Get students collaborating to solve problems! When using Around the World, each group contributes to a series of problems before returning “home” to revisit their original problem.
Steps
- Using whiteboards or flip-charts, put up a series of problems or questions at stations spread around the classroom. The number of stations should correspond to the number of groups you anticipate having in the class.
- Arrange students into groups (3 or 4 per group) and give each group a different-coloured pen or marker. Make sure you have enough colours so that each group gets something different!
- Ask each group to move to a station and start trying to solve the problem. Emphasize that you need to see not just their answers but also their reasoning and the steps they take.
- Provide a specific amount of time for them to work on the problem at that station.
- Pro Tip! How long should it take to solve the problem? Divide that time by the number of groups so that you have each group working on only a portion of the problem. E.g., if a problem should take about ten minutes, give them two minutes before asking them to switch to the next station.
- Once the allotted time is up, ask groups to move to the next station and take their pen/marker with them. Colours stay with the group (not the station) so that each group’s work is visible.
- When they get to the next station, ask groups to begin by assessing and commenting on what the group(s) ahead of them accomplished. Tell them not to erase anything, but to circle, cross-out, or put question marks beside anything they believe is incorrect or unclear and to provide an explanation. Then continue working on the problem.
- Pro Tip! If using paper or flip charts, provide groups with sticky notes they can use to make and move around comments.
- Have groups continue “around the world” to each station so they get a chance to work on each problem before returning to their home station.
- Direct them to finish or review the completed problem at their home station.
Variations and Add-ons
- When creating groups and passing out markers, assign the “scribe” role to a student who you know to be a little quieter or perhaps unprepared. This helps to make sure they stay involved in the conversation.
- Conversely, you could make the talkative person in the group the scribe, but tell them they’re not allowed to speak, only to write down what their group mates say. • Use smaller groups (3–4, rather than 5–7) so that students are not too crowded at each station.
- Have each group present the correct solution at their home station to the rest of the class.
- Direct them to highlight the steps they took and the best methods used to solve the problem.
- Support groups by emphasizing things they did correctly but try not to steal their thunder by reviewing everything yourself; let them be the experts.
- Allow students time to take pictures of each problem/solution so they can use them for later review/studying. Alternatively, you could take pictures yourself and post them to D2L.
- When moving from station to station, ask groups to move counter-clockwise. Point out that this is Coast Salish protocol for a talking circle. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on Indigenization.
Photo by Kaleidico on Unsplash
