“Island Maps”:
Developing Group Work Skills
Josefino Rivera, Jr.
AOSR: American Literature
September 10 & 13, 2010
Homework
• D Block: Work on your personal timeline due
Tuesday, September 14.
• G Block: Work on your personal timeline due
Wednesday, September 15.
Today’s Objectives
• To lay the foundation for how group work is done
in this class
• Complete the group skill builder Island Maps
• To consider what the spirit of America is and work
on first group project surrounding this idea
HW Check and Daily Journal
1. Take out your personal timeline brainstorm for
homework check.
2. Put the date on your paper (10 or 13/9/2010).
3. Title your entry “The Spirit of America”
4. Brainstorm and list 20 words that capture the
spirit of America.
5. Then from that list, circle your top five words.
6. Write a paragraph explaining why you chose these
five words and how they capture the American
spirit.
Why is group work so important?
• Interviews with some of North America’s
leading corporations identified the top ten
capabilities that businesses demand from their
employees.
Top 10 Trends in Employability
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Communication
Application of Theory
Flexibility
Problem-Solving Skills
Creativity
Balance
Manage Time
Learn from Mistakes
Commitment
Group Work Skills
“Island Maps”
• Objectives:
– To define the various skills needed for successful
group work
– To establish one role for group work
“Island Maps”
• The Task:
– A deck of 30 cards will be dealt among your group
face down.
– The group must discover which card in the set is a
singleton (the only card in the deck like it)
– Each card has duplicates except the singleton card
“Island Maps”
• The Rules
– Players may see only those cards dealt to them
– Players may not trade cards
– Players may not draw pictures or diagrams of the
maps
– Players must keep their discards or matches in their
own separate piles (do not give your card to another
player for the match)
“Island Maps”
• Suggestions for Success
– Make a plan
– Agree on strategies
– Describe accurately and carefully using a common
vocabulary that everyone knows
– Everyone gives information
Group Work Roles
•
•
•
•
Resource Manager
Facilitator
Reporter #1
Reporter #2
Resource Manager
• Collects all materials needed to complete the activity
• Distributes materials equally among group and makes
sure everyone has the materials needed to be successful
• Keeps track of time
• Only person allowed to ask Mr. Rivera questions but
only after you have asked each other questions
• Collects materials from all members and returns them
to appropriate place
N.B. Everyone is responsible for helping to clean up, but
the Resource Manager is responsible for making sure all
materials get returned.
Facilitator
from “facile” or “easy”
• Make the group run more smoothly
• Keep the group on task
• Make sure everyone is contributing
Reporters #1 & #2
• Take mental note of your process
• Be prepared to summarize what your group did
• Share with the class your strategies and how well
they worked or didn’t work
“Island Maps”
Island Maps Debrief
• What did your group do well?
• What were things that could have been improved?
American Spirit Group Project
• Now, applying the skills you just worked on, take on
your first group project.
•
•
•
•
Make a plan.
Everyone gives information.
Agree on strategies.
Describe accurately and strategically.
Timelines due
Tuesday/Wednesday!
Rubric Categories
1. Era Name – Does the name you gave your era capture the
spirit of that chapter of your life?
2. Explanation of Era – Do you explain clearly what happened
in that era?
3. Examples – Do you provide supporting examples for each
era?
4. Timeline Construction – Is your timeline neat and well
constructed?
5. Public Speaking – Do you make eye contact, speak in a loud
voice so everyone can hear you, have good posture?