Four Corners is a great way to get children thinking and talking.
Display four options in the four corners of your classroom. Have pupils stand up, look at the options, discuss them with others, and then pick a corner to stand in.
The options can be anything from philosophical questions to science statements, and you can structure them in different ways. For example:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding represents how people behave in real life: strongly agree / agree / disagree / strongly disagree?
Which type of landscape would you rather visit – river / mountain / rainforest / desert?
Which sentence do you agree with? Iron is always magnetic. Magnets can make electricity. All metals can be magnetic. The Earth is surrounded by magnets.
When pupils have chosen their corner, select some of them to explain their reasoning and discuss their opinions further. Tell everyone: If you change your mind after hearing others’ opinions, move to the appropriate corner. (Give specific praise if they do this.) Everyone will be able to see how others’ thinking is changing through dialogue.
Remember that if there is a correct answer (such as in the science example above), this will give you useful assessment data. Respond to misconceptions and plan further learning opportunities if needed.
“Children engage with their peers – spontaneously questioning and arguing. Also a fantastic diagnostic tool.”
