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Running head: COOPERATIVE LEARNING LESSONS 1

Cooperative Learning Lessons

Julie Neuner

EDUC 540

March 30, 2014

Dr. Vickie Cummings

COOPERATIVE LEARNING LESSONS 2

Cooperative Learning Lessons - Winter Olympics Thematic Unit

Math lesson

Grade: Second

Theme: Winter Olympics (Class Building)

Standards:

CC CCSS.Math.Cont.2.NBT.B.5 - Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on

place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.

CC CCSS.Math.Cont.2.MD.D.10 - Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale)

to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, take-apart, and

compare problems using information presented in a bar graph.

CC CCSS.Math.Cont.3.MD.B.3 - Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to

represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step "how many more" and "how

many less" problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.

Objectives: Students will fluently add 2 digit numbers with one regrouping. Students will create

a data set and will identify how totals can be used to create a bar graph using technology.

Students will develop team work and communication skills.

Kagan Structure: Inside-Outside Circle

Key Vocabulary: addition, digit, regroup, sum, bar graph, data, set

Materials/Technology: Smartboard; Internet; iPads with Docs to Go App; classroom printer;

Accelerated Math; Index cards with math problems; student math journals

Motivation: Video presentation of the winter games and whole group classroom discussion of

winter sports that students participate in. Students make connections to their own lives for

relevancy and motivation.

Practice/Application:

Prior Knowledge: Students were taught how to use Excel to total columns of numbers.

Before class: Teacher prepares instructional plan in Accelerated Math for mini-lesson. Teacher

prepares index cards with 2 digit math problems. Some with correct answers and some with

incorrect answers. Teacher loads websites for whole group lesson. Teacher ensures all iPads

have the App and wifi connection needed to print. Teacher has an Excel spreadsheet with medal

totals prepared and is ready to demonstrate how to create a bar graph using Excel to conclude

lesson.


During class:

1. Teacher builds prior knowledge and motivation by sharing the “Sanki” Sliding Center

video. (Audio is in Russian language so teacher reads English captions during video).

2. Teacher reviews all the countries participating in the Winter Olympic Games and

discusses the three medal categories: Gold; Silver; Bronze.

3. Teacher provides mini-lesson on adding two digit numbers using Accelerated Math

curriculum instructional tools. Vocabulary review is part of this lesson.

4. Students take notes while teacher demonstrates in math journals.

5. Inside-Outside Circle activity: Students form pairs. Each student has 3 index cards. One

student from each pair moves to form one large circle in the class facing outward.

Remaining students face their partners. Inside circle students review their index card

math problem and answer true or false to the solution. Outside circle students praise their

efforts and take a turn to agree or disagree with their partner. Students reverse roles.

When teacher calls “switch” students rotate to work with different partners. This

continues for three rounds.

6. Students return to their tables to work with their partners using the iPad to locate medal

totals and work out math problems to add totals for each country in their student math

journals.

7. Students enter numbers into an Excel spreadsheet to check their accuracy. They can go

back and locate any errors in their math journals. Students print Excel spreadsheet.

8. Teacher brings whole class back together to review correct totals and demonstrates how

to create a bar graph using the data in Excel.

Review/Assessment: Formative assessment will be gained as teacher facilitates and observes

whole class interaction during Inside-Outside Circle and team work during extension activity.

Teacher will collect Excel spreadsheets and students will receive a participation grade for

successful completion.

Extension: Following class building lesson students will work with their partners to enter medal

totals into an Excel Spreadsheet for each country and by medal category. Students will navigate

to the Sochi website (http://www.sochi2014.com/en) and click on Medals to find totals. Students

will print Excel spreadsheets they create.

Lesson will culminate with teacher demonstrating whole group how to graph data from the Excel

spreadsheet to create a chart.

Reading Lesson

Grade: Second

Theme: Winter Olympics (Communication Skills)

Standards: CC CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4a - Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.

http://www.sochi2014.com/en


CC CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.10 - By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature,

including stories and poetry, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding

as needed at the high end of the range.

CC CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7 - Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a

machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.

CC CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4b - Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and

expression on successive readings.

CC CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.9 - Compare and contrast the most important points presented by

two texts on the same topic.

Objectives: Students will practice self monitoring strategies as they read independently.

Students compare and contrast differences of fiction and non-fiction texts. Students read and

comprehend informational texts and annotate how pictures and diagrams contribute to their

understanding.

