OUTCOME: Each group of students will try to complete a jigsaw puzzle. The creation and application of their strategies will judge them. Does it help to do the job faster? Easier? More teamwork? The students will know what a strategy is and will understand that having a strategy before beginning produces better results.
CONDITIONS: The activities are designed to be done by small groups during one class period of 60 minutes.
ACTIVITIES
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¨ Divide class into groups of 3-5. Hand out jigsaw puzzles to each group. Announce that they have 10 minutes to decide as a group how to organize the pieces for putting the puzzle together. Discuss the concept of a strategy. Give examples of events where strategies make a difference: the best time to ask for a raise, ask a girl out on a date,… ¨ Announce that time is up. Ask each group to take turns announcing their plan. Try to note a good idea in each plan. At this point, don’t point out problems. Then announce that they will have most of the rest of the period to complete the puzzles, using their own strategies. About fifteen minutes before the end of the period, stop the activity, and hand out an evaluation form to be filled in by each group: what worked, what didn’t work, and what we would do differently the next time. Finally, ask each group to tell the class about their evaluation. |
¨ You have 10 minutes to figure out a way to organize these jigsaw puzzle pieces so that you can put the puzzle together quickly. Do you have a leader? Do you need one? Are you going to write your ideas down or can you just remember them in your head? Who is going to tell what you have decided?
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MATERIALS: Jigsaw puzzles, evaluation forms.
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT: Observation
MODIFICATIONS/ACCOMODATIONS: Include Learning Disabled students in all groups, if possible
STANDARDS: Language Arts, Listening and Speaking Strategies, Comprehension (1.1), Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication (1.4); (Life Skill Rubric)All personal-social skills, especially #43, #52, #55, #60, #62, #66