Provocations
Explore the Story of Stuff (storyofstuff.org)
Credit to Mondrea Mitchell!
Bundling
This strategy is a way to assess the related vocabulary students bring to a topic. It can form the basis for concept development throughout a unit.
Basic procedure:
1. Provide individuals or groups of students with a set of small cards or paper strips.
2. Ask students to brainstorm words about the topic and then write them on the strips. Words can come from whole class brainstorming or from individual groups.
3. The cards are then bundled to classify ideas that belong together. Ask students to group words that seem to 'belong together'.
4. Each bundle is then given a title or label.
5. Bundles can be displayed by pasting words in groups to large charts (or by using pins or removable adhesive so that positions can be easily changed).
6. These charts may be added to during the course of the unit.
- At the tune in stage, the list of words might be limited. It is important to accept their offerings at this stage and provide regular opportunities to revisit and make changes.
- Allow initial groupings to emerge rather than pre-determining them. As the unit progresses, more suitable ways of grouping ideas and more technical language for labelling them will develop.
- If this activity is done in groups, it is worthwhile having each group share their bundling decisions with others.
- Kath Murdoch, Classroom Connections
Basic procedure:
1. Provide individuals or groups of students with a set of small cards or paper strips.
2. Ask students to brainstorm words about the topic and then write them on the strips. Words can come from whole class brainstorming or from individual groups.
3. The cards are then bundled to classify ideas that belong together. Ask students to group words that seem to 'belong together'.
4. Each bundle is then given a title or label.
5. Bundles can be displayed by pasting words in groups to large charts (or by using pins or removable adhesive so that positions can be easily changed).
6. These charts may be added to during the course of the unit.
- At the tune in stage, the list of words might be limited. It is important to accept their offerings at this stage and provide regular opportunities to revisit and make changes.
- Allow initial groupings to emerge rather than pre-determining them. As the unit progresses, more suitable ways of grouping ideas and more technical language for labelling them will develop.
- If this activity is done in groups, it is worthwhile having each group share their bundling decisions with others.
- Kath Murdoch, Classroom Connections
Cover Puzzles
Students try to guess the identity of an image as it is slowly revealed.
Basic Procedure:
1. Select a good quality image. Cover the image with pieces of card (attach with removable adhesive).
2. Explain to students that there is a picture beneath the card, and it is their job to guess what it is.
3. Remove one of the card pieces and ask students to comment on what they see. What could it be?
4. Keep removing card pieces, allowing time for discussion after each one.
5. Finally the picture is revealed and discussed.
- The most important part of this activity is the discussion that occurs while students are trying to guess the picture. The discussion will often reveal understandings and misconceptions.
- Teacher questioning is critical to the success of the activity. Useful questions include:
- Once the picture has been revealed, it could provide the basis for a picture chat or brainstorm or, if it is the cover of a book, some prediction about the content to follow.
- Kath Murdoch, Classroom Connections
Basic Procedure:
1. Select a good quality image. Cover the image with pieces of card (attach with removable adhesive).
2. Explain to students that there is a picture beneath the card, and it is their job to guess what it is.
3. Remove one of the card pieces and ask students to comment on what they see. What could it be?
4. Keep removing card pieces, allowing time for discussion after each one.
5. Finally the picture is revealed and discussed.
- The most important part of this activity is the discussion that occurs while students are trying to guess the picture. The discussion will often reveal understandings and misconceptions.
- Teacher questioning is critical to the success of the activity. Useful questions include:
- What does this piece make you think of?
- Why do you think that?
- Why does it remind you of that?
- What else could it be?
- How did you work that out?
- Do you still think it is a...?
- Why have you changed your mind?
- Once the picture has been revealed, it could provide the basis for a picture chat or brainstorm or, if it is the cover of a book, some prediction about the content to follow.
- Kath Murdoch, Classroom Connections
Picture Priorities
Visual images are used to encourage students to consider what they know or how they feel about a topic. Pictures are ranked according to their perceived importance, or sequenced in a way that makes sense to the students, for example: sequencing pictures of an animal's life cycle, or prioritizing pictures of women in various roles.