Kagan Structure: Think, Pair, Share

Key Vocabulary: compare, contrast, topic, fiction, non-fiction, purpose

Materials/Technology: Smartboard; Internet; iPads; Accelerated Reader; Books-Tacky and the

Winter Games by Helen Lester (Book level: 3.0) & Shred it Up! By Craig Robert Carey (Book

level 4.2); student reading journals; Venn Diagram graphic organizer

Motivation: Video presentation of the winter games and whole group classroom discussion of

animals that live in winter climates. Students share experiences of animals they have seen at

zoos, or in other real-world experiences.


Prior Knowledge: Students understand the Winter Olympics are a current event and have some

prior exposure to the winter games.

Before class: Teacher reads both texts and identifies key areas for modeling strategies. Teacher

copies Venn Diagram graphic organizers for each group. Students have chosen one non-fiction

and one fiction library book in their reading levels.

During class:

1. Teacher builds prior knowledge and motivation by sharing photographs & video of

snowboarding events at Sochi (http://www.sochi2014.com/en)

2. Teacher solicits student participation and begins discussion about animals who live in

winter habitats.



3. Teacher reads Shred it Up! pausing to model how pictures and captions lead to greater

understanding of the text. Teacher introduces the text as non-fiction.

4. Teacher reads Tacky and the Winter Games purposely modeling re-reading to improve

understanding and reading fluently with inflection. Teacher introduces the text as fiction.

5. On the board teacher draws a Venn diagram and asks students how the two books are

alike and different modeling how to complete the Venn diagram.

6. Teacher instructs students that they will now practice with their partners by taking turns

reading and listening to each other read to practice fluency.

7. Students work with their partners to read together one non-fiction book and one non-

fiction book. Students practice re-reading as a strategy and focus on reading the text

fluently. Students make notes in their reading journals of pictures that they note

contribute to the meaning of the texts.

8. Students work together to complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the

differences between the non-fiction and fiction texts.

9. When students finish reading the books they independently take an AR quiz on the iPad

to measure reading comprehension.

Review/Assessment: Formative assessment will be gained as teacher facilitates and observes the

Think, Pair, Share team work during extension activity. Teacher will collect Venn diagrams and

will review comprehension data from AR quizzes.

Extension: Following whole group lesson students will transfer skills and strategies in their own

independent reading practice books. Students will make notes in their reading journals about the

strategies and skills they applied while reading.

Science lesson

Grade: Four

Theme: Winter Olympics (Teambuilding)

Standards: Next Generation Science Standards

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

MS-PS1-1. Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and

extended structures.

MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature,

and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.

Objectives: Students will investigate questions and engineering design problems about the

structure and moisture content of snow and snow storage systems.

Kagan Structure: Pairs Compare

Key Vocabulary: humidity, temperature, crystals, compression, density; volume; variable


Materials/Technology: Smartboard; Internet; student science journals; uncooked & cooked rice;

3” diameter PVC pipe cut in 6” lengths (one per team)

Motivation: Science of Snow Video (https://www.nbclearn.com/science-and-engineering-of-

the-2014-olympic-winter-games) is previewed to build interest in the lesson plan and to aid in

understanding of purpose for today’s learning.

Before class: Have video presentation bookmarked and ready to play. Prepare handouts with

questions & graphic organizers. Organize all materials for easy distribution to each team.


Explore Understanding (Prior Knowledge): Near the end of the video (3:45–4:15) the commentator states, “In Sochi, after two mild winters,

organizers have made contingency plans that include storing about 588,000 cubic yards of snow

under insulating blankets in nearby mountains. But experts worry that stored snow can't quite

compete with freshly fallen powder.” Share the image (at 3:55) of the huge snow pile under its

insulating blanket and have students discuss the impact storing snow in this manner might have

on the snow in the pile. A conservative estimate for the weight of a cubic foot of snow is 20

pounds. Work through the calculation with your students to estimate how much the snow banked

in Sochi might weigh. Ask students to think of everyday examples in which large numbers of

small objects (modeling snowflakes) are packed together, with spaces in between. Use the

following prompts to help students ponder the properties of many small objects crowded in a

small space.

• I’ve shoveled wet snow, and it takes more effort than shoveling dry snow because….

• When snow is in a huge pile….

• Some factors controlling how closely objects in a space pack together are….

