Joyful Learning Strategy: Fishbowl Tag

Instructions to Fishbowl Tag

-Students will split into three equal groups - inner circle, outer circle, and audience
-Someone in the inner circle will draw a question from the “fishbowl”, and students in the inner
circle will have a discussion
-Once someone in the inner circle has contributed, they can leave their seat and select
someone from the outer circle to replace them. The same person (originally from the inner
circle) also selects a person from the audience to move into the empty seat in the outer circle.
-Discussion will continue for a set amount of time, then a new question will be drawn.

Before class starts:

Write the things on the poster paper
● (BEN) Tina Notes
○ Enjoys internet research, music, and poetry
○ Grasps concepts easily but is nonverbal
■ Therefore takes time to express ideas
○ MI’s include verbal, mathematical, and musical
○ Needs encouragement to type, but wants to do it independently
● (SARAH) Cooperative learning strategies (pg 130-131)
○ Think-Pair-Share
○ Formulate-Share-Listen-Create
○ Numbered Heads Together
○ Mix-Freeze-Pair
○ Walk-Talk
○ Say and Switch
○ Say Something
○ Round Table/Round Robin
○ Graffiti or Carousel
○ Three-Step Interview
○ Toss a question (snowball)
○ Inside-Outside Circle (Fishbowl)
(WHOEVER GETS TO IT FIRST)-draw desk/chair arrangement on board
(5 inner, 5 outer, 4 audience)

Actual structure of our time:

BEN -Have students count off by 3
SARAH-Have students move desks to diagramed positions while explaining the activity
-Students will split into three equal groups - inner circle, outer circle, and audience
-Someone in the inner circle will draw a question from the “fishbowl”, and students in the
inner circle will have a discussion
BEN-Once someone in the inner circle has contributed, they can leave their seat and select
someone from the outer circle to replace them. The same person (originally from the
inner circle) also selects a person from the audience to move into the empty seat in the
 outer circle.

-Discussion will continue for a set amount of time, then a new question will be drawn.
-Depending on amount of time for actual activity, there will be either two rounds of three
minutes, or three rounds of three minutes.
-Debrief Discussion (ALTERNATE WHO ASKS/FACILITATES):
-What are some positive aspects of this learning strategy?
-How could it be a negative experience for some students?
-How could you use this in your concentration?
 What are examples of different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy?

What does fair grading look like? And how do students benefit from that,
or get hurt by unfair grading?

What are Self-Referenced Systems for grading and how are they
harmful/beneficial?

What cooperative learning strategies may/may not work for Tina?

How can the social and physical environment of a classroom impact the
success of students?