Second graders at Pakanasink Elementary School were researching landforms recently, but in a slightly different and exciting way.

They were using the Jigsaw learning strategy, a cooperative learning technique where students are divided into home groups. Each member of the group takes a specific part of the lesson to master. Then all of the students studying that particular part of the lesson research it together.

 

 

 

In this lesson, the students were researching landforms, including mountains, valleys, plains, oceans and lakes. Each student became an expert in their particular topic, then went back to their home group and shared it, creating a collective understanding of the topic.

 

 

It’s a ‘divide and conquer’ method, breaking the material down into smaller, more manageable chunks for each student. They use various computer applications to gather their information before sharing with their home group.

 

 

Coached by Jessica Herb, the students practiced active research and learning, peer teaching and collaboration. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle – each student contributes a piece of the assignment. When done, they’ve created a comprehensive study of the topic!