Teacher Toolkit

What is it?

This routine is a silent one, with students gathered in groups of four. A series of paper-swapping moves invites them to stake a claim, build on another’s claim, introduce a counterargument, consider a novel perspective, and evolve their original claim, all within 20 minutes, within the safety of a small group.

Materials – Template for each, essential/guiding question posted

Set-Up – Groups of four

How does it work?

Box 1: Students state their response and provide supporting evidence and reasoning.

Box 2: Students pass their papers to the right, read what their peer has written, and add a claim plus evidence to further develop their peer’s claim

Box 3: Students pass their papers to the right again, and stake a counter-argument from another point of view.

Box 4: Students pass their papers to the right again, and stake a claim distinct from the reasoning which appears on the page thus far.

Finally, students pass papers to the right, back into the hands of the original thinker.

Closing

• Give students time to read what peers have written. In the final box at the bottom of the template, invite students to stake a new claim, one which evolves, however slightly or dramatically, from their original claim.

Discursive Close:

Have pairs share: “At first I thought … Now I think …“