Daily Assignment #43: Activator: 5 Words-- 3 Words

I would like to share another Activator that I learned through Research for Better Teaching and is contained in Jon Saphier's book : Activators.    It is a brainstorming activity titled 5 Words--3Words.

Independently, students write down 5 words that come to mind when thinking of a particular topic.  Students then get into small groups, or with partners, and share their words.  They decide, collectively, which 3 words they will share with the whole class and their reasons for selecting them.

The teacher should chart the words that each group/pair share out.

Examples:

Write 5 words that come to mind when you think of...

• 1776
• Civil Rights
• Ecology
• Weather
• Poetry
• Islands
• Ocean
• Geometry
• Fractions
• Aztecs
• Life Cycle
• Global Warming
• Holocaust
• Native Americans

I have done this activity with 1st and 2nd graders, as well as older students and adults.  It was very successful in activating prior knowledge.

I hope you will experiment with this strategy.  Let us know how it works.

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Best Effort,
Linda103