Few Heads Are Better Than One

As I was thinking about my lesson plan and how I wanted it to look, I remembered that chapter 11 from Science Stories is all about planning. What I loved most about the chapter was that it talked about collaboration. I am a huge fan of group because I think students get a lot out of working together and it motivates them to work harder so they are a productive member of the group. As I was researching the best ways to do cooperative learning, I came across a wonderful video.

I was intrigued from the beginning because I was thinking, "This must be a joke, they are lego people!" But I decided to click on it anyway and I am so glad I did. I learned so much from the three minutes this video played, and I literally had to bookmark it because I loved the strategies so much. Here are a few things I learned:

1. Don't judge a book by its' cover. Okay, I know that's a little cliche, but it is the truth. I thought this person was making a joke, but it turned out to be amazing. I found a new website called Xtranormal. I don't think it is free, but the idea is awesome. Apparently you can create your own videos just by typing! The teacher that posted this video created a few more highlighting other topics and I'm sure her students love it. 
2. Teach the obvious. I thought it was really great that the video opened with the teacher explaining how to work in groups. It is easy to get so carried away with the lesson, and forgot the obvious things. Working together is a skill that has to be acquired, and just like riding a bike or writing in cursive, skills have to be practiced. I absolutely loved that she brought her class together and asked them what they thought groups should look like. 
3. Think like a child. I have never heard, or seen, better strategies than what the video described for holding students acceptable and pairing them up. Each idea was better than the next. I will 100% keep a can of popsicle sticks on my desk, and I know I keep repeating myself but I'm just so excited about these strategies! The playing cards and the pairs! Peanut butter and jelly! I really can't wait to try these!

After discovering this video, I realized another important function of the textbook. It's a resource that should spark new ideas and encourage research. While it has so many valuable lessons, its not the only thing to work from. I think I always knew that, but I sort of forgot it, and chapter 11 reminded me of what learning is all about.