This activity encourages collaboration and active participation within teams. Students work together to reach a consensus on a question, with each student having the opportunity to share their answer. The catch is that each student must remain alert, as the teacher will call a number, and the student with that number will be responsible for providing the team's answer. This method promotes an engaging and interactive learning experience, where students not only learn from each other but also refine their critical thinking and communication skills. By working together and discussing the material, they deepen their understanding of the topic while also developing essential skills for teamwork and problem-solving.
- Activity goal
- Activate prior knowledge | Brainstorm | Exchange knowledge | Recap / Summarize
- When
- In class
- Where
- Offline
- Duration
- < 10 minutes
- Group size
- Small | Medium
Step-by-step
Step 1
Give each student a number, with some numbers being the same. This means students with the same number will work together and share responsibility for discussing their answers. Assigning numbers randomly encourages interaction between different students and ensures a diverse mix of perspectives within the teams.
Step 2
The teacher asks a question and gives the students time to think it through.
Step 3
Students individually write down their answers, ensuring everyone has the chance to reflect.
Step 4
Students stand up and ‘put their heads together’ with the students who share the same number as them; they show each other their answers, discuss them and coach each other.
Step 5
Students sit down once everyone has an answer or something to contribute.
Step 6
The teacher calls a number. The students with that number respond simultaneously using one of the following methods:
- Answering on a whiteboard
- Raising fingers to indicate answers
- Presenting answers on the board
- Using answer cards
- Using visual-spatial materials
Step 7
After the question is answered, the team praises the person who responded and acknowledges the group’s collective effort.
Numbered heads per pair
Students form a pair with the person sitting next to them. When the teacher has asked their question, the students come together to correct the answers they have written down. Then the teacher asks the A's or the B's to exchange the best answer with the person sitting opposite them.
Numbered heads on trips
This starts just like numbered heads, but when the teacher names a number, the students with that number get up and travel to another team to exchange their answers.
Class confused
The teams are lined up along the wall of the classroom, with space between them. The teammates stand shoulder to shoulder. The teacher asks a question, after which students write down their answers individually. The teammates come together to agree and stand again when they have reached that point. The teacher chooses a number and tells those students how many teams to rotate to exchange their answer.
