Main Session Activities

Everyday Session Activities

Boardwork Model

The Boardwork Model works well with problem-solving courses like chemistry, physics, or mathematics. 

Group Exam

This strategy allows students to analyze material individually and then share their results in a group.

Incomplete Outline

Outlines or worksheets with blanks are used to recognize main points and organization of lecture information.

Lecture(Note/Reading) Review

Students take turns reviewing and discussing topic notes.  Promotes clarification of notes when students add missing or additional information.

Matrix

Chart of columns & rows used to compare & contrast two or more subjects.

Vocabulary Activities

Activities that promote clear understanding of technical vocabulary of the course.

Games and Competitions

Collaborative Leaning Strategies

Turn to a Partner

Group members work with a partner on an assignment or discussion topic.    

Hints:

This technique works best with group participants who have already been provided with enough background on a subject that they can immediately move to a discussion with their partner without previewing or reviewing concepts.

Divide and Conquer

Individuals divide material to be covered. SI Leader assigns the readings and asks each individual to summarize the point of their material. When all have read, they discuss the material as a group. 

Hints: 

This strategy can be used if students come to the session without having read the material.  It allows the group to proceed with learning in spite of not arriving prepared and prevents the leader from falling into re-lecturing or teaching the material. 

The strategy also can be used to present very difficult material.

Think-Pair-Share

Think-Pair-Share is a collaborative learning strategy where students individually think about a question, then discuss their ideas with a partner, and finally share their thoughts with the larger group 

Study Skills and Metacognition

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a method to generate a multitude of ideas free of criticism.  Brainstorming helps in writing papers, writing essays, having conversations, problem solving and more. 

Color Coding

Color coding stuff works really well as a study tool, but can also be adapted to apply to studying several different subject areas.  This can be especially helpful when studying for biology or chemistry classes.

Concept Mapping

Putting concepts in a visual format in order to gain an understanding of the material.

Cornell Notes Activity

This exercise needs to be completed over the span of 2 sessions, but it is a great activity to demonstrate how to use Cornell Notes as well as helping students process course content.  

Daisy Chain

This exercise is one great way to ensure all participants leave with a robust set of lecture notes. It is also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how students can improve note-taking skills. 

Marking the Textbook

This is another activity that is great for demonstrating effective student success skills, but can also be used as a great tool to review before a test.     

In Your Own Words

Using paraphrasing, students will be forced to think about topics and vocabulary words differently. 

Note Cards for the Test Review

This note card activity is a perfect opportunity for SI Leaders to model some good student study skills.

Outline a Text Chapter

This activity is great for teaching good student skills to those in your sessions, but it also is a great way to review a chapter before a test.    

Reciprocal Questioning

The leader asks a student a question, and the student in turn asks the leader a question.

Tools for Online Collaboration