Carousel Feedback

This is a cooperative learning activity focused around movement, conversation, and

reflection that can be used both to discover and discuss background knowledge prior to
studying a new topic, as well as for review of content already learned.

This structure functions to build social skills, communication skills, decision-making in

more advanced teams, processing information and thinking skills.

How to use

Teams spread out team projects around the room. Each project has a feedback form
attached.

1. Teams stand in front of their assigned projects.

2. Teams rotate clockwise to the next project.

3. For a specified time, teams discuss their reactions to the other team's project, with
no writing.

4. Student number one record feedback on feedback form. Students are encouraged to
include positive comments.

5. Teacher calls time.

6. Teams rotate, observe, discuss and give feedback on next project. A new recorder is
selected each round.

7. Teams continue until each team rotates back to its own project, or until Teacher
Calls time.

8. Teams review the feedback they received from other teams.

When to use

Use Carousel Feedback to review projects and information gathered by students in

teams.

 Before beginning a lesson on the civil rights era, you might post the names of
some key people and events from this time in history to draw out students’
background knowledge.
 Upon finishing The Diary of Anne Frank, you might choose to pose different
critical thinking questions about the novel as a means to review the story.
 After a unit on plants, you might post guiding questions about the major topics
covered in the unit to review the material.
 Use carousel brainstorming strategies to review factors and multiples before a
math test.
  During a novel study, have students explain in detail which of the character's
strengths they find admirable and which weaknesses they could relate to and
understand.
 Have students analyze different types of graphs, their purposes, and their
strengths.
 In Reading, students can use Carousel Feedback to review sections of an assigned
reading.

Variations

Talking Carousel Feedback Students will review each project and then discuss with the
team about what they learned about the presentation. They do not record any
information on a feedback form.

Carousel Brainstorming Small groups of students rotate around the classroom, stopping
at various “stations” for a designated period of time (usually 1-2 minutes). At each
station, students activate their prior knowledge of a topic or concept and share their
ideas with their small group. Each group posts their ideas at each station for all groups
to read.

Digital Carousel Feedback Use a google doc or google presentation instead of chart
paper. Students still rotate through the questions and respond with their answers. To
get students moving, each student will open a specific slide or be in charge of one
question on their own computers and have each student rotate through the computers
in their teams. Links to each groups' docs could then be shared as a "gallery walk."

*Students can use their school gmail accounts to sign up for a Stormboard account. This
would allow them to work on boards collaboratively based on the questions posed and
work to generate and organize their ideas using virtual sticky notes. The boards can also
be exported into a detailed report, PDF, or spreadsheet!