The Activity Triangle by Chris Cruz-Gonzalez

Task:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 18:59:41 UTC

You want your students to work collaboratively to write and illustrate a digital storybook using tablets and a storytelling app.

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:00:29 UTC

Subject: English/Language Arts
Object: Write and Illustrate a digital story book
Tools:
- Material Tools: Tablets
- Cultural Tools: Story telling apps
- Symbolic Tools: Students collaboration of ideas
Outcome: The groups will successfully write and illustrate a digital story.

Question for Reflection:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:00:56 UTC

What challenges do you foresee in ensuring students collaborate equally? How will you ensure the outcome meets the literacy goals you have set?

A challenge could be that students who are more outgoing or have written a story before can tend to take over the project and do more work then others in the group. To ensure the outcome meets the literacy goals of the project for all, students in the group will each be assigned to write and illustrate a certain amount of pages of the story. We will also have students complete an individual reflection about the project to hear what they each contributed individually and how well they think their group communicated.

Task:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:01:47 UTC

You are teaching your students how to solve multi-step math word problems using physical manipulatives like counters and number blocks.

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:02:51 UTC

Subject:
Object:
Tools:
- Material Tools:
- Cultural Tools:
- Symbolic Tools:
Outcome:

Question for Reflection:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:03:32 UTC

How will the use of manipulatives aid in achieving the math learning outcomes? How will you assess if students can transfer these skills to non-manipulative tasks?

Task:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:04:14 UTC

Students participate in a classroom debate on the topic of reducing waste in their school. The activity encourages critical thinking and communication skills.

Reducing waste in school

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:04:27 UTC

Subject: Students in class/student body
Object: Develop a strong argument with your group presenting your main points to the class in a respectful manner.
Tools:
- Material Tools: Personal devices to do research
- Cultural Tools: Graphs, data, images from around the world to support argument
- Symbolic Tools: Trash picked up from around the school/classroom in order to support the groups point
Outcome: Encourage the two groups to come to an "agreement" with their arguments, noting that this will not be a perfect agreement. Each group will have to give up certain aspects of their argument to compromise.

Question for Reflection:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:04:58 UTC

How do the cultural and symbolic tools impact the way students engage in the debate? What modifications might be needed for students struggling with oral communication?

The different cultural and symbolic tools give the students more sources to help support their "arguments". Giving them more substance to validate what they are saying, rather than just stating their opinions. Instead of having each student talk on their side of the debate, each group could have one or multiple designated student(s) to speak after working together as a group.

Task:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:05:28 UTC

Your students are conducting a science experiment to observe how different variables (water, sunlight) affect plant growth.

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:05:36 UTC

Subject: Students
Object: To see the effect of sunlight on plant growth
Tools:
- Material Tools: Plant, Sunlight, Water, Ruler
- Cultural Tools: Watering the plant, allowing it to be done over time.
- Symbolic Tools: Graph/Table to measure data
Outcome: See how much the plant has grown, and recognize the effect of sunlight on the plant

Question for Reflection:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:05:58 UTC

How do you plan to scaffold the experiment to ensure that students can follow the scientific method? What steps will you take to assess both individual and group understanding of the outcomes?

We can have the students fill out a worksheet prior to the experiment, asking what their predictions will be. We can also do some sort of exit ticket, to ensure each student understands the concept.

Task:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:06:47 UTC

Students use graphic organizers to improve reading comprehension by identifying the main idea and key details of a passage.

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:06:55 UTC

Subject: High Schoolers in an English class
Object: Use a graphic organizer to better understand a chapter in a book we have been reading
Tools:
- Material Tools: The book we have been reading, a printed off graphic organizer provided by the teacher
- Cultural Tools: The ability to work with others, and to work diligently and stay focused on the assignment. Teacher should also understand the different learning styles of their students.
- Symbolic Tools: Language. Students should be able to understand the language used in the book, as well as the questions asked on the organizer.
Outcome: Students should better understand the reading through the use of the graphic organizer. They should be able to understand the themes and characters better after the assignment.

Question for Reflection:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:07:25 UTC

How can graphic organizers help students visualize and organize information? What alternative approaches might be used for students who struggle with written language?

Task:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:08:05 UTC

You are guiding students through a role-playing activity to practice conflict resolution and empathy as part of a social-emotional learning unit.

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:08:10 UTC

Subject: The Students
Object: helps students find success in conflict situations
Tools:
- Material Tools: prompts for role-playing activity
- Cultural Tools: social expectations
- Symbolic Tools: empathy building phrases, checklist for resolving conflict
Outcome: Students are better emotional intelligence when managing conflict

Question for Reflection:

ccruzgon — 2024-10-06 19:08:33 UTC

How will you ensure that reserved or hesitant students engage with the role-play activity? What follow-up activities will help reinforce the skills learned?

Assign people roles based on comfort levels, and pair up students based on confidence, and get people more involved as the activity continues. Students can do a reflection or have a group discussion to reinforce these skills and apply it to their own lives.