Cooperative Learning Groups Model

I taught this in class today:

Cooperative Learning Model – General

I am going to put you into groups of 4. Each group will get a paper with a Greek god or goddess and two or three facts about that god/goddess. You will read it together as a group FIRST! Then, using your laptop, iPad, or phone, each person in your group will look up information about your particular god/goddess and find two new interesting facts. You cannot use ones that I have already included, and each person has to contribute two DIFFERENT facts from everyone else in the group. Using your fingers, not your mouths, show me how many people are in each group: (FOUR!) Excellent. Now, if you each contribute TWO new facts, how many new ones will there be? Show me with your fingers: (EIGHT)

Any questions?

When you have all found and written two new facts on the paper, as a group, write a few paragraphs using all the information, including the info I provided, and the new info you found. Be creative! You will be sharing these with the class.

Any questions so far?

While you are working in your groups, you will be working on the cooperative social skill, assisting group members. What are some ways you can assist your group members? (Have students give ideas. Accept all reasonable ideas.)

Any questions about any of this?

When your group gets your paper, read it together first, and then begin. You will have 10 minutes. (I would usually give about 30 min to my class…)

After 10 minutes:

Have groups read their paragraph to the class.

Okay, on this paper I will pass out, this is where I want you to rate yourself, as well as each member of your team. Be sure to be honest about yourself, and about each team member. Grades depend on this. (Pass out survey, then collect at the end.)

***I could use tech to gather this info, but with the iPads, the students may see what each other is typing or marking. With paper and pencil, they can keep it covered. This is something I do in my class a lot – “Keep your papers covered!”***

Now I want you to log on to glogster...

This would also work great with the JIGSAW model.