Circle the
Sage Strategy - Overview
Grouping of Students
Materials Needed
Process
Alternative Process
Example
of Strategy in On the Job
Art from An Original Theory or
New Hypothesis of the Universe, 1750
(Source:
Brainpickings)
A Cooperative Learning Strategy
Through cooperative learning, students work in small groups or in pairs to actively engage in the learning process and improve their understanding of the content. Each member of the team is not only responsible for their own learning, but also for helping teammates learn. Cooperative learning promotes achievement, enhances retention, increases desire and motivation, develops interpersonal and social skills, builds self-esteem, and improves student satisfaction with their learning experience.
Grouping of Students:
• Teams of 3-5
Materials Needed:
• Pencil/pen
• Paper (for taking notes) or iPad
Teacher selects some students to read and know material.
They become the "Sages".
Students form into groups of 3 - 4. This is a team.
Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the room. The teacher
then has the rest of the classmates each surround a sage, with no two
members of the same team going to the same sage. The sage explains what they
know while the classmates listen, ask questions, and take notes. All
students then return to their teams. Each in turn, explains what they
learned. Because each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes.
If there is disagreement, they stand up as a team. Finally, the
disagreements are aired and resolved.
Alternative process.
CIRCLE THE SAGE 2.
The teacher polls the class to see which students have a special knowledge
to share. For example the teacher may ask who in the class was able to solve
a difficult math homework question, who had visited Uluru,
who knows the chemical reactions involved in alkenes and
ripening fruit.
2.Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the room. The teacher
then has the rest of the classmates each surround a sage, with no two
members of the same team going to the same sage.
3.The sage explains what they know while the classmates listen, ask
questions, and take notes.
After a designated period of time, students return to their teams.
4.Each student in turn, explains what they learned. Because each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes.
5.If there is disagreement, they stand up as a team.
6.The disagreements are discussed as a class and resolved.
Example of Circle the Sage in On the Job
Blood on the Wattle Activity
Using Indigenous Australia, five students [one from each team] are to become "The Sages". Each Sage is to select ONE different person - one Native Mounted Police or Trooper from the list below - and carry out research about this person. They should be given some time to do this - be prepared for the following lesson.
The Troopers are:
-
Snowy Fraser (1891 - 1953)
https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/fraser-snowy-10246 -
Alfred Ernest Whye (1882 - 1969)
https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/whye-alfred-ernest-30058 -
Billy Barlow (1825 - 1860)
https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/barlow-billy-29905 -
Isaac Grovenor (1872 - 1952)
https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/grovenor-isaac-ike-15561 -
Jimmy James (1925 - 1991)
https://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/james-jimmy-16324
After the Sage has researched and knows about their Trooper, the rest of the team of 5 goes to a separate Sage and learns all about a Trooper from their Sage.
The students are to then go back to their group/team and re-tell what they have learnt from "The Sage". At the end of the session, the team should know all about each Trooper.
Materials sourced from
Public School Review
StudyLib
PBWorks
eMints.
(2004). Cooperative Learning
