Activities for Cooperative Learning

Activities for Cooperative Learning

I have my students work together most of the time in class. Working together is a life skill that will help them throughout life. My favorite activities for cooperative learning are numbered heads together and pair work. These activities keep students engaged while learning the content. It is a quick way to assess how students are doing on a concept.

Activity for Cooperative Learning – Pair Work

Pair work is an easy way to have students work together. This activity for cooperative learning has been around for a long time and can be used in several ways. Here are two of my favorite ways to use it in math.

Solve and Check

Have students work in pairs to solve a set of problems and check each other. Give students whiteboards and dry-erase markers or a piece of paper to write on. You need 2 sets of problems, one for each person in the pair. These problems can be on the board or on a handout. Student A does their problem while student B checks the work. Student B should be watching as student A works, they should not be working on their problem. They are allowed to ask each other questions if they need to. Next, student B does their problem while student A checks the work. They continue to switch, doing problems and checking until they complete the problems assigned.

Tell and Solve

Students work in pairs to solve a set of problems. This time student A is writing down information about how to solve the problem according to the directions student B gives them. Student B is the one solving the problem, but they cannot write anything, they can only tell how to solve it. Student A is the only one writing the steps to solve the problem. The roles are reversed for the next problem.

Activities for Cooperative Learning- Numbered Heads Together

One of my favorite activities for cooperative learning is numbered heads together. I use this all of the time in my classroom.  You can use it to review new concepts taught, review old concepts, and review for tests or quizzes. 

How to Use Numbered Heads Together

1). Place students in groups of 3 to 4 students.

2). Give each student a number. For example, Joe is 1, Tina is 2, Dante is 3 and Kqisha is 4.

3). Ask a question that pertains to the content you are working on or want to review.

4). Have the students put their heads together and discuss the question and come up with an answer.

5). Call on one student to answer the question per group. I use whiteboards with dry-erase markers and have the student that was picked write their answer on the board. No one in the group is allowed to help at this time because everyone should know the group’s answer if they were paying attention.

6). Continue the steps above until you have finished your questions or run out of time.

Conclusion

I usually make a game out of numbered heads together. Each group gets a point if they get the question correct. To make the game more exciting I will allow groups to get bonus points if they got the question correct. To get the bonus points I have the students roll a die and if they get an even number their group will get an extra point. I have had them spin spinners, pick colored cubes, you name it. 

Recently I have used the Point Quest game boards we have in our store. There are several game boards to choose from. Some have positive points and some have positive and negative points. Here is a blog post that describes the game if you want to check it out.

We have a set of FREE Point Quest boards if you would like to use them in your classroom. Click the image below to get them!

Spring Point Quest Game Boards

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