Example 1

The example that follows is something that you could give to your students to demonstrate how a class presentation that goes smoothly needs work and organization to be successful. Or, you could have your students work on this assignment or a similar one, if you are so inclined.

This assignment is based on the short story “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Leo Tolstoy and also requires that students are at least mildly familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Example:

You have recently read “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Leo Tolstoy. You loved the surprise ending! You discovered that despite the main character’s quest for more and more land in order to be happy… WARNING! SPOILER AHEAD… a man needs just six feet of land when he dies. The theme of the story is that it is human nature to want more. Bigger. Better.

When the newest iPhone came out, you wanted to replace your adequately functioning unit with the latest and greatest. You know that your current cell phone is fine. But you WANTED the new one… just because it’s cool. Your friend, who has an iPad 2 instead of hands, just spent her hard-earned money on the new iPad 3. Just because. Yes, it’s human nature to want something that does more and performs better.

In order to better understand the story, your class has been placed into groups according to concept or theme. These are: allegory, greed, characterization, and irony. Your task is to prepare and conduct a Fish Bowl discussion on your topic. You’ve also received information about developing questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy. 

You choose five group norms or standards of behavior so that your group can meet its goal:

• Be involved.
• Be an active listener.
• Be respectful.
• Stay on task.
• Everyone participates.

And, lucky you -- you’ve been elected leader! PUFF. PUFF. Other roles that your group members might take on might be taskmaster, liaison-to-the-teacher, and timekeeper.

Your group has been assigned the topic of greed. With your group, you make a list of six questions -- one for each level of Bloom’s. (These are: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.) In addition to creating the questions, you are expected to answer them. Sheeesh! You’ll make strong claims and offer solid evidence from the text to support those answers. Direct quotations add a nice flair. 

Each of you takes notes on your small group discussion. These will come in handy during the larger Fish Bowl discussion in front of your classmates. You have two days to prepare your work. Complete any additional research you might need to consider your topic thoroughly and effectively.

On the day of your assigned discussion, you meet with the two other groups also assigned to the topic of greed. The three groups sit in a small circle in the middle of the room with all your other classmates in a circle around your circle. Getting dizzy yet? Remember, it’s a fish bowl, and the audience is LOOKING at you. The outer circle acts as an audience -- they take notes but are NOT participating in the discussion.

You will be graded for your discussion. Here’s the deal: You’re expected to ask questions, respond to other students’ comments, answer questions with analytical remarks, and provide textual evidence. This won’t be too bad, you think, since your notes will come in handy, and you feel fully prepared. 

Group norms for the Fish Bowl are established. They sound just like the ones your small group set. As the discussion progresses, you remain respectful of all opinions. You notice the other groups’ questions are often different from yours, offering differing perspectives about greed. It seems your teacher is not participating at all except to correct misunderstandings. Students doing all the work? When did THAT happen? The conversation goes very well as each team builds on the others’ ideas. When differing in opinion, you do so with grace and well-reasoned arguments.

You were brilliant!

Quiz Questions