Establishing Rules and
Expectations for Cooperative
Group Work
Herrell Chapter 29
Training in
cooperative
behaviors
Ready to
work in
groups
Assign task
& increase
complexity
In selecting a task, you must ask the following questions:
1. Will there be more than one way to solve the problem?
2. Will the students be interested in this activity?
3. Will this activity enable students to make contributions?
4. Will the students include multimedia?
5. Does the activity require a variety of skills and behaviors
6. Does it require reading and writing?
7. Is it challenging?
Steps for Establishing Rules and
Expectations
•
•
•
•
Set and share expectations
Design the activity
Make the rules explicit
Design and explain the grading
procedures
• Provide access to resources
and materials
Suggestions for Beginning Cooperative Group Work Activities
Activity
Explanation
Reader’s theater
Scripts & props
Each student write the dialog for one character
and create props for a scene
Create a timeline
Each student research one time spaninnovative
representations of the period
Create a mural
or diorama
Students take responsibility for each element of
the art work
Science project
Students are given some materials and a question.
They find the solution through research, reading
and sharing
Rules for Cooperative Script Writing
1. Respectful language
2. Each student writes dialogue for one
character
3. One student serves as secretary
4. Group works together to decide on
props
5. Students work cooperatively to create
the props
6. Work together to practice script
7. Help each other to make dialogue look
real
8. No put downs allowed