Tip for the week of February 23rd

Peer Tutoring Techniques
The Vocabulary Game Show: This activity works best with high school students in giving them a chance to learn new vocabulary in a fun and creative way. After providing assigned groups of four or five with a list of new vocabulary words, have each group pick the name of a popular television game show out of a hat. Then, instruct each group to write and rehearse a skit that incorporates the vocabulary words into the format of the game show as played or acted out by group members. Once students perform their skit, the group can be graded on creativity and group effort. Individual students can be graded on their contributions to the group.

Geometry in Motion: Principles of the sciences are easily taught through cooperative small-group activities. For example, the study of geometry and trigonometry can come alive by using groups to perform a surveying exercise. First, using worksheets, have the groups review the basic mathematical principles involved. Second, have students work within their groups to familiarize themselves with surveying equipment. Once these tasks are complete, have the groups do some practical surveying on or near school grounds, such as measuring the distance from the middle of an athletic field to the tops of its lights or the top of a nearby building. Have groups compare their results and the methods they used to obtain them.

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