Ideal for introducing a topic or idea by inviting students to share a diversity of opinions with the group, simply by choosing where they want to stand across the learning space.
You can use the slides template to display the relevant statements for your lesson. (Make sure you put up statements not questions.) It’s helpful if the statements you choose are somewhat provocative, designed to evoke some degree of emotional response and/or variance in student opinion. Occasionally it can be worthwhile using a statement that evokes a universally held perspective – to highlight or challenge that belief or value.
This learning activity can also be used to start a conversation around the skills needed to participate in respectful conversations around sensitive topics.
Introduce:
Explain that the objective is to share your own opinion or perspective (while also getting a feel for what the whole group thinks or feels about a statement or idea).
Students will indicate what they think or feel by standing anywhere across the spectrum between ‘Agree’ and ‘Disagree’. They can choose to stand anywhere in the learning space.
First Time:
If a class hasn’t used this protocol before it may be good to do a couple of light and intentionally polarising statements – so students get a feel for how the ‘spectrum’ works. Things like:
- ‘Pineapple should never be found on Pizza’
- ‘You can’t call chess a sport’
- ‘Marvel movies are an insult to our intelligence’
- ‘The moon landing never really happened’
Student Feedback:
For each statement, invite students to volunteer a reason for why they stood where they did.
Typically, it’s more engaging if those towards the ends of the spectrum share their thoughts, although some students may have very good reasons for standing right in the middle as well.
There shouldn’t be any debating or disrespect from the group, but you should invite those from another position on the spectrum to respond by sharing their own reasons.
Teacher Summary:
It can be worthwhile for the teacher to give an overview of the key insights after each round – to foster reflection and a deeper exploration of differing viewpoints.
The teacher might also choose to share their observations around the group dynamics when students were choosing a position – and the degree to which peer-pressure influenced individuals.