Two forms for Gathering Language Arts Activities:
1.    Generalization Paper
        hand written
        handed in to instructor after class presentation

2.    Summary Ideas
        ideas gathered from class
        computer generated book

3.    APA (American Psychological Association) Method of Documenting References
         look at the bottom of this page

SKILL AREA: Oral Communication

NAME: Organizing for Action

SD LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARD: Students will speak, adapting verbal and nonverbal strategies for various audiences and purposes.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: Any number

MATERIALS NEEDED: Nothing

INSTRUCTIONS: The activity is to help students organize themselves to get specific information. Students are given a simple task that involves every member at least to some degree. The teacher should not interfere with suggestions on how to organize.

Students are seated in a circle with the teacher standing outside the group. Only the following directions are to be given.

You are to calculate the average height in feet and inches of the members of this group. If a member does not know his or her exact height, an estimate may be given. The group must agree on the answer and appoint someone to submit it to the teacher.

Follow-up discussion can focus on questions such as:
What slowed the group down?
What problems did it have in organizing?
Did anyone take over leadership?
Is this good or bad?
Was a leader needed?
What responsibility did each member have?
How could the group solve the problem faster next time?

VARIATION: Solve a riddle (the Reader's Digest often has useful puzzles of this type) or answering a subject-matter question.

SOURCE: Stanford, Gene and Barbara. Learning Discussion Skills Through Games. Citation Press, New York. 1969.

GENERALIZATION PAPER INFORMATION FROM OTHERS IN CLASS

Title: Getting Acquainted

Objective: (Objective relating to benchmarks) Learn to stay on the discussion topic.

Help students become acquainted with one another relating positive information.

Have students introduce themselves and answer the questions: What do you like about yourself? What are you good at doing?

Variation: Each student-as though he or she is a visiting celebrity-is interviewed by a panel of "reporters" appointed by the teacher.

APA (American Psychological Association) Method of Documenting References