1. Collect some pictures that relate to your topic.
2. Number each picture, randomly, and display them to students. Allow plenty of time for students to examine the pictures closely.
3. Now ask students to rank the pictures in order of their importance, or to sequnce them in a way that make sense to them. (The instruction you give will depend on your topic and your teaching intention.)
4. Students record the numbers in their preferred order.
5. In small groups, results are shared and compared.
6. Students may be given a second opportunity to order the pictures.
- This activity can often provide an indication of the values and attitudes students bring to a topic. Visal images often evoke stronger reactions than the written word.
- Encourage students to verbalize their thinking as they engage in the activity. Prompt them with questions such as:
1. Collect some pictures that relate to your topic.
2. Number each picture, randomly, and display them to students. Allow plenty of time for students to examine the pictures closely.
3. Now ask students to rank the pictures in order of their importance, or to sequnce them in a way that make sense to them. (The instruction you give will depend on your topic and your teaching intention.)
4. Students record the numbers in their preferred order.
5. In small groups, results are shared and compared.
6. Students may be given a second opportunity to order the pictures.
- This activity can often provide an indication of the values and attitudes students bring to a topic. Visal images often evoke stronger reactions than the written word.
- Encourage students to verbalize their thinking as they engage in the activity. Prompt them with questions such as:
- Why did you place the picture in this position?
- How does that picture make you feel?
- What does that picture tell you?
- Are there any pictures that don't make much sense to you? Why?
Silent Jigsaw
This activity stimulates thinking through visual images and encourages cooperation.
1. Gather some pictures related to the topic being explored. Paste each to some light cardstock.
2. Cut each picture up into several, irregular pieces.
3. Organize students into groups of three, facing each other.
4. Each child in the group receives a set of mixed picture pieces -- students should have portions of each other's images.
5. The task is for each student to construct their picture... in silence! This will mean that students will need to give and receive picture pieces to and from each other unit each picture is formed.
6. Once the pictures have been formed, they can be used as the basis for discussion, comparison, brainstorming, or a picture priorities activity.
- Make sure the pictures are pasted onto the same colored card and are similar in style - otherwise the task is too simple.
- Use the opportunity not only to discuss the content of the pictures but also the process students went through in order to construct their own images. As the activity is carried out in silence, it requires the use of non-verbal communication skills.
Kath Murdoch, Classroom Connections
1. Gather some pictures related to the topic being explored. Paste each to some light cardstock.
2. Cut each picture up into several, irregular pieces.
3. Organize students into groups of three, facing each other.
4. Each child in the group receives a set of mixed picture pieces -- students should have portions of each other's images.
5. The task is for each student to construct their picture... in silence! This will mean that students will need to give and receive picture pieces to and from each other unit each picture is formed.
6. Once the pictures have been formed, they can be used as the basis for discussion, comparison, brainstorming, or a picture priorities activity.
- Make sure the pictures are pasted onto the same colored card and are similar in style - otherwise the task is too simple.
- Use the opportunity not only to discuss the content of the pictures but also the process students went through in order to construct their own images. As the activity is carried out in silence, it requires the use of non-verbal communication skills.
Kath Murdoch, Classroom Connections
Mystery Box
1. Place a life-size tiger (or anything else) into a box and place it in a central location. Place a clipboard with a pencil and a paper for predictions next to the box. Have students predict what might be in the box and give a reason for their prediction.
2. Each day for four days, add a clue to the outside of the box to pique student interest and help students determine what the animal in the box might be, such as "I leave pugmarks wherever I go". On the fifth day, read the predictions. Take a class vote as to what the most reasonable prediction might be. Then uncover the animal.
- Amy Alvarado & Patricia Herr, Inquiry-Based Learning Using Everyday Objects
2. Each day for four days, add a clue to the outside of the box to pique student interest and help students determine what the animal in the box might be, such as "I leave pugmarks wherever I go". On the fifth day, read the predictions. Take a class vote as to what the most reasonable prediction might be. Then uncover the animal.
- Amy Alvarado & Patricia Herr, Inquiry-Based Learning Using Everyday Objects