JIGSAW PUZZLE DIRECTIONS 

I have used Jigsaw groups a few times this year. The kids really like it. 

I have 24 cards in 6 different colors. On the back I put a different

colored round sticker, but be sure the front and back color groups have

different colors. 

It might look like this:

Card colors: blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink

The stickers on the back are placed so that on every colored card there is a

different color. I know I'm not explaining this very well. 

The purpose of the two sided cards is to be able to group once, then regroup

quickly again by the color of the sticker on the back of the card. So all

the pinks have a different colored sticker, all the blues have a different

colored sticker, etc. (Now you're totally confused!!) 

Let me give this example: I formed groups to discuss the story elements of

a story. Pink group discusses characters, yellow group discusses setting

and so on. Each group records on one big sheet of chart paper. Then after 20

minutes and on my signal, they look at the back of their card and regroup

with the new color. The large sheets of chart paper rotate from group to

group, then as the group receives the chart paper, the expert for that

section or story element shares with the new group. This way each group

hears basically the same presentation. 

If this is clear as mud, email me if you'd like more details. I'll try to

explain it a different way. I actually did this at a regional workshop I

attended and was really impressed. 

I have used this for Science, Social Studies, and Guided Reading. I

sometimes have a few questions on a sheet for them to be sure to discuss

sometimes not. The questions help them get started at first. Many times

now, for science or social studies I sometimes just tell them to determine

what is important in the section they are reading - what was the author

trying to tell us? Since you will be the expert on this section, what is

important for the rest of the class to know? 

I take my test questions from these sheets at the end of the unit. Diane/3/IL