It's back-to-school week in our neck of the woods! Everyone is back in the classroom and, chances are, you're hungry for a new ice breaker. Here is a clever thinking routine that's a cinch to slide into the first week of school: Chalk Talk as an Ice Breaker.
Chalk Talk is a thinking routine that comes from the text: Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners by Ron Ritchhart, Karin Morrison, and Mark Church.
Chalk talk promotes student thinking, connection development, and reflection. To put this ice-breaking, community-building lesson together, do the following:
1) In the middle of several (six to seven) large pieces of chart paper, write or tape a few thought provoking questions/prompts (one per paper). These questions should fit your students' grade level and may relate to the content area you teach. Open ended questions are optimal! At this point in the year, using basic get-to-know-you questions/prompts will help build community in your classroom. Here are some ideas:
Spring or fall? Why?
City, suburb, or rural? Why?
You can have any three things at no cost. What do you want?
My perfect day consists of...
You can travel anywhere in the world with any one person. Where do you want to go and with whom?
Best school memory.
My most cherished possession is... because...
Car or truck or neither? Why?
My role model is... because...
2) Put students into groups of three or four. Each student needs a thin marker. Since it's back-to-school time and this is a let's-get-acquainted activity, I suggest requiring that students write their name above their respective remarks. Inform students that this is a silent activity.
3) Place each group at one paper (call the first paper they're at their "home station") and set a timer for a few minutes (of course, this will vary based on the grade level you teach and the type of questions you pose).
4) Show students how they will move to the next station (clockwise or counterclockwise or whatever make sense in your space). DO address movement BEFORE you start the first timer or CHAOS WILL ENSUE!!!!
5) Students will silently rotate through each station and comment on every prompt. Encourage your thinkers-in-the-making to connect their comment to another student's comment, if possible. Individuals will add their own thinking at each station until each group returns to their home station.
6) Finally, There are a couple of ways to wrap up this activity:
When groups return to their home station, the students read through the remarks on that paper. They discuss and decide which one is the most thoughtful or interesting. A group leader is nominated to share that remark with the whole class.
Or
Students revisit each station in the same order (call this "round two") and read the remarks on each chart paper. Individual students draw a star next to the comment he/she believes is the most thoughtful or interesting. Use a timer to keep this moving along in a swift and orderly fashion. Once groups return to their home stations, direct the group to count up the stars on each comment. This will determine which remark earned the most stars. A group leader is nominated to share the winning remark with the whole class.
It's always worth the time it takes to affirm individual students — especially those whose contributions are positive and thoughtful. It's effective for the teacher to review all comments on Chalk Talk charts and publicly commend students who've demonstrated exceptional depth of thinking. Using these first few weeks to build a positive community and create a warm environment will pay off in the months to come!
I'm excited to explore and share more thinking routines in future weekly notes. Happy start to the school year, everyone!
Joy & cheer,
Lindsay
PS: Follow this link for several Chalk Talk videos and other tips.