Kagan Cooperative Learning
Chapter 9
Five Aims of Classbuilding
 1. Getting Acquainted
 2. Class Identity Building
 3. Mutual Support
 4. Valuing Differences
 5. Developing Synergy
Getting Acquainted
 Promotes the idea that classmates are real people
with real feelings.
 Breaks down superficial barriers.
 Reduces cliques
 The basic needs of feeling important, being liked, and
belonging are met.
Structures and Activities for
Getting Acquainted

Find Someone Who

Fact-or-Fiction

People Hunt

Fact Bingo

Similarity Groups

Round Robin

Inside-Outside Circle

Class Projects
 Birthday Calendar

Formations
 Class Bar Graphs

Linkages
 Gesture-Name-Game
 All About Me

Class Line-Ups

Mix-Pair-Share
Class Identity Building
 Goal is for students to feel that their class is unique.
 Promote the feeling of being a proud member of the
class.
 Create distinguishing identity through projects:
 Class Name
 Class Logo
 Class Song or Chant
Structures and Activities for
Class Identity Building
 Class Name
 Class Logo, Banner, Mural
 Class Door
 Team Mosaic: Divide
door into sections and
have each team design a
section.
 Class Song
 Student Wall
 Student profile sheet
turn into bulletin board.
 Class Web Site
 Class Books
 Classroom Signals
 Class Mission Statement
Mutual Support
 Mutual support builds trust among the students in
the class.
 Promotes interdependence with in the classroom.
Structures and Activities for
Mutual Support
 Hidden Helpers
 Students receive a secret
pal and do something nice
for them during the week.
No material gifts.
 Ticket Agents
 Assign two students to
handout tickets for
positive behavior.
 Chain of Friendship
 Students report positive
behavior to the teacher.
The teacher gives the
student a colored link to
add to the class chain.
 Class Party
 Brainstorm what makes a
good party. Have students
sign up to bring items.
After party reflect on what
would happen if we didn’t
each do our part.
Mutual Support
Continued
 Mix-Freeze-Group
 Who Am I?
 Service Learning Projects
Valuing Differences
 Celebrate Diversity
 Students need to understand that our classroom
values differences.
 Through our diversity we create a richer classroom
environment.
Structures and Activities for
Valuing Differences
 Corners
 Agree-Disagree Line Ups
Developing Synergy
 Synergy in a group allows the group to produce and
learn more than if the student is working
independently.
 Synergy must be present to fully engage in the
cooperative process.
Structures and Activities for
Developing Synergy
 Circle-the Sage
 Several students are
selected as the expert of
a topic (the sage). All
other students will sit
with the sage and learn
from the expert. The
students take notes then
report back to their
original group.
 Formations
 Geometric Forms
 Imaginary Machine
Structures and Activities for
Developing Synergy
 Class Projects
Class Restructuring
 Class Meetings
 Function: plan event, solve problems, improve class
functioning, and provide mutual support.
 Structure: Hold regular meetings each week.
 Agenda: Items must be on agenda prior to meeting.
The teacher has ultimate decision power about agenda
items.
 Student Planning: Give students the opportunity to run
certain aspects of the meetings.
Class Meetings Continued
 Schedule:
 Begin with announcements
 Problem solving
 Event planning
 End with a mutual support activity
 Student Input: During problem solving use a structure that will
allow all students to see each others responses.
 Suggestion/Appreciation Box: Gives each student an opportunity
to have input. Share during the class meeting.
Setting a Positive Class Tone
 Activities that enhance the
class climate:
 Arts/Crafts
 Board Games
 Class Goals
 Humor/Jokes
 Parties
 Silly Sports and Goofy
Games
 Student Ownership:
 Student Bulletin Boards
 Student Jobs
 Student Government
 Student Committees
 Reward/Celebrations
 Choice of
Centers/Activities
 Student Evaluations
“The two approaches described in this chapter
are different. But the outcome for both is the
same: creating a cooperative, caring community
of learners where everyone wants to be and
learn.”
~ Kagan Cooperative Learning