How to Incorporate Cooperative Learning in Your Classroom

Rachel Hiemstra

Goals and Objectives

• To understand the benefits of cooperative learning

• To know how to incorporate cooperative learning strategies

• To gain excitement about cooperative learning that will lead to individual research

HOW?

Ask Questions

Different Teaching Styles

• Traditional Method– Students work individually– Only one student responds– 1/20 kids need to participate

• Group Method– Students determine how they will work

together– Students can talk and help each other– ¼ kids need to participate

Different Teaching Styles

• Cooperative Learning Method– All students participate and are assigned roles– Each student is held responsible for their own

contribution– 100% of students participate

Which Style Do You Use?

THINK-PAIR-

SHARE

Which Style Do You Use?

Teachers usually teach using the method in which they were taught

Why Did I Try Cooperative Learning?

• My first year teaching 7th grade Math– Students were behind– I couldn’t help everyone

• Three Before Me

– Students were bored…I was bored

Kagan’s Reasons for Cooperative Learning

Benefits:

• Boosts academic achievement in all grades and content areas

• Promotes academic gains, especially for minority and low achieving students

• Improves personal and social skills

• Increases understanding and empathy

Keys to Cooperative Learning

P: Positive Interdependence

I: Individual Accountability

E: Equal Participation

S: Simultaneous Interaction

Classroom Management• Carefully selected,

stable groups of 2-4– Heterogeneous

• Different ability levels

– Homogeneous• Same ability levels

– Random– Individually chosen

• Literature Circles

• Each student uses their own color marker

Cooperative Learning Strategies

• Round Table/ Partner Pass– Students pass a list around a table and each adds

their own part– Adaptation: Sheet Covers

• Simultaneous Round Table– Build lists all at the same time

• Four Corners– Students choose a corner based on a given topic

• Value Line– Students make decisions such as strongly

agree/strongly disagree and stand in a line

Cooperative Learning for Presentations

• Groups of 4– Assign Jobs (Writer, Two Creators, Presenter)– Students read assigned section– Writer works together with group to write an

outline of what was read– Creators use outline to create a power point

presentation– Rotate jobs until eventually all students

perform all of the jobs

The Triangular Trade

Ships sailing from the New England colonies usually stopped at two distant ports before returning to New England

Often they sailed to Africa first with barrels of rum made in the colonies

From Africa they sailed back across the Atlantic to the West Indies where they traded the slaves for molasses

Returning to New England the merchants traded the molasses for rum and set out for Africa again

Cooperative Learning Strategies

• Group Posters– Artistically represent information– Clever/Creative theme– Catchy title– Given number of illustrations– Colored markers with equal distribution on poster

*Option: Agree with the class on the order of best poster (“9th best”)

**Option: Carousel Feedback

***Option: Partner Books

Cooperative Learning Games

• Tic-Tac-Toe Board– Create a nine-fold– Use word, definition, and illustration– Adaptation: Flash Cards

• Bingo Board– Use when concepts include more than nine

options (12, 16 or 24 work best)

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do we grade group work?– Cooperative learning is for learning, not for

grading– Participation– Met Requirements

• Are high achievers at a disadvantage?

• How often should you use cooperative learning strategies?

JUST GOOD IDEAS FOR TEACHING VOCABULARY AND COMPREHENSION

Strategies for Developing Vocabulary

• Super Seven/Terrific Ten– Divide a sheet into 12 squares– Students write vocab word on the left side– Definition in second column– Use it in context in the third column– Write a sentence in the fourth column– Adaptations: Describe who would say it, draw

a picture

Strategies for Comprehension

• Alpha Box– Students make a 24-fold with each letter of

the alphabet in a box– Students find a word in the story for each

letter of the alphabet– Students draw a picture in the background

• Triarama– Used to draw a setting

Strategies for Comprehension• X Marks the Spot

X= I know this

?= I have questions and would like to know more

!= Wow! That is surprising!

• Nine Square Book Summary– Summarizing– Evaluating– Connections– Predictions