Show Science of Snow and encourage students to jot down notes while they watch.

Continue the discussion of the properties of snow with prompts such as:

• When I watched the video, I thought about….

• Some shapes of snowflakes are….

• Factors affecting the shapes of snowflakes are….

• After snow has fallen, some factors that can change its properties are….

• The shapes of snowflakes in the snow pack gradually….

Ask Beginning Questions

Stimulate teambuilding discussions with the prompt: This video makes me think about these

questions…. Then, ask teams to list questions they have about the shapes of snowflakes, the

reasons for these shapes, and how and why the shapes change as the snow cover (snow on the

ground) ages and is used for winter sports. Ask teams to choose one question and phrase it in

such a way as to be researchable and/or testable. The following are some examples:

• Why are snowflake shapes based on hexagons?

• What factors determine the shape of snowflakes?

• How might we design an experiment to find the solid fraction of another packed material?

• In our experiments, how will we measure the volume of trapped air?

https://www.nbclearn.com/science-and-engineering-of-the-2014-olympic-winter-games

https://www.nbclearn.com/science-and-engineering-of-the-2014-olympic-winter-games


Design Investigations Brainstorm with your teammates to come up with ways in which you might be able to answer the

question. Decide on one idea and write a procedure that will allow you to safely explore the

question. Use the prompts below to help focus your thinking.

• The variable we will test is….

• The responding variable will be….

• The variables we will control, or keep the same, are….

• The materials we will use are….

• The steps we will follow include….

• We will repeat our test _____times to make sure….

Record Data and Observations

Organize your observations and data in tables or graphs as appropriate, such as the example

below.

Volume of Wet and Dry Snow Models

State of Material Volume (cm3) Density (g/cm3)

Dry

Wet

Ideas for Analyzing Data

• Were you able to observe a difference in density? Why or why not? If so, by how much?

• Did you notice that density was related to the type of material you examined? Why or why

not? If so, what generalizations can you make about the materials you examined?

• In the activity, you changed the density of the materials you examined by adding moisture.

In Sochi the density of the stored snow was increased because of the depth of the snow that was

piled above it. How do you think these two things might be related and what effect does the more

dense snow have for skiers?

• What sources of error might remain in this experiment, other than those for which we

carefully controlled? How might you address these issues in a follow-up experiment?

Make a Claim Backed by Evidence

Analyze your data and then make one or more claims based on the evidence your data shows.

Make sure that the claim goes beyond summarizing the relationship between the variables.

My Evidence My Claim My Reason

Present and Compare Findings

Listen to presentations of other groups and create a peer review as scientists do for one another.

You might also compare your findings with those of experts in the video or that you have access


to, or material on the Internet. How do your findings compare? Be sure to give credit to others

when you use their findings in your comparisons.

• My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….

• My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….

• My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….

Reflect on Learning Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it

change what you thought you knew?

• My ideas changed in the following ways….

• One concept I still do not understand involves….

• One part of the investigation I am most proud of is….

• Something that surprised me the most was….

• A challenge that I (we) had to overcome was….

Review/Assessment: Formative assessment will be gained as teacher facilitates and observes

teams work through inquiry and scientific experimentation. Scoring rubric will be used for each

of the steps students’ record in their student science journals.

Extension: Students will present their findings to the class and will compare and contrast their

findings with that of the other teams in the class.

Scoring Rubric:

Criteria 1 point 2 points 3 points

Initial question

or problem

Question or problem

had had a yes/no

answer or too simple of

a solution, was off

topic, or otherwise was

not researchable or

testable.

Question or problem was

researchable or testable

but too broad or not

answerable by the

chosen investigation.

Question or problem was

clearly stated, was

researchable or testable,

and showed direct

relationship to

investigation.

Investigation

design

The design of the

investigation did not

support a response to

the initial question or

provide a solution to

the problem.

While the design

supported the initial

question or problem, the

procedure used to collect

data (e.g., number of

trials, or control of

variables) was not

sufficient.

Variables were clearly

identified and controlled

as needed with steps and

trials that resulted in

data that could be used

to answer the question or

solve the problem.

Variables (if

applicable)

Either the dependent or

independent variable

was not identified.

While the dependent and

independent variables

were identified, no

controls were present.

Variables identified and

controlled in a way that

resulting data can be

analyzed and compared.

