Details
Pages
1 Page
Resource Type
Cooperative Learning, Posters, Printables
Subject
Not subject specific
Grade
7th, 8th
Languages
English
Product
Digital
Description
If you are anything like me, you prefer team building and collaborative learning in an organized way rather than just group work. An effective way to ensure good classroom management is to organize your classroom in a simple way. Organization is even more important when teaching middle school or jr. high school since several students share the same desks and supplies. My solution is to assign boxes or baskets to each group for each class period. I use whatever I find at the dollar store. Cheap baskets seem to do the trick. I use these labels to assign groups and organize the entire class. Although you can use them as you like, I use the circles for the group baskets/boxes and the rectangle labels for the group desks.
The easiest way to secure these labels to the desks and baskets/boxes is with clear contact paper or packing tape. Unlike tape, the contact paper is easy to remove and doesn't leave residue on the desks. You can cut the pieces as big or small as you like. If they contact paper starts crinkle or get damaged, you can easily replace it. It works fantastic on the the baskets/boxes, as well. In my classroom, my groups are made of two tables pushed together to make a table of four. As a result, I create two labels for each group, so I can stick the labels on each side of the table (each desk)
Training students needs to happen from day one. I teach them that the first person from each group gathers the basket/box from the shelf and takes it to the group desks. At the end of the class period, one student from each group returns the box/basket to the shelf. Sometimes this happens naturally, but if the students need some help deciding who will returning the materials, I randomly call students from each table. There are several ways to choose these students. Often, I do it based on the location of the seat in which the students sit.
Group Names:
Because I teach science, I chose science terms as group names. By doing so, students learn a few vocabulary words form day one. As the seating chart changes throughout the year, students are exposed to more than one term. The best part of using scientific vocabulary is the recognition that happens as we work our way trough the units. Students start to notice the group names and make better connections.
The easiest way to secure these labels to the desks and baskets/boxes is with clear contact paper or packing tape. Unlike tape, the contact paper is easy to remove and doesn't leave residue on the desks. You can cut the pieces as big or small as you like. If they contact paper starts crinkle or get damaged, you can easily replace it. It works fantastic on the the baskets/boxes, as well. In my classroom, my groups are made of two tables pushed together to make a table of four. As a result, I create two labels for each group, so I can stick the labels on each side of the table (each desk)
Training students needs to happen from day one. I teach them that the first person from each group gathers the basket/box from the shelf and takes it to the group desks. At the end of the class period, one student from each group returns the box/basket to the shelf. Sometimes this happens naturally, but if the students need some help deciding who will returning the materials, I randomly call students from each table. There are several ways to choose these students. Often, I do it based on the location of the seat in which the students sit.
Group Names:
Because I teach science, I chose science terms as group names. By doing so, students learn a few vocabulary words form day one. As the seating chart changes throughout the year, students are exposed to more than one term. The best part of using scientific vocabulary is the recognition that happens as we work our way trough the units. Students start to notice the group names and make better connections.
If you are anything like me, you prefer team building and collaborative learning in an organized way rather than just group work. An effective way to ensure good classroom management is to organize your classroom in a simple way. Organization... more
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