For+Discussion


 * What's Up for Discussion? **

Being able to intelligently discuss topics and points of view are important in our world, both in the past and in the 21st century. As we read Sean Covey's book "__The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens"__, we will have several class discussions. These class discussions will allow you to give your point of view, while also showing respect for others in the class. Each student will have a chance to "take the stage", as well as to have the final word with the following classroom activities:

//Why:// In honor of Sean Covey's 5th habit for highly effective teens, we will have class discussions where we will "//f////irst seeks to understand, then to be understood".// A small group of students will have the opportunity to have a discussion on a set topic while the remainder of the class (including the teacher) will listen to the discussion and learn, while remaining silent (becoming an inanimate object such as a fish bowl). Eventually the discussion will be opened to everyone in the class. This activity gives each student (when having a turn in the inner circle) an opportunity to have a voice on a topic, without being interrupted. Listening is an important, life-long skill that will be at work in the outer circle.
 * Fish Bowl [[image:http://www.craftyjenny.com/images/clipart/fish-bowl-download.gif width="55" height="55"]]

//How//: Students will take turns either in the smaller inner circle or larger outercircle during an in-class discussion. Students in the inner circle will be active participants in the discussion. The students in the outer circle will quietly listen: this is an important ground rule for this activity and must be followed. After everyone in the inner circle has participated in the discussion, the discussion will be opened up to the outer circle. The outer circle will have gained insight into various opinions and perspecitives from the members of the inner circle and will have the opportunity to respond.

** **Save the Last Word For Me** //Why:// Readers construct more meaning from reading if they look for points of agreement or disagreement in their reading. Readers also gain more from their reading when they have discussions with others about the material. This discussion allows a student to share a chosen word or phrase, have the group give their reaction to it, and finally the discussion goes back to allow the student to have the final word.

//How:// Each student will read a text independently and make notes on a card/notepaper of any words, phrases or sentences that caught their attention. Be sure to record the page number where the words were found. On the opposite side of the card/notepaper, the student writes their reaction the the words or phrase (for example, do you agree with the statement, does this raise a question for you, does it lead you to another topic, etc). After completing the reading, students will get into small groups to share their notecards. Each students should choose the most important word or phrase from their reading, share it with the group and have the group react to it (for example, do they agree, did this catch their attention too, etc). Once the group members are done responding, the student will read from the backside of the card their own personal response to the words/phrase.

[|Fishbowl] defined.**
 * Resources: