ROUNDABLE DISCUSSION• Helping students develop facility with academic language is important to their success in school. In content areas such as science, it is particularly critical that students have opportunities to participate in discussions and practice using specialized language. • Is a format for student-led, small-group discussions about a topic. This format helps students practice using academic language to discuss key ideas in response to questions. • Is also a valuable way to teach students that scientists answer questions based on evidence and discuss ideas with others in the scientific community.

STEPS USE TO INTRODUCERoundtableDiscussion

1. Select a text that is related to your curriculum. Be sure that the text you select introduces a topic and provides many examples or evidence about this topic

In Break It Down: How Scientists SeparateMixtures, readers learn that most objects and

materials are mixtures made of different ssubstances. These mixtures can be separated or broken down into their component substances, but this is often difficult to do. Some scientists, however, break mixtures down in order to learn more about them. three examples of separating mixtures: the separation of salt from ocean water, the separation of plasma from blood, and the separation of the various ingredients in food found in an ancient pot. In each case, scientists use the properties of the individual substances of each mixture to separate them. Scientists then use what they find to solve problems or answer questions.

2. Develop four questions that will prompt students’ thinking about the topic in the text.

The following are guidelines to use when writing questions:

1.The question should relate to important concepts in the text.

2. Students should be able to answer the question using evidence provided in the text.

3. The question should prompt students to think deeply about the content of the text.

3. Make a class chart that lists the directions for the discussion routine . On the board, write the four questions you developed.

• In what ways can separating mixtures be useful?

• Which properties allowed the water,plasma, and ancient stew molecules to be separated from the mixtures they were a part of?

• How does gas chromatography work?• How might a scientist separate airpollution from the air?

4. Introduce the text you selected and have students read.5. Tell students that they will work in groups of four to discuss what they have read. Explain that the discussion will focus on answering four questions using evidence from the text.

6. Organize students into groups of four. Have groups count off, so each student is assigned a number from 1 to 4. Tell students that their numbers correspond to the number of one of the questions on the board. Explain that each student will lead a discussion about this question.

7. Use the Roundtable Discussion Directions chart to explain how the discussions will work. Tell the class that after reading the first question aloud to his group, the discussion leader will invite the other members of his group to share ideas and supporting evidence. As other students in the group share, the leader should listen to everyone’s ideas and encourage participation. Leaders can take notes on the discussion if they wish; these notes will help the leader report to the class after the group discussion.

8. Explain that after question 1 has been discussed, group members will rotate to the next question and the next leader, so that everyone has a chance to lead a discussion.9. Before students begin discussing, you may wish to model facilitation skills, such as listening respectfully to the person who is speaking, making sure everyone has the chance to share, and using evidence to support ideas.

10. Allow time for students to conduct their Roundtable Discussions.

11. After groups discuss each question, have each discussion leader tell the class what her group said in response to her question. You may wish to record ideas on the board as students share.12. Debrief the

Roundtable Discussions. Emphasize

How students used evidence from the text to support their ideas.

1. The person who is the leader for question #1 reads the question aloud.

2. The leader asks the group for ideas.

3. Everyone else in the group shares ideas, and the leader takes notes as needed.

4. The leader makes sure that everyone contributes.

5. When everyone has shared ideas, rotate to the next leader and the next question.

A fishbowl conversation is a form of dialogue that can be used when discussing topics within large groups.

When to use1. To include the “public” in a small group discussion.2. To generate dynamic group involvement and have active participation from participants. 3. To discuss controversial topics (less productive for heavily didactical content).4.   To observe, analyze and learn from another group’s thinking process (outer circle).5.  As an alternative for a traditional debate.6. As an alternative for an expert panel discussion or a presentation of speaker(s):

Instead of hours of presentations, give the speaker(s) 5-15 minutes to present their ideas. Then the speaker(s) join(s) the inner circle, which will be open for 1-3 ‘visitors’ and the objective is to let the content emerge from the comments and questions of the group. This reduces the distinction made between experts and audience.

