and wish to involve some mathematics into the team-building, have the students use Desmos to convert their hand-drawn logo into a creative, equation driven, picture that can be displayed in the room. 

Supplemental Materials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ljUwv48-70 (Blind drawing)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yGhNwDMT-g (blind drawing)