Science Education Idea Exchange

 In science, there are so many opportunities to collaborate! I always tried to encourage my students to form pairs based on interests rather than previous friendships. Who knows who you might be missing out on? Here are some questions you could pose to your students to have them form new pairs relatively quickly: Candy Corn: Yes or No? Zombie or Vampire? Pirate or Ninja? Beaches or Mountains? Ice skating or Building a snowman? Listening to music or Reading a book? England or France? How many languages do you know? Video games or Computer games? Black licorice: Yes or No? Are hot dogs sandwiches: Yes or No? Superpower: Flying or Speed? Before they begin their work, they could have a chance to explain their answer to their partner. It would be a great way to break the ice. ***UPDATE: I made this into a freebie you can get here! ***

Having students partner up quickly can be a challenge. At my store, you can download this freebie  to help facilitate partner work by giving students a choice. At the same time, you can mix-it-up for the students so they work with different people in the classroom. I learned about this technique from a former administrator and it worked pretty well. There can be hiccups with shy, new, or absent students, so be mindful of your class culture before beginning.