Critical Thinking Activity
The students will be instructed to engage in brainstorming and explaining ways in which recycling can be conducted at the school to improve the environment. The understanding of recycling is valuable for teaching students about the importance of a healthy environment as well as the development of their analytical and cooperative skills (British Council, n.d.). The students may be provided with various items (such as plastics, paper, and metal waste), some of which aren’t and are recyclable using current technology. The students must create a presentation that outlines what they think can and cannot be recycled. Their selected items should be explained using reasoning from prior knowledge and their deductive abilities. Students may also focus on which things are more harmful to the environment than others if not recycled.
The rubric for this activity will focus on the categorization of items and the reasoning of students in regard to recycling methods. The rubric will aim to assess their prior understanding of materials and the current recycling processes, from sorting garbage within the school to the reuse of materials. Similarly, new ideas introduced by students in relation to potential uses of certain items in order to recycle them are essential to recognizing the contribution of their creativity to their critical thinking. As such, the rubric will focus on two areas: the current understanding of recycling and ideas for future methods.
The acquisition of thrown-out items is quite accessible in most school environments. However, the teacher must make sure that all the items are clean and lack sharp edges or any other potentially dangerous residue that could be harmful to students. Similarly, the activity focuses on previous information and new ideas in relation to recycling. The teacher must be aware of the levels of knowledge that students possess of the topic and be prepared to guide students that have a weaker understanding of current recycling processes.
Collaboration Activity
In the collaboration activity, students in groups of three or four people must select one of the new recycling methods and consider how it can be implemented within the school. They may use in-classroom tools such as paper and art supplies to create posters that will promote adherence to the selected method of recycling. In this activity, the students must discuss and agree on a specific approach to recycling and the reason for its benefits. Additionally, they must utilize their abilities in visual and text communication in the creation of posters that will then advertise the new methods of recycling.
The rubric will observe how the students are able to communicate and select certain elements of their topic. The delegation of activities is also an aspect of the collaborative effort that is vital to the students’ other cooperative work. Additionally, their ability to come to a unanimous decision in relation to the focus of the poster or creative decisions is integral. The rubric also assesses their ability to formulate efficient communication channels for promoting their selected topic to others who are not involved in the group activity. Their collaboration relies on decision-making, task delegation, and communication.
The teacher’s role in this activity will include the provision of tools and the encouragement to share tasks equally and be respectful to peers. There may be issues in relation to conflict or unfair task delegations, in which case a teacher may interfere. Similarly, certain classrooms may lack access to art supplies for posters and can select an oral or digital presentation that explains why their recycling method is superior. In the case that students are unable to complete their tasks due to a lack of understanding, a teacher must guide the group in an efficient but non-invasive manner.
Reference
British Council. (n.d.). Linking waste with creativity, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. British Council. Web.