Ball+Toss

=Explanation: =

Ball Toss is an oral question-and-answer strateg y. The teacher can pick a student to begin with, toss that student a ball, and ask that student a question. The student has the option of answering or tossing the ball to another person. If a student answers the question, the teacher can move on to the next question, or the response can be discussed for further clarification. If several students in a row pass on the ball without answering the question, the teacher knows that there are gaps in knowledge and can use that discovery as an opportunity for further review.

Ball Toss can also be used in a forum style format, which allows students to discuss in detail any given topic. I like to use this format the best in topics that have a great deal of discussion based issues, such as Genetically Modified Organisms and Animal Rights.

= Examples: =

Ball Toss can be used in more than just one wa y:

This link is a variation on the Ball Toss, called Commit and Toss

This video isn't an example of Ball Toss, but it's a great clip on how to successfull y start a student-centered discussion, which is the whole idea behind a Ball Toss. It has some great ideas for how to encourage students to become engaged in a discussion. media type="custom" key="24036056"

Here is a quick reference I made to help break down an example of how to use Ball Toss:

Megan Peterson