The GCSE Sociology

Stretch and Challenge Grid

Resource and Text Mike Gershon 2014
All Rights Reserved

Cover image used under license gst/Shutterstock

Medal images used under license popcic/Shutterstock
Pole Vault image used under license sellingpix/Shutterstock

Made by Mike Gershon and distributed

by Gershon Learning Limited

Books, training and resources available at www.mikegershon.com

 Instructions on how to use this resource
1) Print slides 4 and 5 (or 6 and 7; or make your own using slides 10 and 11).

2) Photocopy them onto one sheet of paper (front and back).

3) (OPTIONAL) Laminate the double-sided sheets.

4) Hand out the double-sided sheets. You can either give them to all students, or to more-able
students. The resource can be used in both ways.

5) Students now have a permanently accessible challenge resource. (An alternative approach is to
print the two slides off and then stick these into student books).

6) Whenever you want to stretch or challenge a students thinking, invite them to select a
challenge activity from the sheet.

7) Students should aim to complete their grid over one or two terms. They can tick off the boxes
as they go.
1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25
1 2 3 4 5
What if social class What if you could What is the single Is every situation in Does society work?
didnt exist? completely control most important society governed by Would everybody
your own identity? influence on a rules? Why? agree with you?
persons identity?
6 7 8 Is it ever OK for a 9 10
Convince me that
Should everybody in Should sociologists sociologist to Persuade me that
Sociology is the most
society be equal? try to change deceive the people important subject on some crimes should
Why? society? Why? they are not be illegal
the curriculum
researching?
11 12 13 14 15
Do you have to be How would you go How would rank your How influential is the Does society really
continuously self- about judging the own values rom media on how we exist, or is it just
critical to be good at quality of a Sociology most to least think? individuals and
Sociology? Why? essay? important? families?

16 17 18 19 20
Compare and Create a course What causes crime? Why do sociologists Translate a Sociology
contrast Sociology to introducing absolute use theories to try to concept into a
one other subject on beginners to explain society? symbol or series of
the curriculum Sociology symbols

21 22 23 24 25
Create a map of What if the police Why does change Is conflict an Plan your ideal
Sociology concepts, ran the country? happen in society? inevitable feature of sociological
showing their all societies? investigation
relationships
 Translate Concept Map Wrong Answer Re-Re-Re Advertise

Time Limit Prediction Model Question Dingbats Aliens

What if? Beat the Teacher Invention Test Self-Assessment Defend My Argument

In the mind of Quiz-Time Analogies Random Words Devise a way to

Lesson Planning Problem-Solving Comic Strip Learning Judge Keyword Super-Test

 Translate Concept Map Wrong Answer Re-Re-Re Advertise
1. Hide a wrong answer
1. Translate part of your 1. Choose an idea from 1. Re-do one bit of your 1. Create a slogan and
inside four right ones.
learning into an image. our subject and draw work so it is better. logo for the learning.
a map showing 2. How could you test if
2. Turn 3 keywords into everything that an answer to do with 2. Re-design one part of 2. Design a TV advert
symbols. connects to it. the topic was wrong? your work. selling a key idea.

Time Limit Prediction Model Question Dingbats Aliens

1. What might we study 1. Create a dingbat for 1. How would you explain
You have 90 seconds to select next and why? 1. Write a model exam
the 3 most important things question for the lesson. a keyword. the learning to an alien?
we have learned so far this
2. What will happen in 2. Create three 2. What questions might an
year (and you must give 2. Create 3 test questions
reasons for your choices) . the rest of the about the learning. dingbats! alien ask about the topic?
lesson?
What if? Beat the Teacher Invention Test Self-Assessment Defend My Argument
1. What if nobody knew what Invent a test next years Identify one thing you 1. Ask the teacher for an
Come up with two have done well today and argument you must defend.
we have learned so far? students could use to see if
questions you think they understand the topic. one thing you could
2. Create your own What if can beat the Your test must consist of improve. Then, put your 2. Choose an argument you
agree withand then defend
question to test the class. teacher! two questions. target into action!
the opposite.

