Card Sorts

Card sorts allow students to examine information and create logical categories according to group type, logical sequences, or even groupings of the students’ own design. This activity allows students to work on multiple problems simultaneously and develop the skill of pattern recognition. Since card sorts can have set solutions or be more open ended in nature, the flexible structure of this activity provides students with the ability to work on thinking quickly while evaluating multiple solutions and analyzing answers.

HANDOUTS and RESOURCES:

Four Color Fraction, Percent, Decimals and Graphic Materials

SET UP:

Prior to the activity, print off copies of the following handouts on four different colors of paper: Four Color Fraction, Four Color Percent, Four Color Decimal, and Four Color Graphic. Cut out the individual cards and prepare individual packets of cards for each group of four students.

STEPS:

Students will first get into groups of four for this activity.
Provide each group with one of the packets containing all of the cards from the four different handouts.
Have each group complete the Four Color Activity Answer Sheet as they sort through the cards.
Once students have familiarized themselves with the process, provide groups with different colored index cards:
1. 1. 1. 1. Give the type of word that they should create on the first colored card (e.g., “Write a noun on the blue index card.”).
      2. Then, have students write a second, related word on a different colored card (e.g., “Write a verb on the yellow index card.”).
      3. Continue the process, and ultimately, collect these cards and use them as multiple card sorts for the class.
Sample card sorts that can be created include the following:
1. 1. 1. 1. Nouns – Verbs – Adjectives
      2. Capital letters – Lowercase letters
      3. Math problem – Solution
      4. Multiplication – Answer (i.e., 1st card: 2 x 3, 2nd card: 6)
      5. Living – Non-living
      6. Animal – Animal habitat
Have students form groups of two to four, based on the difficulty of the card sort.
Distribute packs of cards to each group and have them begin sorting at the same time.
This activity can be done as a competition for best overall time.

SCAFFOLDS:

To adapt this lesson for primary classes:
1. Consider using pictures for the cards, with the word on it, as well.
2. Create open-ended ways for students to group solutions. See Student Handout 2.7g: Card Sort Example.
3. The Card Sort Example can be grouped by: words that start with a capital letters/lowercase letters, things on the ground/sky, living/non-living, singular/plural.

EXTENSIONS:

To increase scaffolding, when cards have only one way to group answers, print each grouping of words on different colored paper.

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