Leading Class Discussion / Activity Handout

Each group will be expected to lead the classroom discussion for one class period over the course of the semester. Importantly, this assignment is not meant to be a presentation; however, you are expected to know the text thoroughly and prepare as experts on the text. Do Not Summarize the Text – the class should have read the essay, so this is unnecessary.

Important: On the week you are leading discussion, you do not have to post a blog on the homework assignment.

Because you will all be leading this discussion at some point, it is important that the rest of the class come prepared having read the text in order to help the group leading the discussion keep it flowing smoothly. Depending on the readings these discussions should last 25-40 minutes, each group member should speak at some point, and getting the class involved is part of your grade.

Here are the general guidelines:

1. Begin class with a discussion of the homework questions. Make sure to discuss these questions thoroughly and get as many people in the class involved as possible (use creativity to get more involvement if possible).

2. Before the class that you are leading, look over the other students’ blog entries. Find 3-4 quotes from their blogs and ask those students to read and explain what they meant (These quotes can either be in the form of a handout or put up on the computer screen in the front of the room).

3. As a group, create an activity that illustrates the main theme of the text. For instance, if the main theme of your text is consumption, create an activity that makes the rest of the class think critically about this issue. Be as creative as possible here, some examples: (Consumption) Get statistics on how much different countries consume yearly and enact a play to emphasize the differences or have people estimate how much they have spent on what they are wearing and how long it would take them to pay for it on minimum wage. What to avoid: Do not just ask trivia questions about the text – the goal here is to think critically about the main theme of the text.

4. Incorporate some form of technology in this task (more than the electronic handout with questions). This can be anything from a Powerpoint emphasizing different parts of the assignment to finding a short video on the topic (5 minutes or less) to making a video with your group mates.

Recommendation: Divide up the tasks – put a person in charge of the electronic handout, another in charge of getting quotes, and two on creating the activity. You do not have to do it this way, but it may make it easier.

Finally, have fun and show your creative talents. This activity is meant to keep the class engaged and think critically on the topic we are studying; however, it is not meant to be boring! The more creative you are, the easier I will grade your assignment – so think outside the box!