Name of Strategy: Think, Pair, Share
Source: "Instructional Strategies Online". Saskatoon Public Schools. 3/18/10
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/think/index.html
Text students will read: articles about the Confederate Flag, including
Sarratt, David. "The Confederate Flag: Controversy and Culture". American Studies, University of Virginia. 3/18/10
Give a thorough explanation of the strategy as it is described in the original source: Think, Pair, Share is a strategy designed to stimulate students thinking, help them develop individual opinions, and practice articulating those opinions with their peers. Instead of traditional responses where one student answers the teacher’s question, this technique encourages all students to participate. To conduct this strategy, students are divided into groups of four and each is assigned a number (one through four). The teacher presents a question or problem-solving situation. First, the teacher gives the students individual “think time” (maybe thirty seconds). The teacher then announces with numbers in the group should pair together and discuss an answer or solution. After students have had the opportunity to discuss, they can share either within their groups of four, or with the class as a whole.
Identify the North Carolina Curriculum Competency Goal(s): The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions.
Provide a lesson plan: As an English teacher, I would like to incorporate reading material into this strategy. One example of how I would use this would be to present two articles on a topic with opposing views. I would like to choose articles which discuss the merits and offenses of the Confederate Flag. This would fit well into eleventh grade English, juxtaposed to American history that they are learning in social studies. Symbols are an important topic for high school students to discuss. We may not always realize how important symbols are in our culture, and it is healthy to examine the different responses symbols elicit from individuals, based on their experience.