What do you like about the t t? b t th text? What do y like d you about the text?

What did Wh t d d you f d find new or surprising? What did you find new or surprising? What did you love about the t t/id ? b t th text/idea? What did y love d d you about the text/idea?

What would you change? How would you do it? What would you change? How g would you do it? What parallels another text? How? What parallels another text? How?

What sticks in your mind? O d? Or pokes your thinking? thi ki ? What sticks in your mind? Or pokes your thinking?

Shape Up Discussion Strategy

Students it t tables i St d t sit at t bl in my classroom. They are grouped in a variety of ways,: colors, l Th di i t f l rainbows, etc. No matter how Ive created my groups, I add a layer of choice by dangling shapes from the group signs. We use the shapes to spark and guide discussions, so before, during or after instruction (or reading) I can quickly say, Think about your response to Choose a shape that matches how you respond to the text/idea. Move to that group and discuss. This is not a new discussion strategy. Ive been asked in several trainings to choose a discussion table based on whether the ideas are still circling or if they square with my are circling square thinking. In my own classroom though, I needed more than four groups, so I added shapes and descriptions. Infinite possibilities for adaption. Read/view a common text. Tell students to choose a discussion group based on their response to the text/ideas. Give students time to talk in the shape group. p g p Switch groups for additional discussion rounds (if time). Debrief the discussion as a whole class. What did you discover? What common ideas surfaced? What surprised you about the groups discussion?

Circle: The student wants to discuss ideas are still circling in their mind. (need processing time before forming an opinion). Square: The student wants to discuss how or why the ideas square or agree with his thinking. Star: The student wants to talk about what sticks (is memorable) or what poke at previous thinking. thi ki Thumbs: The student wants to talk about which aspects of the text/idea he likes and why. Star Burst: The student wants to discuss new or surprising components of the text. Heart: The student wants to talk about which elements of the text or idea he loves. loves Parallelogram: The student wants to talk about connections (or parallels) between this text and something else. Triangle: The student wants to talk about ways the text can affect change or how he would ideas in the text and or how the text is written.