Voting+Cards

Voting cards is a way to see what a student knows individually. They raise up something to let you know what they think is the correct answer or simply just an agree disagree sign. I have seen it used in many different ways and with many different types of cards. I will include at the end a list of some different types of cards and where you can find them. I have also seen this strategy used in small groups or individual. Finally my favorite way to use this strategy is in a game setting where the students can use some energy and get moving.
 * Explanation**[[image:Voting image.jpg width="277" height="213" align="right"]]


 * Pre-Assessment || This is where a agree or disagree voting card would work the best I think. You could ask a bunch of questions about a subject to get the previous knowledge of your students. For instances, Were there dinosaurs? Did the big bang theory happen? Did you evolve from a monkey? Do individual evolve? Do species as a group evolve? I would then look through the class and select two students one on each side of the issue and ask them to explain their vote. I think that the explaining their vote would be the most important part of the Pre- Assessment group ||
 * During- Assessment || For the during assessment I really like the one card with multiple choices on it using a clothespin to indicate which one is correct. You get a card with multiple choices written on them. The student then selects the right answer places the clothespin on it and holds it up so that the teacher can see it. I do this with cell parts. I have all the cell parts listed on a card and then I say description to the students. They select which cell part it is and places the clothespin on it. It is really easy then to walk through the class and have them show me the cards and see who is understanding and who is not. I learned this technique from a special education classroom and it works well with students who struggle to come up with an answer very fast.

The other thing I like to do during- assessment is use white boards that the students can illustrate their answers on or write the answer on. I usually use these as whole groups and during group work like labs. I will have the students develop a graph on them to present to the rest of the class about the data their group came up. Then I can easily compare graphs and see which ones are getting the concept and which ones aren't. ||
 * Post- Assessment || My students love to play games at the end of the unit and don't even know that it is a type of assessment that I can use to tell if they understand the information or not. I play a chair game with my students outside of the classroom. There is a two point chair and a one point chair. The students grab a card with the answer on it out of a group of cards they where given. They then run across the field to one of the chairs and have a seat. Finally they hold up the card so that we can see it. If they are wrong the other kids try and get the chair while they have to go back and get another card. I use this to help the students learn elements symbols or parts of different equipment like a saddle. The students always really like planning this game. Most the time I don't even have to give a written multiple choice test on this concept because they understand it after playing the game and it is something that they have a hard time forgetting. I have students who move on to chemistry where they have to learn all the elements on the table and make their own version of this game to study with. ||


 * Types of Cards that can be used **

* White boards and Expo Markers Advantage - Students can come up with any answer for the question that is being asked. Students are not just limited to what they were given Disadvantage - Usually more expensive, however at a workshop I went to they gave us information on buying shower wall at Home depot. Then they will cut them apart for you. You can usually get 10 to 12 out a single wall and makes them like $1.50 to $3.00 a piece, pretty cheap. I also buy some at Wal-Mart at the end of the school year for around the same prize and they come with markers. You can find them in the school isle at Wal-Mart.

* Pre-made cards with different options on them Advantages - Cheap, I use index cards and use different colors so that I know where a complete set is for each student or group of students. Also once you make them I have them laminated to use again and again throughout the years. Disadvantage - I usually don't make a set for each person, this is usually only for the games we play with them because of the time it requires and also the amount of the cards that you need. Again though you can pick up index cards pretty cheap at the beginning of the school year.

* Pre-made cards with two options Advantage - Can have a set of cards for every student. Students can keep them to use in class at any time Disadvantage - They can only answer yes or no type of questions. There is not a lot of thinking going into it just agree or disagree I would always follow up with questions about why the student agreed or disagreed with the question to get at what they are truly thinking.
 * Yes- No
 * Agree- Disagree
 * LIke- Dislike
 * Thumbs up- Thumps Down

* Multiple choice one card and a clothespin Advantage - Can have a card for every student. Works well with special needs students because it limits the answers that they can use and also helps with only one card so not fumbling around with it. It is also harder for students to change or see what someone else is answering. Disadvantage - Unless it is just a agree or disagree card then you need one for different topics. Also clothespins are really hard to see, I wold recommend either buying different color clothespin or painting them.

Janette Shields