Jigsaw
Outcomes Met: Grade 5 Math 5.SS.5., Grade 5 Science 5-1-13
The jigsaw strategy can be used in any content area. Using the jigsaw strategy allows students to become experts in a certain area or topic. Students are placed into small groups and they learn a portion of a piece of text and then once they have become experts, they are formed into new groups in which they have to share what they learned with their new group members. For example, in science students need to be able to describe the factors necessary to maintain a healthy body such as physical activity, appropriate sleep, a balanced diet, etc. So instead of reading about each of these areas, one group would read on the importance of eating healthy, the next group would learn about the importance of physical activity and so on. Once each group was an expert, they would form new groups so that they would learn about each factor that contributes to a healthy body. The idea would work similarly in math. For example, students need to be able to identify different edges and faces of 2D and 3D objects. So students would be split up into groups and would become experts on a particular type of face or edge (eg parallel lines, vertical lines, etc.). They would form new groups and explain to their new group members how to recognize when an object has perpendicular lines, parallel lines, etc. 1. Divide students into groups (3-6 depending on the number of students). 2. Assign each group a portion or section of a text, a topic, or a question to become an expert on. Decide on appropriate time limit. 3. Once the time has expired, form new groups by giving each student of a group a number (eg. 1,2,3,4). 4. Once each group of students have been numbered off, have the students with like numbers form new groups. 5. Each student will share with their new group what they have learned. In this way, each student becomes knowledgeable in each section of the text or topic without having to do all the work. 6. Bring it back together as a class and go over an questions that were not answered. |