Placemat Activity

Ideas in Education: Placemat Activity  

The placemat activity has multiple uses in a multitude of learning scenarios. It integrates cooperative learning and meaningful student dialogue. It can be used to explore concepts, ideas, or content. It can be used on its own or as a starting spot for more in depth learning.

How it works:

1. Divide the class into groups of 4. The placemat can be modified to groups of 3 or 5.
2. Have students work on the problem alone (no talking) and write down their solution on one of the edges of the placemat. The size of the placemat depends on the problem provided; it can range from a standard piece of paper to a bulletin board size.
3. Each member of the group reads the solutions suggested by their group mates and discusses each. Think of this as a mini-presentation. Students may agree/disagree/modify/continue with the next group member’s thought.
4. The group agrees on the common solution and writes it down in the middle of the placemat. Alternatively, the group writes down what they reach a consensus on.

Why it works: Like any cooperative learning task, the placemat activity works best when dialogue is required and students possess surface knowledge. It can be used when there is a right/wrong answer but works best when negotiation and judgment are needed. Additionally, it would be best if the students can’t rely on the group’s “smartest” student.

Student learning (through collaborative learning) enables students to think critically. Learning is more likely to become permanent and seen as relevant when they have the opportunity to discuss and reflect. Because students are in small groups, it’s easier and safer for them to share and learn. The placemat activity requires students to build on the ideas of their group mates, and for some students this might require teaching and modeling.

Some possible uses:

1. Math class where students are working through a complex problem, especially one where there may be more than one way to answer the question.
2. Any activity requiring brainstorming
3. Recording research information or analyzing documents
4. Science labs (hypothesizing and results)
5. Review.
6. A topic where there is no right/wrong answer or multiple reasons.
7. Each group can be provided with different topics or concepts.

Extension ideas:

1. Have students rank the responses in order of importance.
2. Extend the consensus/common understandings through a poster, presentation, etc.

Important Dates and Information

Mustang Morning: Any session put in before last night was carried over through the week of March 25.

1. Please add students to Mustang Mornings as you normally would. We have done our best to populate Mustang Mornings with students who had D’s and F’s
2. Honor society sponsors or teachers who have one time sessions, please add your sessions and students. You may also want to add notes to your sessions or students.
3. Directions https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pR76sh_49zasEAhMGKca_gW_TdjHy2jIR93qSTc-e5w/edit?usp=sharing

March 7: Student Showcase

March 12, March 13: English 10 Writing SOL. No Mustang Morning during these days. 1st block will be extended. Almost ALL 10th graders will be taking the SOL during time.

Working Conditions Survey (state required: March 1 close)

Teacher Link: teacher.vaschoolsurvey.info Teacher Password: T312GAP

Staff Link: staff.vaschoolsurvey.info Staff Password: F312GAP

Field Trips and SOLs

February 21:  Manufacturing Day @ PVCC

March 6th:  UVA Apprenticeship Job Fair for Interested Seniors

Birthdays

February 25: Paul Jones, Krista Matheny, Joe Weaver

March 2: Brenda Coffey (cafeteria)

March 3: Chris Stanek

Useful Information

Bell Schedules : http://bit.ly/MOHSbells

FAC Form

To add to Monticello-Outlook, School Calendar, PowerSchool Daily Bulletin

Morning Announcement Stream: http://streaming.k12albemarle.org/ACPS/links.htm

Announcement Request

Athletic team schedules, rosters, etc.

Teacher Handbook

We’ve got something new! Want something included on the Monticello Outlook Calendar, the Monticello website, in the PowerSchool Daily Bulletin, or the student newsletter (viewed by parents, students and staff)? Please use this link https://goo.gl/forms/bIjfJLKokWPcEHx33

Student, Staff, Student of the Month Form

Worth Your Time

Understanding a teacher’s long-term impact

This article about a study does a great job highlighting the non-cognitive impact teachers can have. Including:

• Increasing in measures of students’ noncognitive skills increased likelihood of graduating high school by 1.47 percentage points, compared to .12 for an increase in test scores
• Teachers have the greatest impact on student achievement
• A teacher can increase a student’s lifetime income by $250,000

Why in the world shouldn’t kids learn this at home? Is it really a school’s job to teach children to do laundry?