Using SOLO hexagons and Power Sentences

Teaching Israel and Palestine in the past has been a bit of a challenge as some kids find it hard to relate to the context.   Add the fact that learning dates and key historical facts can sometimes put my kids to sleep, I needed to find a strategy that would involve them sharing their knowledge in a way that would help them map the links for writing and verbalise what they've learnt.  Here are the steps I took for the lesson.

Step ONE:  SOLO HEXAGONS.

Using the online SOLO hexagon generator, I put in all the key words, concepts, details etc that we had learnt in 2 weeks.  I wanted the kids to use SOLO hexagons to connect what they have learnt and to verbalise the connections first to the peers and then to me.

Observation:

When I pointed out to them that being able cluster and compare concepts and facts in groups shows that they are working at merit level and describing the impacts of different links on others was an excellence, students began to recognise the relevance of the exercise.

Tough guys like to hold flowers while they are completing their hexagons

Step TWO: POWER SENTENCES.

I focused on one of the sentence types that our W.T.E (Write that Essay) crew suggested we try out to help our kids start a sentence, the power sentence.  This is a sentence that has to have a punch with only 12 words or less.  I gave examples on the board and as a class we wrote one together first.  I then shared a document where by I wanted students to write 5 paragraphs and each one had to have a power sentence.   I wanted them to use the SOLO hexagon activity to guide what to write in the paragraphs.

Observation:

I realised the expectation was a bit much to get them to write 5 paragraphs and it wasn't enough to just share a doc.  I noticed the girls in the class happily opened the doc and got on with it, but the boys couldn't be bothered.  So I adjusted the lesson to get kids to share it on the whiteboard so that we as a class could judge the best one and I would award a prize to the best one.  It was then that the boys got fully involved and I took the opportunity to video it below.

Overall REFLECTION:

It was the first time that I had actually observed some of my kids handwriting something - I never knew we had so many left handers!.   In saying that, the boys were especially engaged in the competitiveness of the activity and weren't shy to put up their answers.  This was encouraging as I want the kids to feel they can challenge each other to show what they know without being shy about it.

Next time: 
I realised that the girls are quiet and I need to make sure they feel included and have a voice in the classroom.  I see that the boys have grown in confidence and are not shy to answer and verbalise by making meaning from what they've learnt but I do not want the girls to feel that they get all of the attention.  My next steps are to ensure that they are provided a platform to voice their ideas more, whether it be out in front of the class or more 1 on 1.  I will definitely be sharing this lesson with my department and will use it with my year 13's.