Cooperative Learning with Carousel Brainstorming
Employing cooperative learning strategies in the classroom is a creative and motivating way to help students learn. In well-structured cooperative learning lessons, students are accountable for lesson objectives and for helping teammates learn. Carousel Brainstorming is an ideal activity to activate students’ prior knowledge of a subject, while engaging them physically in the learning process. This week, we offer tips on the cooperative learning strategy of Carousel Brainstorming with groups of three.
This Week's Tips
Assign Roles and Tasks in Carousel Brainstorming (Monday)
Divide students into groups of three to make role selections. Groups of three are small enough to facilitate equal interaction. Pre-planning of these groups will most likely ensure a cohesive group with mixed abilities. Explain the roles of the recorder, speaker, and mediator. Time spent on these explanations will expedite future Carousel Brainstorming lessons. Highlight the responsibility of the group as “all for one and one for all.”
Ask Thought-Provoking Questions in Carousel Brainstorming (Tuesday)
Develop questions that spark interest and conversation about a new topic area. Write each question on a separate sheet of chart paper. Post the questions around the classroom in stations. Give each group’s recorder a different color marker. Direct groups to a starting station and identify a time limit. Students should brainstorm ideas and the recorder for each group should write them directly on the chart paper. At timed intervals, groups will rotate or “carousel” to each station.
Facilitate Effective Interaction in Carousel Brainstorming (Wednesday)
Maximize the effectiveness of cooperative learning by maintaining your presence in the classroom. Be available to students for any needed clarifications as they work. Equalize the rotation time for the groups with a timer and have a pre-planned time signal. Recognize that groups may need additional time as the lesson progresses to read information posted by prior recorders. The amount of time necessary will depend on student needs and lesson objectives. Rotate groups clockwise to complete the rotation.
Use Presentations to Clarify in Carousel Brainstorming (Thursday)
Allow each speaker to summarize the brainstorming of their group for each question in turn. This will provide opportunities for clarification, or even, re-teaching if necessary. Take this a step further by helping the class to identify the three essential components for an answer to each question. Enlist the assistance of a class recorder to document the essential components for each answered question.
Give Closure to the Carousel Brainstorming Activity (Friday)
Save five minutes at the end of class to wrap-up the activity. Make certain students have recorded the three essentials for the answers to each question. Revisit each question to elicit any additions, second thoughts, or final remarks. Use the ideas gained cooperatively to give a summarizing assignment to be completed independently.