Safety

procedures

Basic laboratory safety

procedures were

Some, but not all, of the

safety equipment was

Appropriate safety

equipment used and safe


followed, but practices

specific to the activity

were not identified.

used and only some safe

practices needed for this

investigation were

followed.

practices adhered to.

Observations

and data

Observations were not

made or recorded, and

data are unreasonable

in nature, not recorded,

or do not reflect what

actually took place

during the

investigation.

Observations were

made, but were not very

detailed, or data appear

invalid or were not

recorded appropriately.

Detailed observations

were made and properly

recorded and data are

plausible and recorded

appropriately.

Claim No claim was made or

the claim had no

relationship to the

evidence used to

support it.

Claim was marginally

related to evidence from

investigation.

Claim was backed by

investigative or research

evidence.

Findings

comparison

Comparison of findings

was limited to a

description of the initial

question or problem.


was not supported by the

data collected.


included both

methodology and data

collected by at least one

other entity.

Reflection Student reflection was

limited to a description

of the procedure used.

Student reflections were

not related to the initial

question or problem.

Student reflections

described at least one

impact on thinking.

Technology/Computer Science Lesson

Grade: Four

Theme: Winter Olympics (Decision Making)

Subject: Technology/Computer Science

Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-

one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on

others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively

(e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages)

and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish

writing and to interact and collaborate with others.


Objectives: This lesson uses the official Olympic website to incorporate computer skills,

navigating a website and geography skills. Students will learn decision making skills by

participating in cooperative learning activities.

Kagan Structure: Spend a Buck

Key Vocabulary: motto, torch, compete, host

Materials/Technology: Smartboard; internet; computers; student checklist; student reflection

journal; $1 bill play money

Motivation: Build motivation for the learning experience by playing the opening ceremony

YouTube video emphasizing all the countries that come together to compete in the games.

(Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDQNYg6uA9k)


Prior Knowledge: Students understand how to use the internet to navigate to websites. Students

understand how Spend a Buck structure works.

Before class: Teacher prepares a checklist with the questions student will use a guide through

the activity. Teacher prepares board notes listing the websites for exploration and divides play

money into amounts for each team to divide equally.

During class:

Teacher (whole group instruction/discussion):

Ask students if they enjoy the Olympics? What is their favorite sport to watch in the

winter? Do they know when the next Olympics is?

Have your students go to the website using this link: http://www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-

winter-olympics

Instruct students they will be answering questions as they explore the site with their team.

Hand out the question checklists and model how to find the answer to the first question.

Cooperative heterogeneous teams:

1. When are the 2014 Winter Olympics? (February 7-February 23)

2. Where are the 2014 Winter Olympics? (Sochi, Russia)

3. How many days until the Olympics begin? (will depend on when you do this activity)

4. Can you find any information about the host city, Sochi? Share 3 facts you learn.

5. Name 3 sports that you know are in the winter Olympics. (figure skating, speed skating,

skiing)

6. Find on the website, the motto of the Olympics. (The Olympics use sports to make the

world a better place for everyone.)

7. The Olympic torch went to a very unusual place; where did it go and when? (Went to

space on 9-11-13)

8. Click on the “countries” link and see which countries are participating in the Olympics.

Name 5 countries that you are not familiar with, that are competing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDQNYg6uA9k


9. Which country is the closest to Sochi, Russia? Which is farthest?

10. There are 12 new sports; can you name 5 of them? (find the article on the opening page)

11. Click on the “games” link and find how many athletes compete in the winter Olympics

and how many compete in the summer games. (winter, 2,500 athletes; summer, 10,500)

Teacher Guided Spend a Buck activity: Team members vote on the five sports they have

chosen to list to determine one sport they will do a mini-presentation to the class on.

Review/Assessment: Formative assessment will be gained as teacher facilitates and observes the

Spend a Buck decision making activity of the cooperative teams. Teacher will collect answers to

questions that students respond to in their student journals.

Extension: Have students click on the official Sochi 2014 site (lower right of Olympic site) and they can do

some of their own exploring) http://www.sochi2014.com/en

Have students do a research activity for homework on the sport their team chooses and actually

prepare a presentation to share with the class on the topic.

Art Lesson

Grade: Three

Theme: Winter Olympics (Social Skills)

Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL 3.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of

conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing

their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in

respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts

under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1c Ask questions to check understanding of information presented,

stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1d Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the

discussion

Objectives: Students learn about the design of the Sochi 2014 poster. They research posters using

the Internet, compile their findings, discuss the content and form of posters then create their own

poster. Students provide constructive feedback to their peers to practice social skills and effective

teambuilding.

