Discussion Web
Level of Expertise: 1
What is the instructional strategy?
The Discussion Web is an instructional strategy that allows all students to participate in a meaningful discussion in which they share their own ideas in a structured learning environment. Students will preview the reading text to activate their prior knowledge, and learn new vocabulary. As students read the text, they are asked to fill out a Discussion Web. The Discussion Web is a graphic organizer which asks students to develop comments and questions based upon a main question. This strategy is perfect for allowing students to develop opinion answers or to evoke a class debate over controversial or conflicting ideas. My students will need to weigh opposing view points and critically evaluate other student’s arguments. Students fill out their Discussion Web with yes or no reasons to the main question posed usually by the teacher. The students first complete the graphic organizer on their own.
The Discussion Web is similar to the Think-Pair-Share strategy in that students will first think independently of questions, comments, and ideas that they want to share while completing the Discussion Web. Students then will be paired with a partner to share each others thoughts from their graphic organizers, and lastly, students will form a group of four and one representative from each group will share out the group’s findings. After each group has shared, the discussion can be opened to the whole group. It is imperative that the teacher monitors the room through out the whole Discussion Web session to ensure students are on topic and help encourage those who may have difficulty speaking in front of groups. When the group discussion comes to a close, students will individually write a conclusion about their own thoughts and opinions on the question from the Discussion Web. At this time, students will also reflect on their own discussion skills, how much they feel they participated, their strengths, and areas that they can improve upon for the next Discussion Web. To hold students accountable for discussion participation, students can fill out a rubric for their group member’s participation.
Why does the strategy work?
The Discussion Web strategy will enhance my student’s abilities to take a position on a topic, foster more effective discussion skills, and become reflective thinkers as they determine their own strengths and areas that can be improved upon. The text my students will read is chapters one and two of The American Revolution 1763-1783 (Collier & Collier, 1998, pp. 9-31). I know that my students will benefit from having a graphic organizer which will help them sort out their thoughts and have an organized method of taking notes from the reading. The reading also is given a purpose, because the students must look for yes or no answers based upon a question from the text and have an authentic discussion about their findings with their classmates. The text may be challenging to some of my students because of the length of the chapters. Students will often skim the text just to find answers and not read the rest of the text. This strategy holds students accountable for the whole reading because they will need to be an expert on the reading when they participate in group discussions with their peers. My students will need to read the whole text to find yes or no answers to support the main question and be able to back up those answers with details from the reading. This strategy works because my students will need to become more cautious and strategic readers when using the Discussion Web strategy.
How does it work?
First, I determine what I want the students to know and understand from chapters one and two of my selected text and design a Discussion Web guide for the assigned reading. I really like that the texts book starts out with the question “was the war inevitable?” I could see this question sparking a good discussion and allow students to create and analyze their peers opposing view points. The main question that I will ask is “Do you believe that The American Revolution could have been prevented?” Students will need to answer short yes and no statements to answer the question based upon what they have read from the text.
When I give students the guide, I expect they will follow these steps:
1. As the Web Discussion will take place pretty early in my unit on The American Revolution, I will first give students an opportunity to active their own prior knowledge. Images will be posted on the Smartboard that students will discuss. Next, I will introduce some vocabulary which some of it may be review from fifth grade. The words Boston Tea Part, Quartering Act, French and Indian War, Mercantilism, Tea Act, and the Boston Massacre will be reviewed.
2. Students will then be introduced to the Discussion Web graphic organizer. I will explain the directions to the students and encourage them to fill out the graphic organizer during and after the finish reading. I will explain that students will need to complete supporting evidence (yes and statements) for both the British and Colonists on the main question.
3. Students will then independently read chapter one in class and chapter two for homework. The Discussion Web will be completed for homework. Students will have the first five minutes in class to look over their Discussion Webs and review the arguments that they have created.
4. Students will then be pared with assigned partners to compare this Discussion Web notes and add new ideas to their Discussion Web. In groups of two, students will discuss their ideas and reasoning on both sides of the main question.
5. Next, students will be pared into groups of four and again share out their Discussion Maps and main ideas discussed in their pares. When the group is done sharing out, students will write a conclusion statement at the bottom of the page.
6. One person from each group will be selected as the group spokesperson to share out the conclusion statement with the rest of the class.
7. When each group has shared their conclusion statements, the discussion will then be opened to the whole class and anyone can comment or give their own opinions on the Discussion Web topic.
8. Lastly, students will write their individual conclusions along with supporting reasons why on the Discussion Web section. Students will also be asked to reflect on the in class discussion and note specific discussion skills they used, their strengths, and areas that they can improve upon for the next Discussion Web,
What It Looks Like:
Name: __________________________ Date: _____________ Period: ______
Social Studies 7- American Revolution Discussion Web
Directions: Read Chapters one and two of The American Revolution 1763-1783 book and complete the graphic organizer below. Please wait to fill out the conclusion section until you are directed in class. All other sections should be completed for homework. Write at least three reasons for yes and no with support/evidence from what you read. You may draw arrows off to the side of your paper to write your reasons or type them on a separate sheet of paper.
Examples of Yes/No Reasons
Yes
- The British could have taxed other products or listened to the needs of the Colonist people
-William Pitt gave a speech repealing the Stamp Act but still continued to charge the Colonists. This could have be avoided if he stopped the Stamp Act
- The British had a large war dept that they were paying for which prompted the high taxes to the colonies. The British could have found other ways to fund their war debts.
No
- A change occurred in the way of the Colonists thinking by 1763 they thought no longer thought of themselves as Englishman in England.
- England saw the Colonies as to worthy of a possession (economics- trade)
- England was competing to colonize against France and Spain
- Britain sent troops to the Colonies and several men were shot at the Boston Massacre
Example of a conclusion statement:
No, I do not believe the American Revolution could have been avoided. The spirit of the colonist and their way of thinking had changed to much. They no longer considered themselves to be Englishmen. Sending troops to the Colonies and asking kind Colonists to house the troops was not fair to the people. The Boston Massacre attacks were enought to give cause to go to war with England.
Name: _____________________ Date: ______ Period: _______________
Social Studies 7- Self Evaluation
Directions: Fill out the self reflection questions bellow.
- List two skills you used during today’s discussion:
- List some of the strengths you had in completing the Discussion Web
- List what you can improve upon for the next Discussion Web
Sources:
Billmeyer, R., & Barton, M.L.(1998). Teaching reading in the content areas: If not me than who? Alexandria , VA
Collier, C., & Collier, J.L. (1998). The American Revolution 1763-1783. Marshall Cavendish, NY: Benchmark Books.
