Cooperative Learning Lesson

EDP 621

By:  Jill C. Heffner

 

Title "Writes of the Round Table"

 

(This is a variation of TGT- Teams - Games - Tournaments)

 

Duration:  Four Days

 

Grade Level: Third and Fourth

 

Overall

Objectives: 

¨    Instructional Objectives -

1.   Students will write topic sentences to be used by the class

2.   Students will write supporting detail sentences for  specific topic sentences

3.   Students will write concluding sentences for specific topic sentences

 

¨    Cooperative Lesson Objective - 

1.   Students will work as a team to create topic sentences

2.   Students will take turns as a team writing supporting details and  

      concluding sentences to complete a common goal

3.   Students will takes turns as a team to illustrate a five-point 

      paragraph

 

Background:  Students will need to understand the concept of a basic five point paragraph consisting of a topic sentence, three supporting detail sentences and a concluding sentence.

 

Materials needed:

1.   New piece of paper for each day

2.   One pencil per "team"

3.   Colored pencils, crayons, or colored markers for day three

 

Teacher Preparation: Teacher needs to teach the concept of a five-point paragraph.  He/she should have several examples of topic sentences, work through some of them to create supporting details and a concluding sentence. (Note teacher can create topic sentences to reinforce a particular concept being taught in science,math or social studies.  Examples: water cycle, types of trees, biomes, time lines, prehistoric Indians, map skills, etc.)

 Examples could include:

1.   topic sentence - Ohio has a beautiful state bird.

SD- It is a magnificent bird called a cardinal

SD- The male cardinal is bright red.

SD- Other than the fact that the female is a dull red, she looks very much like the male.

                             concluding sentence - I am glad Ohio has such a beautiful state bird.

 

 

2.   topic sentence - Math is my favorite subject.

         SD- We learn about measurement.

         SD- We often do geometry problems.

            SD- I love it when we do problem solving.

     concluding sentence- I love having math every day since it is my

     favorite subject

3.   The first day of school is a little scary.

4.   The last day of school is a little sad.

5.   A lot of my friends play sports.

6.   My favorite food is pizza.

7.   Math is my favorite subject.

 

Day 1 Procedure:

¨    Teacher teaches the concept of the five-point paragraph

¨    Teacher separates students into teams of four

¨    Teams share one piece of paper and one pencil

¨    Students collaborate as teams to write four topic sentences for tomorrow -students pass the paper and pencil and each write one topic sentence

Day 2 Procedure:

¨    Teacher announces a topic sentence, chosen from those written the day before.

¨    Students discuss within their team of four possible supporting detail sentences that could be added. 

¨    Team member #1 writes the first supporting detail sentence.

¨    Team member #2 writes the second supporting detail sentence.

¨    Team member #3 writes the third supporting detail sentence.

¨    Team members discuss possible concluding sentences that restate the topic.

¨    Team member #4 writes a concluding sentence.

¨    Each team shares with the class the detail and concluding sentences they created.

¨    Procedure is repeated as time allows.

 

Day 3 Procedure:

¨    Team members choose one of the five-point paragraphs that they wrote the day before to illustrate.

¨    Team members brainstorm ways the paragraph could be illustrated.

¨    Turns move around the table once more to illustrate the paragraph.

 

 

 

Day 4 Procedure: - Students are given an individual test where the teacher gives them a general topic.  Each student will create a topic sentence that would address the topic, write three supporting details that would support the topic sentence and a concluding sentence that restate the topic sentence.

 

 

Evaluation:    Group/Informal Assessment: Each day teams will share their work with the class and turn in their paper for informal evaluation.

                  Individual/Formal Assessment: As an individual test, students will be given a general topic and asked to create a five-point paragraph including a topic sentence, three supporting detail sentences, and a concluding sentence.

 

 

Possible Management Strategies: 

¨    Students can have one "pass" during the course of the lesson.  In this case, the other team members will aid their partner in creating and writing the needed sentence.

¨    Select topic sentences that have familiarity so that all can succeed.

 

 

Multiple Intelligence: 

1.   Verbal/Linguistic

2.   Interpersonal

3.   Visual/Spatial

 

 

Cooperative Elements:

¨    Individual Accountability - Each team member holds the other team members responsible for their portion of the paragraph.

¨    Positive Interdependence - The team has a common goal of creating a five-point paragraph in the allotted time.

¨    Social Skills - Students must take turns, give help, clarify directions, and probe each other for possible sentences.

¨    Processing - Students reflect on how well they did when all work is shared with the entire class.

¨    Face-to-Face Interaction - Students work in a small group of four to a table.

¨    Evaluation - Students are assessed at a group and individual level.  Students repeat process so that mastery learning is achieved.  Students take ownership of learning what supporting detail and concluding sentences are.

¨    Heterogeneous Grouping - Groups have multiple perspectives as students are intermixed according to gender, ability, etc.