Time:
- Prepare: 10 min
- Implementation: 15-20 min
Type(s) of Essential(s):
Social & Emotional Growth
Prerequisite:
Overview
Learners review the prompts’ responses and identify and discuss themes they notice.
Essentials in the Activity
With peers, learners review responses to the “My Voice Brainstorm” activity, create themes based on those responses, and group responses based on those themes. This process of working with peers enhances learners’ self and social awareness and utilizes their critical thinking skills.
Goals and Outcomes
Goal: Learners are aware of the experiences of peers within their age group.
Outcomes: Learners develop their social-emotional and reflective thinking skills by reviewing peers’ responses, comparing responses, and identifying similarities and differences among them.
Materials
My Voice Brainstorm responses; Based on the way learners submitted responses to the My Voice Brainstorm activity, choose if you will use paper or digital tool to complete this activity.
If using paper, make sure to have the following materials: writing instrument, construction or blank paper, a clear board (i.e., dry erase, bulletin board or blank wall space), masking or painter’s tape, post-its, optional basket or bowl.
If using a digital tool, have the digital tool used in the My Voice activity available and possibly an additional tool.
Preparation
Complete prerequisites. Sort My Voice Brainstorm responses by prompts.
For responses written on paper, either rewrite responses on post-it notes so they are anonymous or type, print, and cut out each response individually. Write or type each prompt on individual sheets of paper.
For digital responses, determine based on the features: If you use a tool like Mentimeter, create a slide or Google Doc for each prompt with responses.
Implementation and Completion
Inform learners they’ll review responses and group them into themes with partners. Group learners or ask them to identify partners. For responses rewritten or typed, attach them to a clear board. Show the learners how to generate themes and group responses by themes using the example. For digital responses, decide how to implement the activity based on the affordances of the tool. If you use a tool like Mentimeter, ask learners to develop and organize the themes and responses using an online digital tool, like Google Doc. For Padlet, divide the prompts equally among groups and ask each group to develop themes and organize themes and responses. You could alternatively divide the prompts and responses by groups, create separate Padlets for each group, and ask each group to develop themes and organize themes and responses.
In all cases, once they complete identifying and grouping responses, have each group present prompts to the group.