Throw me some beads!
10July 11, 2012 by Kara
Megan’s post inspired me to take a stroll through my local dollar store yesterday. Or maybe I was avoiding my homework… Anyways I have been learning a lot about collaborate groups in my ESL methods class. During my observations, I noticed that the students were very segregated by language. This also lowered the amount of English that they were using. So I got an idea on how to trick them a little. Bwa, ha, ha!
I bought a bunch of Mardi Gras beads in 5 different colors. After they showed me a completed Scavenger Hunt (search for Megan’s earlier post), I gave them a necklace. Then I threw the twist. I asked them to group up based on the color of the necklace and NO trading allowed. There was some groaning, but finally the class was mixed up and speaking more English. I had 5 stations set up based on the 5 colors of the beads. If you need more groups, just buy more colors. I was surprised that 1/4 of the class wrote that “being in groups” was their favorite part of the class today. I thought they would have written my dancing. :/
One more thing, I gave one person in each group an extra gold necklace. I asked that person to be the “king/queen” of the group (read directions, collect work, keep everyone focused). I doubt that I will be able to surprise them again with this necklace trick, so I’ll have to think of something beyond the colors. Maybe shapes? Words? Lengths? The groups have to have one of each color (rainbow) in a group? I did see some awesome toy rings in different shapes and colors and I teach all girls… Hmm…
How do you group students?
Megan
rachel573
Kara
You can buy grouping pencils.
http://www.learningresources.com/product/student+grouping+pencils.do#
Students can be grouped by pencil colour, shape or number on the pencil. They will never know which one you will pick. You could make your own collection of objects with this design in mind.
That’s a good one…
I found an online program, Automatic Group Maker, at Super Teacher Tools. The best is it’s free!
I think that you could use the beads again, but tell them that they must have one of each color in their group. They would probably expect to have to group with similar color beads, so that would help the surprise. You could probably tape a number onto each strand and have them group that way.
I love it when they don’t know how you’ll decide to group them. I like the idea with the beads/pencils. It’s good to have something physical in their hands. Good ideas!
By the way- interesting title Kara
ha!
I just finished a course in my graduate work. Our professor, a former elementary principal, grouped us by “slap” bracelets. On the bracelets she had on one end numbers, at the other end a letter and in the middle a shape. The bracelets were also different colors. So with just the one item, she could group us with the possibility of four different ways. Some of my classmates found slap bracelets on orientaltrading.com.
love it!
When I assign teams for my whole-class games, I use the cheap, fuzzy craft balls that come in assorted colors. I put these in an old purse I bought in Mexico and they draw without looking. I always have more colors than number of teams, so sometimes I’ve put a couple of a non-team color in place of some team colors. Students who get those get a choice in which team they want, or can bargain trades. It just depends on the student dynamic on how I use the extra color…but by using the bag it’s always an element of surprise because they can’t know what color they will receive till it comes out.
I have used plastic chips and/or cubes for grouping. Paint swatches would also work!