Learning+Stations



**Directions:** //As a team, you will be responsible for compiling the information below about your inquiry strategy. Next week, your group will provide a 5-7 minute overview of your strategy for the class.//

** Name and Description of your strategy (mention any variations of your strategy as well): **

The Learning Stations inquiry strategy is an instructional strategy that involves small groups rotating between stations during class time, learning new, reviewing, or assessing at each station. Learning Stations vary widely and give teachers a great deal of freedom to cater this activity to the needs of their class.

** Inquiry Process associated with your strategy: ** The inquiry process differs depending on how the teacher designs each station. Students may use different mediums (technology, other research tools) to gather information about a topic, answering a question the teacher or the students themselves pose.

** Description of the Product or Products resulting from the inquiry process associated with your strategy: ** The product varies depending on how the teacher designs each station. Students might write an essay based on the answers they gained from the stations, write journal entries for each station, complete graphic organizers, take notes for each station, or many others. There are also many options for products after the station activity has been completed.

** Descriptions of Examples and Links to examples when possible (when you include a link to an example, provide a brief annotation / description of the example -- not just a link): ** This is a web article that describes how technology can be incorporated with learning stations. Students can use different tools to explore related topics. For schools without a lot of technology resources, one or two stations could be using technology while the others are more low-tech. link: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2009/06/21st_century_learning_stations.html
 * D igital Education: Tech Topics and Trends in K-12**

This lesson is an excellent example of how learning stations could be used in a lesson. The teacher designed 6 stations with some using video sources, some literary sources, and some audio sources. The purpose of the lesson was for students to identify elements of drama, fantasy, and fiction (which they had been discussing in class) with various sources. This could definitely be adapted by other teachers for students to use these media for other purposes.
 * "Media Moguls:" Analyzing Media/Entertainment through Learning Stations (Lesson Plan)**

Another lesson plan with 6 stations that all deal with inquiries about elephants. Each station uses different materials to find answers - a webquest on the internet, articles, or a video clip.
 * Elephant Learning Stations Lesson Plan:**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9nYbFTqGTM
 * Youtube video example:**

** Resources consulted related to your strategy (both hard copy and links): ** //Station to Station : Reinventing Practice in the English Language Arts Classroom and Beyond//, Carl A. Young and Elizabeth H. Lucas (2002). --

//Rapid Learning Stations: Learning a Lot in a Little Time (Lesson Plan),// Sharon L. Bowman (2004).


 * ADDITIONAL KEY RESOURCES FOR LEARNING STATIONS STRATEGY (DR. Y) **
 * Former MSL Student Lyndsey Thompson's Media Moguls Learning Stations Example -[[file:LT_LS_example_F07.doc]]
 * 1984 Learning Stations Example - [[file:1984- Learning Stations.doc]]


 * [|MCPS Learning Stations Website and Video] -- This website shares a brief video of learning stations used in the middle grades social studies classroom. The students were able to visit multiple stations in order to learn more about Europe during the middle ages. The students were viewing films, and working with artifacts to help understand Europe during the middle ages. The teacher provided "capture sheets" for students to reflect on what they learned at each station. On the capture sheets, the teacher provided fill in the blank, true or false questions, and paragraph responses. I assume that the teacher used the learning stations for an entire unit.

** 1-2 additional inquiry-based learning strategies we like, value, want to try, have experienced in a positive way, etc. (name and describe briefly): **

Literature Circles (possibly used in combination with stations), Think Pair Share, and Jigsaw. All of these could be used in conjunction with one another.
 * Literature Circles**: Groups of students discuss texts they read - either the same book or everyone having read different books.
 * Think Pair Share**: Two students partner up and interact with each other, either discussing a topic, completing an activity, or something else as prompted by the teacher.
 * Jigsaw**: Students get in groups, with each student having a role to perform in that group. For example, if the group is discussing a novel they read one student might be the "summarizer," one might be the "illustrator," another might be the "inquirer," who asks questions.