Carousel+Brainstorming

By: Cara Campbell

**Carousel Brainstorming**

**//"When students are given the opportunity to brainstorm ideas without criticism, to discuss opinions, to debate controversial issues, and to answer questions…wonderful things can happen that naturally improve comprehension and higher order thinking.”//** **//-Marcia Tate//**

**What is it?** Groups of students brainstorm at one station and then rotate to the next position where they add additional comments. As new thoughts and ideas emerge, the list grows. When the carousel “stops” the original team prepares a summary and then presents the large group’s findings.

**Purpose:** To activate students' prior knowledge of topics through movement and conversation.

** Description: ** Each small group has a poster with a title related to the topic of the lesson. Each group uses a different colored marker to write 4 to 5 strategies/activities that relate to their topic. Students rotate to all the other posters, reading them and adding 2 to 3 more strategies. Students discuss the results.

**Procedure:** 1. Generate X number of questions for your topic of study and write each question on a separate piece of poster board or chart paper. (The number of questions should reflect the number of small groups you intent to use during this activity). Place posters around the classroom.

2. After you break the class up into small groups, direct the groups to stand in front of their home base question station.

3. Inform the students that they will have X amount of time to brainstorm about the question and write ideas at each questions station. Typically 2-3 minutes is sufficient. After time is up, students will rotate to the next questions station.

4. Students will continue to rotate until they are back at their home base questions station.

5. As a group, students will select the top 3 ideas from their station and share them to the class.

Resources: [] Lipton, L., & Wellman, B. (1998). Patterns and practices in the learning-focused classroom. Guilford, Vermont: Pathways Publishing.

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