Pairs and Squares

Students pair up to discuss the code they have written and get feedback from their partner, recording it in a GOs TO GO graphic organizer. Then, the partnership groups up with another partnership (forming a square) to discuss findings and share feedback.

What Lesson Types Can Benefit?

✍️ Code Writing

How Does this Strategy Engage English Learners?

The strategy scaffolds students as they learn how to read and write about their code or other CS concepts. This is especially useful as students create increasingly complex projects that they iteratively refine and improve. The graphic organizer helps English learners to organize information, learn CS concepts, and use materials they develop themselves to show their learning. In addition, it supports them in engaging in academic/accountable talk with the goals of developing written and language skills. Lastly, students become familiar with routines of talking about computer science and engaging with their peers in an equitable learning environment.

Steps for Planning & Instruction

Before Teaching

Determine the big ideas and learning objectives for the lesson.
Upload graphic organizer and student materials to Nearpod, Google Classroom, or other interactive online tools.
Provide specific instructions for how students will be grouped and engage with their paired partner and square partner.

While Teaching

Assign each students a partner to analyze a set of code or concepts provided by the teacher. This code can be from previous work, examples from other students, or content from other resources. Literature can be gathered from course curriculum, journals, and other programming resources.
Each partnership will discuss their code and record feedback in their graphic organizer. For example, both students will discuss how one student has used a procedure in their code. The other partner will provide feedback for the partner to record in their graphic organizer. Each will take turns in the process.
Observe student discussion.
- TIP: Provide prompts to guide students in conversation to keep discussion fluent and meaningful.
Once finished, the partnership will group up with another partnership to discuss their findings and provide feedback through suggestions, questions, and shared information. Each partnership will present their evaluation of the code and how they can integrate the code into their own projects. During this square discussion, students will take turns sharing their ideas, thoughts and takeaways.

After Teaching

Rotate partnerships every few weeks to assure all students have a chance to collaborate with all students. Students will use their feedback to modify current projects or implement in new coding tasks.

Teacher Resources

✍️ Code Writing

structure for peer feedback and iterative refinement

GOs to GO Template (not curriculum -specific)

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