Kagan Structure: Carousel Feedback

Key Vocabulary: visual communication, logos, symbols, design, message, audience, purpose



Materials/Technology: Smartboard; Internet; poster board; markers; crayons; paper and other

art materials; Team Project Planning Form (Kagan Cooperative Learning, 2009, p. 13.14); Team

Project Feedback Form (Kagan Cooperative Learning, 2009, p. 13.17).

• access to the Internet (collection of 2014 posters:

https://www.google.com/search?q=images&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=sZMTU

5PMEsTQyAHI14D4AQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=622#q=winter+olym

pic+poster+2014&tbm=isch

• access to the Internet to view the Sochi 2014 Poster available from

http://www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics

Motivation: Build excitement for the activity by viewing photos from the Sochi 2014 Winter

Olympics from this site: http://www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics. Discuss the

importance of visual images in portraying the event.

Prior Knowledge: Students understand the structure Carousel Feedback and have used the

cooperative learning team forms for other projects.


1. Explain that a poster is a form of visual communication, specific to public places, in

which words, pictures and symbols are used together to convey a message. Show the class the

pictures of previous Olympic Games posters.

2. Ask students about the type of information and other features they would need to include on a

poster advertising an Olympic Games. Discuss the use of text, logos, color, photographs and

other images. Brainstorm these features, as well as any other ideas, as outlined in the following

sample:

3. Compile a class list of all the responses and explain that the class is going to design their own

poster to promote the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=sZMTU5PMEsTQyAHI14D4AQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=622#q=winter+olympic+poster+2014&tbm=isch






4. Explain that people who design posters work very hard to make their posters stand out and be

noticed. They concentrate on four main techniques, or “elements” to make you stop and look at

their posters. These elements will be the topic of your studies in the next few lessons.

There are four main elements that poster designers, or “graphic designers”, use to get your

attention: 1. Design; 2. Message; 3. Audience; 4. Purpose.

4. Distribute art and craft materials. Ask students to think about the features they would like to

have on their poster then use the art and craft materials to design their poster. Handout Team

Project Planning Form and explain that each team will use this to organize their roles and ideas

for the poster.

5. Explain that posters will be on display and that students will participate in a Carousel

Feedback structure to evaluate each other’s work.

6. Following the completion of the posters hand out Team Project Feedback Forms instructing

teams to follow rules for the structure.

Extension: Discuss and research other forms of posters, such as those used for advertising a film

or movie. How is the audience the same or different than for an Olympic Games poster?

Review/Assessment: Formative feedback during facilitation of collaborative team work. Collect

Project Planning Forms & Team Project Feedback Forms for evaluation purposes.

Social Studies Lesson

Grade: Three

Theme: Winter Olympics (Knowledge Building)

Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with

appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required

material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to

explore ideas under discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in

respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts

under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1c: Ask questions to check understanding of information presented,

stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1d: Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the

discussion.


Objectives: Students will follow the torch relay to learn more about the people and culture of

Russia. Students will develop critical thinking skills as they research and analyze informational

text. Students will develop effective team work skills.

Kagan Structure: Think-Write-RoundRobin

Key Vocabulary: route, map, culture, population, symbol/seal, founded

Materials/Technology: Smartboard; internet; iPads; Student checklist/questions, student

journals

Motivation: Share the video: Highlights from First Half of Sochi Olympic Torch Relay

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EazcErLWyJ0) to build prior knowledge and motivation for

the lesson plan. Discuss the importance of the torch relay for the hosting country.

History: Flame and torch

The ancient Greeks believed that fire was given to humankind by Prometheus, and considered

fire to have sacred qualities. Mirrors were used to focus the sun's rays to ignite flames that would

burn perpetually in front of Greek temples. Greek rituals also included torch relays, although this

was not actually part of the Olympic Games.

The modern use of the Olympic Flame began in 1936. It coincided with the advent of a long

relay of runners carrying torches to bring the flame from Olympia to the site of the games. Once

there, the torch is used to light a cauldron that remains lit until it is extinguished in the Closing

Ceremony.


1. Teacher presents the map of the 2014 torch relay of the Winter Olympics

(http://www.mapsofworld.com/olympics/winter-olympics/torch-relay.html) and discusses the

history of the torch relay.

