Encouraging Deeper Thinking

Students, especially primary students, learn by doing. Concrete involvement with materials promotes deeper understanding. For example, in a Science class, students can make hypotheses, conduct experiments, collect data, discuss results, and postulate answers. You can then lead them in a discussion to consolidate their understanding. Here's an idea you can use to help students discover what floats and why:

1. Put students into groups of four or five.
2. Provide them with a selection of materials such as plastic dishes, pieces of wood, pieces of metal, flat things, round things, light things, and heavy things.
3. Have them experiment with the materials as you circulate, asking questions to direct their thinking.
4. After they've had a chance to experiment with each object, bring the class back together to discuss their ideas.
5. You may want to direct them to go back and experiment further based on their discussion.

Eventually the students will be able to explain that size, shape, weight, and porosity all influence whether or not an object will float.

A simulation activity can provide an opportunity for students to clarify a problem through discussion and attempt to solve it. Here's a simulation activity you can use with your Grade 6 class to provide an understanding of the circumstances that people in other countries and cultures experience:

1. Divide students into groups of four or five.
2. Provide each group with a package of materials to build a house. Each package of materials will be different; some with very limited supplies, others with more than enough, and the option for more. Do not tell students why the packages are different for each group.
3. After students have completed the project, have them describe their houses and any problems they had building them.
4. Lead a discussion that fosters an understanding of the frustrations of inequitable resources experienced by certain countries.

Students need to learn how to research in both text and electronic formats. They need to know where to find the material and how to collect it in a useful format. Research skills include:

• Knowing where materials are stored.
• Relevant note-taking.
• Checking for validity.
• Referencing or citing sources.

Researching in groups is often easier than doing it individually. If possible, have a librarian help you teach this lesson.

Here's a sample exercise for your Social Studies class; Researching a historical event.

1. Prior to starting the exercise, review basic research skills, including Internet search techniques and library practices. Alert the librarian about the topic of research so they are prepared, especially for younger students.
2. Conduct a brainstorming session to identify possible sources of information.
3. Divide students into groups of four, allocating two readers and two recorders.
4. Have two students in each group research books and the other two use the Internet.
5. Provide various options for presenting their findings, to accommodate all learning styles.

There are many ways to present information. For example, research about a major city can be presented as:

• a travel brochure.
• a video advertisement.
• a poster.

By providing a variety of options for demonstrating learning, you support different learning styles and multiple intelligences. This allows each student to contribute in the way they are most comfortable and feel most adept. Even though students may work on the same assignment, giving them options for its presentation gives everyone the opportunity to shine.