Jigsaw: Students work in small groups to become experts on a topic. The groups come back together as a whole group to share out.

Think, Pair, Share: Pose an open-ended question and give students time to jot down thoughts. Students group into 2-3 people and share their thought process and/or answer with each other.

World Cafe: Students work in groups to become "experts" on a topic. Groups switch with one person staying behind to teach the new group. This continues until groups go to each topic.

Socratic Seminar: Students create open-ended questions about a topic. The class sits in a circle and the questions are posed with students answering and the teacher facilitating.

Philosophical Chairs: A statement is presented for the class to consider. Students write their ideas about the statement and choose a side (Y, N). Discussion is had for 15 minutes. Students reflect.

Give One/Get One: Students are asked to respond to a question individually. Students partner (A/B). Partner A documents Partner B's on their organizer and shares their response to Partner B.

Numbered Heads: Students are in groups of 6 and count off 1-6. Pose a question/problem that students will come to a consensus on, then make sure everyone in the group understands their answer. The teacher calls a number and then those students answer for the group.

Turn and Talk: A question is posed and expectations given for an end goal. Students discuss with their partner for an alloted time on a timer, typically 1-2 minutes. Academic vocabulary should be encouraged. The teacher circulates.

Inside/Outside Circle: Split the class in half and have them form two concentric circles. Pose a question and give wait time to think. Students then share with their partner in the other circle. Circles then rotate, and a new point of discussion can be given or students share their answer with a different partner.

Consensus Placemat: Students are in groups of 3-5 with a placemat in front of them divided in that many sections plus a center circle. The teacher poses a question and students get time to think individually, writing ideas on a post it. The post its are placed in their section. The group looks at the others and together they comes to a decision on what the right answer is and why and put it in the center to discuss as a whole class.  Click below for a template that prints on 11x17 paper.