The Handbook for the New Art and Science of Teaching. Robert J. Marzano
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at the top of each column in a grid. Next, using a matrix like the one in figure 4.9, students identify attributes they wish to compare and write them in the rows. Then, in each cell, students record information related to each attribute for each element. Finally, students summarize what they learned by comparing the elements.
Source: Marzano Research, 2016.
Figure 4.9: Comparison matrix template.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Classification Charts
Students can use classification charts (like the one in figure 4.10) to group like items together based on their characteristics. The teacher creates a chart with several categories listed across the top and asks students to fill in examples that fit in each category. Students can pair up or form groups to share their charts with their peers, discuss and explain why they classified items as they did, and modify their charts after hearing others’ perspectives. Students should then describe in a short paragraph the characteristics that unite each column of elements.
Source: Marzano Research, 2016.
Figure 4.10: Classification chart template.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Dichotomous Keys
A dichotomous key is a graphic organizer that refines students’ understanding of two or more concepts or objects by delineating different characteristics of each. Generally, the dichotomous key moves from broad characteristics that apply to multiple objects to more detailed characteristics as a way to clearly define the item being examined. Students can create dichotomous keys as either simple tables (figure 4.11) or flow charts (figure 4.12). This strategy is particularly useful when comparing multiple items that fit within the same category and might appear very similar on the surface. Students commonly use this strategy to distinguish between similar organisms in science, but teachers can adapt it for any subject that requires students to distinguish among items in the same category. Students can practice using this strategy with familiar items before moving on to more complex concepts and topics.
Figure 4.11: Example of a dichotomous key simple table.
Figure 4.12: Example of a dichotomous key flow chart.
Sorting, Matching, and Categorizing
Teachers can ask students to participate in activities that require them to sort, match, and categorize content. When sorting, students should place items into specific, predetermined categories. When matching, students should match two things that are equivalent to one another. For example, they might match a picture or symbol with a word, a definition with a term, two mathematical equations with the same solution, or a synonym with a word. When categorizing, students should group elements into two or more categories and explain the reasoning behind their categorization. Teachers can ask students to complete these kinds of activities individually, in groups, or as a class. Teachers can also structure sorting, matching, and categorizing activities through the use of graphic organizers, worksheets, or other visual representations.
Following are examples of sorting, matching, and categorizing activities.
• Defining vocabulary or terms: This strategy works well when instructing students on important vocabulary or terms for a unit. When students are beginning to learn the definition of the term, teachers can have them match the word to its written definition, to an illustration of the term, or to a synonym. As students’ understanding deepens, they should be able to sort the terms into categories. For example, in an English language arts class the teacher might ask students to sort words under the appropriate part of speech, and in a science class a teacher could have students sort terms under the type of animal or process they describe.
• Understanding symbols: A number of subject areas use symbols to represent ideas or processes. Students can use this strategy to familiarize themselves with the use, purpose, and definition of important symbols. For example, in a music class, students could match different musical symbols to their use, or they could categorize different instruments by which clef (the musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written music notes) the music for the instrument uses.
• Classifying objects that could belong to the same category: Sorting and categorizing objects into more specific categories helps students understand which features define a particular set of objects. For example, for a unit on the solar system, a teacher could ask students to sort planets as gas giants, dwarf planets, or ice giants and have them explain which features of each planet cause them to belong to that category. Through this kind of activity, students learn that even objects within the same category, such as planets, can have a diverse range of features.
Similes
In this strategy, students state comparisons using like or as. Students can generate similes to help them understand how new knowledge relates to previous knowledge. They might include an explanation of why one object is like the other and can revise their similes after discussing them with their peers. Teachers can introduce similes by comparing new knowledge to something students are already familiar with. For example, when teaching a lesson on adding fractions, a teacher might state, “Adding fractions with different denominators is like trying to add apples and oranges,” in order to show students that the denominators must be the same when adding fractions. Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for the reproducible “Similes” to introduce students to this strategy.
Metaphors
With this strategy, students state comparisons using metaphors. In a metaphor, comparisons are stated as direct relationships—one thing is another—for example, life is a journey. Metaphors are sometimes abstract and can be extended to include more than one comparison. Students should explain why their metaphors are appropriate. When deepening students’ knowledge of a subject, the teacher can instruct students to create metaphors that relate the new content to something they understand well. For example, when discussing the Silk Road and the Mongol Empire, students could state, “The Silk Road was a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures.” Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for the reproducible “Metaphors” to introduce students to this strategy.
Sentence-Stem Analogies
Students can use sentence stems to create comparisons that describe specific relationships between two items or concepts. Analogies always take this form: “Item 1 is to item 2 as item 3 is to item 4.” The teacher might also present students with the first two terms of an analogy and ask them to fill in the second two terms, for example: “A coach is to an athlete as ______ is to ______.” Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for the reproducible “Sentence-Stem Analogies” to introduce students to this strategy.
Visual Analogies
The teacher asks students to use visual organizers to help them make analogies. The students create an analogy and specify the type of relationship the analogy is expressing. Many students are visual learners and working with content in a visual can help reinforce the meaning. Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for the reproducible “Visual Analogies” to introduce students to this strategy.