Other
Interactivity Foundation: Guidebook for Student Centered Classroom Discussions
This downloadable guide includes strategies and best practices for supporting student-centered classroom discussions.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Thoughtful Threads: Sparking Rich Online Discussions
Today's students love chatting online with friends. This lesson plan combines that love with literature. Students form literature circles and have meaningful online discussions about a literary work.
Quizlet
Quizlet: Collaborative Discussions: Ela Mr. Bolton
This website gives the definitions and strategies for effective collaborative communication.
Other
Center for Teaching Excellence: Activities to Engage Students [Pdf]
This resource gives numerous strategies to engage students in different types of collaborative discussion.
Wisc-Online
Wisc Online: Group Discussion
We will all encounter situations where we need to work with a group of people, whether in class, business, or socially. This slideshow reviews the different types of groups and the roles each person plays in group discussions....
Education.com
Education.com: sl.k.1.a Worksheets: Follow Agreed Upon Rules
[Free Registration/Login Required] A list of worksheets to practice the Common Core standard of following agreed-upon rules for discussions. Also included is a formative assessment for speaking and listening.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Art Pals: Donkey Hodie
Donkey Hodie and her pals are making art projects from materials found around Someplace Else. As they play and create their art projects, children practice collaboration, cooperation and perspective-taking. In the classroom, teachers can...
Other
Splendid Speaking
Podcasts for advanced English Language Learners who can listen to non-Native speakers having conversations and carrying out short tasks. Examples include Working Together to Reach Agreement, Responding to Questions, and Taking Part in...
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese: Human Genetics Project: Is the Dominant Trait Most Prevalent?
Human-Genetics: A Worldwide Search for the Dominant Trait allows you to collect data and share your results with students around the world. Register your class, complete the student survey, participate in discussion boards, and interact...
Other
Laura Candler: Sylverster and the Magic Pebble Activities [Pdf]
Lesson plan utilizing cooperative learning for use with the book Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig. Includes printable word-sort cards and discussion question cards.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Because of Winn Dixie
During this lesson, two classes in different locations will participate separately in literature circles using Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. The discussion of the book will be a collaborative project using distance learning.
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Professional Development: The Route to Reform
A discussion of factors - sustained deep learning, connection to actual classroom instruction, and collaboration with peers - that can help educators teach literacy within their content area.
CPALMS
Cpalms: Crazy Pizza
[Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson engages students with working in teams to determine the best unique pizza topping to add to a restaurant menu. Students will use criteria such as taste, cost, and nutrition to make their...
Penguin Publishing
Penguin Random House: "The Passion of Artemisia" Teacher Guide [Pdf]
Author's self-written, 9-page teacher guide for "The Passion of Artemisia" provides suggested scenes for reading aloud, class discussion topics, collaborative research topics, writing activities, and background information about Baroque...
Penguin Publishing
Penguin Random House: "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" Teacher Guide [Pdf]
Six-page teacher guide for "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" highlights applications, discussion topics, collaborative learning activities etc.
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Classroom Strategies: Think Pair Share
Think-Pair-Share (TPS) is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work together to solve a problem or answer a question about an assigned reading. This technique requires students to (1) think individually about a topic or...
Other
Women in Mining: Toothpaste With a Twist [Pdf]
In this activity, students work in groups to create their own toothpaste in order to learn about the rocks and minerals it contains. Includes discussion questions and extension activities.
Other
History Course Models for California Teachers
This is an invaluable on-line tool for California Social Studies and History teachers at all levels. Website provides links to resources and lesson plans already aligned with CA state standards as well as a forum for discussion,...
British Library
British Library: Teaching Resources: Othello: Critical Approaches
This activity allows students to consider how different critical approaches can influence a reading of the play. Students will work in groups to explore different attitudes to Othello by looking at a range of texts from the past,...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Tuck Everlasting Comprehension Check
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart can be used during and after reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. There are also graphic organizers and strategies in this lesson that can be applied in many other ways to...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Grammar Adjectives
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart identifies adjectives in shared reading and discusses what they have in common. Students will experiment with deleting and substituting adjectives and noting effects on meaning. They'll...