Analogies Random Words

In the mind of Quiz-Tim e Devise a way to
1. Create a quiz based 1. Create an analogy to 1. Pick a random word and
1. How might a professional 1. Explain your learning
on the topic. explain one of our link it to the learning.
think about the topic?
keywords. without using words.
2. Make a quiz which 2. Pick 5 random words
2. How might someone think
and connect them to the 2. Connect your learning
about the topic in one gets more and more 2. Explain 3 keywords
learning. to three other subjects.
hundred years time? challenging! using analogies.
Lesson Planning Problem-Solving Comic Strip Learning Judge Keyword Super-Test
1. Plan an activity to teach Design a problem linked 1. Create a comic strip What 3 questions could 1. List and define as many
something you have based on something we
to the lesson and then you ask to find out if keywords as you can.
learned today. have studied today.
try it out on two other someone understood
people. See if they can 2. Turn your learning what we are learning 2. Write a paragraph
2. Plan a lesson based on solve it! about today? containing at least 6
journey into a 4-frame
todays topic. comic strip. relevant keywords.
 Task-Specific Guidance for Teachers
1. Translate Challenges students to change information from one form to another. Pushes understanding and
encourages exploration of ideas.
2. Concept Map Students create a map of a particular concept. This causes them to think in detail about that
concept. Concepts are abstract; interrogating them is challenging.
3. Wrong Answer Students have to create a wrong answer or think about what makes answers wrong. This
challenges them to analyse their understanding of a topic and how this connects to being right.
4. Re-Re-Re Re-doing and re-designing are challenging because students have to edit their work. The process of
alteration and improvement is difficult.
5. Advertise The creative aspect of this challenge stretches students thinking. It is based on synthesis, one of the
top two levels of Blooms Taxonomy of educational objectives.
6. Time Limit Time limits put pressure on thinking. Students are challenged to make decisions in a short,
circumscribed space of time, and to justify these choices.
7. Prediction Prediction is challenging because it involves students speculating and reasoning based on what they
already know. Thus it is an exercise in extrapolation and analysis.
8. Model Question Writing model questions challenges students to think about how the learning could be tested
and what suitable questions would look like.
9. Dingbats This involves students creating visual puzzles for different keywords. It involves translation, creativity
and analysis.
10. Aliens Here students have to go back to the basics of what they have been learning and work up, step-by-step.
11. What If? Encourages creative thinking, speculation and reasoning, all off which are challenging.
12. Beat the Teacher Great fun and, of course, always a challenge!
 Task-Specific Guidance for Teachers
13. Invention Test Invention sits in the synthesis category at the top of Blooms Taxonomy. It is a high-level, creative
skill. One which will challenge most students.
14. Self-Assessment Accurate self-assessment stretches students to reflect critically and honestly on their own work.
15. Defend My Argument Having to defend an argument with which you dont agree is challenging by its very nature.
16. In the mind of - Thinking from a different perspective means looking again at the learning. The subsequent
examination will stretch students to think differently about the topic.
17. Quiz-Time Creating a quiz means thinking about everything that has been studied and transforming this into
appropriate question.
18. Analogies Analogies are a form of creative reasoning. Finding a good one takes time, concentration, attention to
details and careful analysis.making it a challenging task!
19. Random Words Devising connections between the topic and random words involves lateral thinking. Thus it
stretches students to look at their learning from another angle.
20. Devise a way to - Another creative task asking students to synthesise information to make something new.
21. Lesson Planning As we all know, lesson planning takes time, patience, analytical and creative thoughtmaking it
a challenge for our students.
22. Problem-Solving Thinking about problems is challenging as it involves critical and creative enquiry based on what
we know about a given topic.
23. Comic Strip A creative translation task that challenges students to reimagine their learning.
24. Learning Judge Identifying how to judge if learning has taken place means being discriminating and selecting the
most appropriate questions for the task. This is always a challenge.
25. Keyword Super-Test Here we push students to develop and refine their knowledge of the key terminology,
developing their literacy at the same time as we stretch and challenge their thinking.
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 Translate Concept Map Wrong Answer Re-Re-Re Advertise
X X X X X

Time Limit Prediction Model Question Dingbats Aliens

X X X X X

What if? Beat the Teacher Invention Test Self-Assessment Defend My Argument
X X X X X

Analogies Random Words

In the mind of Quiz-Tim e Devise a way to
X X X X X

Lesson Planning Problem-Solving Comic Strip Learning Judge Keyword Super-Test

X X X X X