There are two types of fishbowl

•The open fishbowl, in which a few chairs (1-2) in the inner circle (5-8 people) remain empty. Any member of the audience can, at any time, occupy the empty chair and join the fishbowl. When this happens, an existing member of the fishbowl must voluntarily leave the fishbowl and free a chair.

•The discussion continues with participants frequently entering and leaving the fishbowl. Limitations to participants joining the inner circle can be put in place:

Time limit (1-5 minutes). Only make one substantial statement or comment. Participants can only enter the inner circle by changing position with the one on ‘the visitors’ chair’.

•In a closed fishbowl, all chairs are filled. The facilitator splits the participants in two groups (or more as needed). The initial participants in the inner circle speak for some time about the subject as indicated by the facilitator. When time runs out (or when no new points are added to the discussion), initial participants leave the fishbowl and a new group from the audience enters the fishbowl. The new group continues discussing the previous issue.This may continue until many audience members have spent some time in the fishbowl.

A panel discussion is designed to provide an opportunity for a group to hear several people knowledgeable about a specific issue or topic present information and discuss personal views. A panel discussion may help the audience further clarify and evaluate their positions regarding specific issues or topics being discussed and increase their understanding of the positions of others.

•Identify, or help participants identify, an issue or topic that involves an important conflict in values and/or interests. The issue or topic may be set forth as a topical question, a hypothetical incident, a student experience, an actual case, etc. •Select panelists who are well informed about and have specific points of view regarding the issue or topic. A panel discussion that includes three to five panelists is usually most workable. Select a leader or moderator.

•Indicate to panelists the objectives the panel discussion is designed to promote and allow-time for panel members to prepare for the discussion. In some situations ten or fifteen minutes may be sufficient time for preparation while in other situations, panel members may need to prepare several weeks in advance of the scheduled discussion.

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•Decide upon the format the panel discussion will follow. Various formats are appropriate. The following procedures have been used effectively: a. The leader or moderator introduces the topic and the panelists present their views and opinions regarding the issue or topic for a set amount of time.b. The panelists discuss the issue or topic with each other by asking questions or reacting to the views and opinions of other panel members. A specific amount of time should be established.

c. The leader or moderator closes the discussion and provides a summary of panel presentations and discussion. d. The leader or moderator calls for a forum period during which the members of the class may participate by addressing questions to various panel members or by voicing their views and opinions. The forum period should be conducted by the panel leader or moderator.

Principal Responsibilities of the Instructor

•Identify, or help participants identify, issues or topics upon which to base a panel discussion. •Insure that all panelists and the moderator are familiar with the procedures for panel discussion in advance of the discussion itself so that they will be able to fulfill the responsibilities of their roles. •Assist panelists and participants (when necessary) in preparation for the discussion by directing them to various source materials, authorities in the field, etc.

•Help participants understand the need for fair procedures in discussing an issue or topic, e.g., the freedom to discuss an issue, the obligation to listen to other points of view, the need for orderly, courteous discussion, etc.

A Discussion Web helps students visualize the key elements of an issue and quickly identify opposing points of view on the matter. This organizational tool guides discussions by allowing students to identify ideas of contention, to weigh opposing viewpoints, to critically evaluate the arguments, and to draw conclusions.

Steps to Discussion Webs

1. Distribute a selected reading to the class. Be sure to select a controversial document that elicits clearly defined opposing viewpoints. 2. Ask the class to identify the main question of the text. Once consensus is reached, post the question for quick reference.

3. Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students. Provide the groups with the Discussion Web graphical organizer

4. Ask the groups to write down at least 3 reasons for answering the question "Yes" and 3 reasons for answering the question "No."

5. On a simple "T-chart," record students' positive and negative responses. Use this list to promote discussion. Have students evaluate each reason ("pro" and "con") objectively and fairly.

6. After discussing the individual reasons, encourage each student to decide on a position on the general question. Point out that understanding both sides of an argument does not preclude taking a stand.

7. Have each student write his final conclusion on an index card. Collect the cards and tally the responses. Share the results with the class and list the most common reasons ("pro" and "con") for these decisions on a shared Discussion Web form.