Lesson: Team Work Quadrilateral Problems

Opening

Have students get out their notes on properties of quadrilaterals from the previous lesson.

Team Work

Break students into teams of 4. Each student should pick a number 1-4 within that team. Pass out page 1 only of the Team Work handout. Have students start with number 8 (it’s the easiest). Give them 2 minutes to solve on their own with no talking. When time is up, have them compare answers with the other members of their teams. From there, randomly select a team. Then, randomly select a member of that team. That student must now stand and explain or demonstrate to the class their team’s solution. Pick another problem and repeat this routine.

Closing

Students should move back to their original seats. On the count of the 3, tell them to find one partner and ask one of the following questions: “Will you help me?” or “May I help you?”

Reflection

What Worked

This strategy works well because students are being held accountable and they are practicing explaining and teaching others which is the way that we learn best. It’s important to randomly select problems so that you’re faster students can’t work ahead. As students get more used to this method, give them a longer amount of time to complete more than just one problem, then stop the class and randomly select  students to explain.

What Didn’t Work

This activity take times- it took my students two 45 minute periods to complete 16 problems. But there is no doubt in mind that these are much tougher problems than I would normally give and that they would be able to complete on their own.