2. Teacher models how to do a google search on one of the locations to find facts. (Use Sochi,

Russia for the modeling activity)

2. Student teams each choose one location that the torch passed through to research.

3. Students will work with their team partner to look up facts and record their answers in student

journals.

4. Teacher hands out facts to research:

• Date Founded

• Population

• Nickname

• Symbol/seal

• Three interesting facts

• Size in square miles

• Average temperature

• Any major rivers or bodies of water?

• Bonus: Who carried the Olympic torch through your location?

http://www.mapsofworld.com/olympics/winter-olympics/torch-relay.html


5. When all questions are answered students will complete a Round Robin with their team of

four to check their facts and come to consensus about which final answers they will present to

the class in their oral presentation.

6. One student records the final answers on the student handout to be submitted at the end of the

lesson.

Review/Assessment: Formative assessment while facilitating cooperative learning teams.

Teacher will collect team answers and will provide feedback to return to the teams before

continuing to work on the extension activity.

Extension: Students use the facts they research to create a class presentation using Power Point

of Prezi to present their location to the class.

Reflection

Prior to this course my experience with using teams and groups was very limited. I did

not have a thorough understanding of all the research behind cooperative learning or the social

skills building that is embedded within the concept of cooperative learning. Kagan Cooperative

Learning structures have provided me with a practical approach to organizing my classroom and

instructional plans to develop social skills while teaching academic content. My experiences in

the past with character education has always been as a separate time period of the day when I

would structure buddy reading or big brother/big sister activities for class and school building

team work.

I have a whole new appreciation of the importance of using heterogeneous groups in a

classroom as an effective way to support all levels of learners. The research behind cooperative

learning as a way to solve educational crises in our country was another important area of

knowledge I have acquired. I had no prior knowledge of this research prior to the course.

Understanding how developing social skills in students through cooperative learning has really

helped me reflect on new ways that I will be able to present cooperative learning strategies to

teachers in my professional development seminars.


I will continue to practice building into heterogeneous cooperative teams in my

professional development seminars as a way to help my learners learn from their peers as well as

learn from my direct instruction. It is extremely important that we develop and foster a mutual

respect for each other as part of our instructional goals in an effort to prepare our students for

success in their lives outside the classroom. Teaching tolerance and conflict and resolution

strategies will help prepare students for college and career readiness. Academics are important,

but when cooperative learning is combined with academic learning our students are prepared for

life.


References

2014 Olympic computer lesson. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www2.waketech.edu/blogs/elcivics/2014-olympic-computer-lesson/

2014 Olympic opening ceremony video. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDQNYg6uA9k

2014 Winter Olympics Torch Relay Route. Retrieved from


AR Bookfinder. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.arbookfind.com

Common core state standards. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-

Literacy/CCRA/SL

Common Core ELA Standards. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA

Common Core Mathematics Standards. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/Math

Highlights from First Half of Sochi Olympic Torch Relay. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EazcErLWyJ0

History of the Olympic Torch, Flame, and Relay. Retrieved from

http://www.infoplease.com/sports/olympics/history-olympic-

torch.html#ixzz2uqxDP0WL

Kagan, S., & Kagan, M. (2009). Kagan cooperative learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan

Publishing

Sochi.ru2014. Retrieved from http://www.sochi2014.com/en

Sochi 2014. Retrieved from http://www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics

Sochi 2014 poster: Australian Olympic education. Retrieved from

http://sochi2014.olympics.com.au/files/dmfile/Sochi_mp_picture_poster_FINAL.pdf

http://www2.waketech.edu/blogs/elcivics/2014-olympic-computer-lesson/


http://www.arbookfind.com/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/SL

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/SL

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA

http://www.corestandards.org/Math

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EazcErLWyJ0

http://www.infoplease.com/sports/olympics/history-olympic-torch.html#ixzz2uqxDP0WL

http://www.infoplease.com/sports/olympics/history-olympic-torch.html#ixzz2uqxDP0WL


http://sochi2014.olympics.com.au/files/dmfile/Sochi_mp_picture_poster_FINAL.pdf


The four elements of a good poster. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://www.mypathway.ca/creditrecovery/ENG1L/U3_L1.pdf

http://www.mypathway.ca/creditrecovery/ENG1L/U3_L1.pdf

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