ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT Invite research groups to generate questions about another section of your concept map, and then try to answer one of them. “I’ll tap another part of our concept map. With your research group, first come up with a few possible questions about that thing. Think about how ques- tions and why questions. Then, choose a question and try to answer it together. Challenge yourselves to say as much as you can to answer it. When you run out of things to say, check back on the concept map for more ideas, or look in a text.” Tap “rainforest” on your concept map. “First, think about how and why questions about rainforests. Then, try to answer one of them.” LINK Channel research groups to use their concept maps to ask and then answer questions. Remind them that this process will help them remember the important information about their topics. “Whenever you’re researching a topic, and you want to learn as much as you can about it, asking yourself questions and trying to answer them can really help. We can especially ask how and why questions, trying to say as much as we can to answer them.
If students are stuck when you ask them to discuss rainforests, you might offer possible discus- sion questions: Why don’t rain- forests have a lot of nutrients? How do air plants (epiphytes) grow in a rainforest? How do vines survive in the rainfor- est? You might also choose to display pages 14 and 15 from Plants in Different Habitats to reference for support.
“As you and your research group head off today, use this time to talk and think together about what you’ve been learning. Keep your concept map in the middle as you talk. You can tap part of your concept map, and then ask yourselves how and why questions about that part of your concept map. Then, choose one of the questions and try to answer it. When you run out of things to say, you can check back on your concept map for ideas that connect, or even look back in a text for more information. “All this practice of talking together, of elaborating, will really help you remember the import- ant information you’ve learned and jotted on your concept map. Off you go!”
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Session 7 • Elaborate on Learning to Help Knowledge Stick
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