Learning Loops

Purpose

Students describe a term, respond to a question, analyze a visual, or interact with text with a variety of partners.

Materials

• Terms, questions, or visual cards for the inside-circle students

Instructions

1. Have half the class form a loop facing out and the other half form a loop around them facing in.
2. Give inside-loop students a different question card, important word, interesting visual, or question about a text for their partner to answer, describe, or explain.
3. Inside-loop partners present their cards, outside-loop partners respond, and inside-loop partners praise or prompt.
4. At the teacher’s signal, the outside loop rotates one person to the left.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for several rounds.
6. Ask inside-loop partners to give outside-loop partners their question cards.
7. Repeat the process for several rounds with the inside-loop rotating this time.
8. Observe students’ thinking and clarify/verify as appropriate.

NOTE: Consider organizing students into several smaller learning loops to minimize the number of unique question cards, vocabulary words, or visuals needed. For example, organizing 3 separate learning loop groups with 4 students on the inside loop and 4 students on the outside loop (for a class of 24) would only require 8 unique question cards, vocabulary words, or visuals for each group.

Classroom Management

• Supervise students moving desks to the perimeter of the room or consider doing the activity outside or in a larger space.
• Have students write a justification for the correct answer on the back of their card and verify their responses with a peer or teacher.
• Time Saver: Present each group with all the activity questions on a handout that the group cuts apart to create their own learning loop cards.
• Remind students there will be no harm or humiliation for incorrect answers because correcting mistakes is a sign of intelligence!

Differentiation

• Promote access by allowing students to partner with a supportive peer when initially answering their assigned question.
• Provide response support by allowing students to dictate their correct response to a scribe and/or encouraging use of speech-to-text or word prediction support.

Think It Up!

• Have students think more deeply about the concept by responding to a Think It Up prompt as an exit ticket or journal entry:
  • What connection can you make from the terms, questions, or visuals?
  • Evaluate which question was most difficult and summarize what you learned.
• Encourage students to use lead4ward’s Thinking Stems (English/Spanish) to frame their responses, if needed.