Building Thinking Classrooms Book Club by Erin Graves

Thin slicing with a banner.

eringraves1 — 2024-08-29 18:25:00 UTC

Using cards

eringraves1 — 2024-08-29 18:26:49 UTC

I really like using cards to get students in random groups. The strategy what works well for me is to have a deck of cards pre-set for each class so that I can predetermine how many are in the decks. Also, I give 3 students a stack to hand out. That way they know it's REALLY random and it goes faster.

Student behavior.

eringraves1 — 2024-08-29 18:27:53 UTC

I have a small handful of students who like to try to be sneaky and switch with each other.

SMP3

eringraves1 — 2024-08-29 18:29:04 UTC

I am seeing so much improvement in students being able to explain their thinking to each other. I am also seeing collaboration increase like crazy. It is also extending to increased teamwork when students are working at their tables.

Classroom Space

eringraves1 — 2024-08-29 18:30:39 UTC

I have a lot of students in each class, so there are a few spaces in the room when groups are pretty close to each other. Sometimes this can lead so groups being really tempted to get off task. One thing I've tried is offering a treat (jolly rancher) to specific students who I know like to wander IF they stay in their group the entire time.

Same Old

eringraves1 — 2024-08-29 18:31:24 UTC

Sometimes I get worried that students are doing too much of the same thing. I am always looking for ways to mix it up so it doesn't get boring.

Card Tricks

2024-09-06 08:38:22 UTC

More kids were initially interested, but the demand for perseverance detoured the usual suspects. Some advance students hated it because they like being told what to do rather than asked what could be done to solve this problem.

I used it as a "brain break" in the middle of my 2 hour block

Pirate and the Dimond

2024-09-06 08:41:54 UTC

This is a great task that seems non curricular, but is a fun take on linear growth mixed with exponential. (ie looks linear, but the big picture is exponential) I've seen kids really get into this one because I used a bag of candy as the pirate treasure...

students need to record data... and notice the pattern... and it's incredibly helpful to start from a small case

I've tried it... (defronting, vertical non permanent surface and random groupings (Cards and Jupiter shuffle)

2024-09-06 08:55:56 UTC

I've tried it... (defronting, vertical non permanent surface and random groupings (Cards and Jupiter shuffle)

Defronting:

Every year kids walk in and ask were is the front and it makes me happy. I think I'm not doing as good of a job this year as in the past because my PLC is implementing packets with a lot of teacher led note taking (grr).

VNPS

I've loved the visibility of student thinking due to the vertical surface, but with 40 kids and most groups needing to be of 4, there are kids that try to hide and not participate.

They have a really hard time sticking to "if I have the marker you need to convince me of what to write."

Grouping:

Kids dislike the discomfort of being with different people, and doing what they are not used to. Because of the value of this practice I refuse to stop. Perspective is something that I focus on in my classes. Both working to communicate your perspective clearly, but also to put yourself in the shoes of someone else. Random grouping helps mix things up on a daily basis.