Teams of 4 are ideal for the interactive classroom. They allow for very active teamwork, and split evenly into pairs. With teamwork, we often need to select one student on the team to begin, or to fulfill a role, or to share the team’s answer. SelectorTools provides a number of different selectors to select a student in each team, group, or pair. There are a number of tools provided that will do a similar job. Which one you choose will be a matter of preference. Here’s a brief description of each, so you can pick the best one(s) for you:
• Student Selector – Selects one student from teams of 2, 3, 4, or 5 students. This is the most flexible student selector since it can be used with different sized teams simultaneously.
• Color Selector – Selects a student by color and number: 1) red, 2) yellow, 3) blue, 4) green.
• Color Spinner – Selects a student by color: red, yellow, blue, green.
• 4-Sided Die – Selects a student 1 to 4 with the roll of a die.
• Partner Picker – Selects Partner A or Partner B.
• Who’s Up? – Selects one student in a group of any size. Best used with pairs and small teams to avoid selecting multiple students who meet the criteria.
• Number Selector – Selects a student by number. Allows for no-repeats, so all students on the team are selected once before any student is selected again.
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Assign students in their teams a number (1 to 4 for teams of 4), or a color corresponding to the color selectors. For pairs, make sure students know who is Partner A and Partner B.
• Talk first
• Read first
• Write first
• Define the first word
• Solve the first problem
• Share his/her answer first
• First to be interviewed
• State opinion on the issue first
• Materials Monitor – Get team materials
• Quiet Captain – Keep team noise down
• Recorder – Record team answer or idea |
• Determine the final team decision
• Choose the team cheer
• Pick the team handshake
• Write the team’s answer on the board
• Share the team’s answer with the class
• Write the team’s answer on the team slate
• Record the team’s feedback to a project
• Collect ideas from another team
• Team leader
• Team captain
• Turn captain – captain for one turn |
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With the team-based classroom, often we need to select one team in the class to do something, such as share a solution. We keep teams on their toes if teams know that at any moment any team may be selected. Random selection of a team is the way to go when we just want to sample one or a few teams, but don’t need to hear from or see all teams perform.
• Team Selector – Selects one team in the class. Works with 6, 7, 8, or 9 teams in the class.
• Number Selector – Selects a team by number. Use the Random selection method.
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Often we want every team to have a turn. A team presentation is a perfect example. We want every team to present once, and we don’t want to pick the same team twice. So random selection doesn’t work. The answer is no-repeat selection.
• Next Team – Selects a team by number, using no repeats, so no team is selected twice before all teams have been selected. Use Next Team when you don’t want the class to see which team is next.
• Number Selector – Selects a team by number. Use the No Repeat Random or Sequential selection method.
• Team Sequencer – Creates a randomly sequenced list of team numbers. Use the Team Sequencer when you want to let teams know in advance who’s first, second, third….
• Share team project
• Share team statement
• Share team song
• Share results of team experiment
• Read team story
• Share team collage
• Present team poster
• Team presentation
• Lead the class in a cheer |
• Create a sequence of teams to use the class computer
• Sequence to use limited resources (tape recorder, video recorder, microscope)
• Line up for the door
• Sequence to present team projects
• Sequence of order to pick team presentation topics
• Sequence of teams to share a response
• Decide where each team will sit for the week
• Choose which teams will go to which centers
• Select sequence of teams
• Sequence teams to work with aide
• Sequence teams to perform outside task
• Stagger team free time or breaks
• Sequence team trips to library |
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Since there have been classrooms, teachers have had a need of selecting students. Most notably, of course, teachers have a need for selecting students to publicly respond to a question. The two tools below are the best selectors for selecting one student in the class. Below those two tools you will find a long list of ideas for selecting a student.
• Student & Team Selector – For use with teams. Spin the Student Selector first and have one student on each team with the selected number stand up. Spin the Team Selector and the standing student on that team is selected.
• Name Selector – Selects one student in the class by name. Includes five selection methods for picking students; 1) Random, 2) No Repeat Random, 3) List Sequence (how the names are entered), 4) A to Z, and 5) Z to A.
• Paraphrase a speaker
• Randomly sample student understanding
• Share an important learning
• Read a journal entry
• Read the class news or newsletter
• Read class announcements
• Share a current event
• Share a book report
• Share an art project
• Answer a question
• Demonstrate a skill to the class
• Pick the class game
• Pick the class movie or book
• Choose music
• Decide topic
• Select theme
• Choose between alternatives
• Decide film to watch |
• Pick the next song to play
• Get special time with the teacher
• Be first in line
• Lead exercise
• Be teacher assistant
• Special student of the day
• Bring in a personal item to share with the class
• Be the team captain
• Get a round of applause, or pat on back
• Share a personal celebration
• Report on weekend
• Review a movie
• Share the Joke of the Day
• Receive positive call or note home
• Feed the class pet
• Clean the fish tank
• Clean erasers
• Clean transparencies
• Lead the Pledge of Allegiance
• Take role to the office
• Light monitor
• Messenger
• Water the class tree, plant, or flowers
• Clean the floor |
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Students are often assigned roles as they work in teams. SelectorTools offers two tools to rotate roles so all students get the chance to perform all roles.
• Role Assigner – Randomly or sequentially rotates roles in teams with the click of a button.
• Role Timer – Rotates roles in teams after a predetermined time period elapses.
Everyone on the team can have a specific role, as when the team is doing a team project. For example:
• Student 1: Recorder – Records team ideas.
• Student 2: Materials Monitor – Collects team materials.
• Student 3: Quiet Captain – Keeps team noise level down.
• Student 4: Gatekeeper – Equalizes participation on the team.
Or, there may be one role that is rotated among teammates, such as the rotating role of Recorder.
See the PDF User’s Manual for a description of the preset roles available from the Role Assigner and the Role Rotator. You may also enter your own custom roles to use with either selector.
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Using the Name Selector, you can create random teams and pairs. Click on the No Repeat Random selection method. Click next, then click Go. For pairs: the first two students selected are a pair. The next two are the next pair…. For teams of four: the first four students are Team 1, the next four are Team 2….
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The Number Selector doubles as a random number generator and can be used for teaching math concepts and generating math problems. Here are some ideas for using the Number Selector for math:
• Addition – Generate multiple numbers for students to add.
• Subtraction – Generate two numbers for students to subtract.
• Multiplication – Generate numbers for students to multiply.
• Long division – Generate numbers for students to divide.
• Probability – Record and/or graph outcomes of randomly selected numbers.
• Plotting – Generate coordinates for plotting.
• Number line – Generate numbers for plotting on a number line.
• Word problems – Generate numbers for students to write word problems.
• Place value – Generate numbers for students to determine the number in the hundreds, tens, and ones place.
• Building numbers – Generate numbers for students to build with Base 10 manipulatives.
• Writing numbers – Generate numbers for students to write out (ex: five hundred twenty-one).
• Less than, greater than – Generate two numbers for students to determine which is greater.
• Simplifying fractions – Generate two numbers for creating fractions for students to simplify.
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