OER4Schools/activities/Carousel

The Carousel technique

This involves arranging 'stations' within the classroom where different activities will take place and groups of students moving from station to station. Just as a carousel moves around, so the groups of students move around the classroom from station to station. This is sometimes referred to as a circus of activities. By the end of the circus, all students will have done all activities in the same order but each group will have started on a different activity.

Here are the steps involved:

• Step 1 Decide on the activities that you want the students to do during the lesson (about 5 or 6 for a class size of 30 works well)
• Step 2 Set up your stations by making sure that their are clear instructions at each station (usually a group of tables) for what students must do along with the necessary materials to complete the activity
• Step 3 Start each group on a different activity (either briefly go over each activity with the whole class or tell students that there will be an explanation of each activity at each station)
• Step 4 Set a time limit for each activity and move students on when their time is up.
• Step 5 Circulate as the groups complete the circus of activities making sure everyone understands what they are supposed to be doing.