You have already read the chapter Advances in Genetics, pages 126-132, from our textbook, Cells and Heredity. You will now have the opportunity to become experts in specific topics about modern genetics using a Jigsaw Strategy.
The Jigsaw Strategy is an efficient way to learn the course material in a cooperative learning style. The jigsaw process encourages listening, engagement, and empathy by giving each member of the group an essential part to play in the academic activity. Group members must work together as a team to accomplish a common goal; each person depends on all the others. No student can succeed completely unless everyone works well together as a team. This "cooperation by design" facilitates interaction among all students in the class, leading them to value each other as contributors to their common task.
Students are divided into small groups of five or six students each. Each member of the group is assigned a portion of an assignment or research project. Each member must research the material pertaining to their section of the project and be prepared to discuss it with their classmates.
Watch the video below to get a better understanding of how the Jigsaw Strategy works.
The Jigsaw Strategy places great emphasis on cooperation and shared responsibility within groups. The success of each group depends on the participation of each individual in completing their task. This means the Jigsaw strategy effectively increases the involvement of each student in the activity.
You will be assigned a "Home" Group. Each "Home" Group member is responsible for reading all assigned articles. Each "Home" Group will be assigned one of the following topics:
- Designer Babies
- Genetically Modified Food
- Harvesting Stem Cells
- Human Genome
- Cloning
It is important to remember to use the username/passwords for the articles provided:
- SIRS: usernameNY5676/10913
- Discovery Education: SOMSMediaCenter/discover
- CQResearcher: tzhs/student
- CERFinfo: orangetown/orangetown
- All the usernames and passwords are listed in the Web Links Section of the SOMS Library Media Center OPALS Page
Discuss the readings with the "Home" Group, coming to consensus on the main points you will teach your classmates. Make sure everyone in your 'Home" Group participates.
Plan your strategy for teaching your classmates in the limited amount of time that you will have.
Each "Home" Group member will now disperse to other "Home" Groups. You will have six minutes to tell your NEW group about your specific topic. Remember you are responsible for teaching classmates in your new group.
• Reminders about social and cooperative skills: "The cooperative expectation for this assignment is that all group members will participate fairly equally in the discussion. It is each person’s responsibility to ask for the opinions and ideas of quieter group members. The individual accountability expectation is that any group member, if randomly called upon, could summarize the group discussion."
• Instructions to promote critical thinking:You can use other articles and research. "Try to come to any criticisms of the author’s work – is it biased, unsubstantiated, overly narrow in applicability, etc. Remember to use RADCAB when evaluating the articles
Additional Resources: