protocols/techniques/strategies
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AFFINITY MAP (Can be adapted for grades 3 - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
A protocol that can be used to help sort and categorize information gathered from research, observations, and/or a brainstorm session about the driving question. This technique helps ensure that each student is an active participant in making meaning of the information gathered related to the driving question.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
A protocol that can be used to help sort and categorize information gathered from research, observations, and/or a brainstorm session about the driving question. This technique helps ensure that each student is an active participant in making meaning of the information gathered related to the driving question.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
SATURATE & GROUP (Can be adapted for grades 3 - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY)
This technique involves "saturating" a space with all of the information that students have gathered from the Investigation Stage (e.g. - photographs, data, notes, etc.) and then having students put the information into logical groups.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY)
This technique involves "saturating" a space with all of the information that students have gathered from the Investigation Stage (e.g. - photographs, data, notes, etc.) and then having students put the information into logical groups.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
3-12-3 (Can adapted for grades 3 - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
The numbers within this protocol refer to the amount of time students have to do each step of the process in small groups: 3 minutes to generate as many thoughts or ideas as possible related to the driving question, 12 minutes to develop a solution based upon only a couple of the words that were originally brainstormed, and 3 minutes to give their pitch to the rest of the groups of students. By having such a compressed time period, students are forced to come up with ideas and solutions fast and not to dwell on finding the "perfect" idea.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
The numbers within this protocol refer to the amount of time students have to do each step of the process in small groups: 3 minutes to generate as many thoughts or ideas as possible related to the driving question, 12 minutes to develop a solution based upon only a couple of the words that were originally brainstormed, and 3 minutes to give their pitch to the rest of the groups of students. By having such a compressed time period, students are forced to come up with ideas and solutions fast and not to dwell on finding the "perfect" idea.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
THE ANTI-PROBLEM (Can be adapted for grades K - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
When your students are totally stuck or in a rut while in the process of exploring your driving question, have them try addressing the anti-problem - the question that is the opposite of the driving question they are exploring. For example, if your students are exploring how they can make a local body of water clean so that the community can enjoy it, you would have the students think about how they could make the water as awful as possible so that no one would possibly want to go near it.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
When your students are totally stuck or in a rut while in the process of exploring your driving question, have them try addressing the anti-problem - the question that is the opposite of the driving question they are exploring. For example, if your students are exploring how they can make a local body of water clean so that the community can enjoy it, you would have the students think about how they could make the water as awful as possible so that no one would possibly want to go near it.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
BRAINWRITING (Can be adapted for grades 3 - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY)
This is a quick and fun way to get students to generate a lot of ideas related to the driving question they are exploring. This protocol works the same way as Draw the Problem only with words.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY)
This is a quick and fun way to get students to generate a lot of ideas related to the driving question they are exploring. This protocol works the same way as Draw the Problem only with words.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
COVER STORY (Can be adapted for grades K - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING)
Within this technique, students imagine that they have developed such a great solution to the driving question that it landed on the cover of a magazine. In small groups students then brainstorm information that went into the magazine such as what the cover looked like, what the big headlines were, what quotes were inside the article, etc.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING)
Within this technique, students imagine that they have developed such a great solution to the driving question that it landed on the cover of a magazine. In small groups students then brainstorm information that went into the magazine such as what the cover looked like, what the big headlines were, what quotes were inside the article, etc.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
DRAW THE PROBLEM (Can be adapted for grades 3 - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
This is a quick and fun way to get students to generate a lot of ideas related to the driving question they are exploring. This protocol works the same way as Brainwriting only with pictures.
(Click here for an overview of this protocol.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
This is a quick and fun way to get students to generate a lot of ideas related to the driving question they are exploring. This protocol works the same way as Brainwriting only with pictures.
(Click here for an overview of this protocol.)
IMAGE-INATION (Can be adapted for grades 3 - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
Based upon a collection of photos and pictures, students create new associations and possible connections related to the driving question. This is a great protocol to use if students are stuck coming up with only the "obvious" solutions or ideas.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
Based upon a collection of photos and pictures, students create new associations and possible connections related to the driving question. This is a great protocol to use if students are stuck coming up with only the "obvious" solutions or ideas.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
CHALLENGE CARDS (Can be adapted for grades K - 12)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
This is a fun game to help students think through all of the challenges and possible solutions to those challenges related to the driving question.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)
(CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING; FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY)
This is a fun game to help students think through all of the challenges and possible solutions to those challenges related to the driving question.
(Click here for an overview of this method.)