I have posted about Table Top Twitter before. Students like this activity as it is open ended and they can interact with everyone that they wish to interact with and express their own opinions. If you missed my earlier post, Table Top Twitter is a way to have students interact with authentic writing. You can choose a passage from the book they are currently reading and place in middle of a large piece of paper. The passage you choose should spark the students to want to express their opinions and ideas. As they write about their ideas, the students read what other students are writing and expressing and they interact back and forth. But all communication should be in writing. I like to have several tables going at the same time and students can move between the two conversations. You can choose to have the same passage on both tables or have 2 completely different conversations going on at the same time with students moving in and out as they choose. That was part of the twist this time that we did Table Top Twitter. The other part of the twist was I also included an opinion with the passage in order to get their communication going. Our after school book club had been reading Out of My Mind about a handicapped girl. One (fake) opinion stated with the passage was that the girl did not belong in regular education classes. It was wonderful to see the students argue (on paper) that this girl DID belong and should be allowed to participate. Does a teacher’s heart good to read things like that! 🙂
Table Top Twitter- Part 2 with a Twist
Julie says
This is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
http://www.lightafire3.blogspot.com
Tammy says
This is what reading is about. I love it!
Tammy
http://www.foreverin1st.blogspot.com
Lyndsey (a year of many firsts) says
Oh my goodness! I absolutely LOVE this idea. So simple, yet SO effective and fun! Thanks for sharing.
Also, thanks for the sweet comment on my blog.
lyndsey
ayearofmanyfirsts.blogspot.com
lorivines4 says
Thank you Julie, Tammy and Lyndsey for stopping by and commenting! I love when students can interact about what they have read.
Laura says
Such a cute idea!! 🙂 Can't wait to see more great ideas to come!!
http://lovetoteach123.blogspot.com/
lorivines4 says
Thank you, Laura, for following and commenting!
Ms. Boyle says
CUTE! My kids are forever writing me notes so that I will write them back and place my responses in their cubbies, but this is a fantastic way to make responding quick and easy for all kids and classroom visitors to respond! Thanks!
Ellen
http://www.greatfirstgradeexpectations.blogspot.com/
lorivines4 says
Thanks Ellen! Kids do love to write and get responses back! Love to see it happening! 🙂
Lori
Conversations in Literacy
Desyday Dakota says
I am going to try this with my high school students. I think they will love it!
lorivines4 says
Desyday Dakota, I hope your high school students love the Tabletop Twitter! I think they could do a lot with this. Thank you for coming by!
Carol says
I love this…I use it all the time and the thinking in my classroom is unbelievable!!!
[email protected]
lorivines4 says
I agree, Carol! Tabletop Twitter really helps the students to think and communicate more deeply with each other about the text. Thank you for stopping by!
Lori
Conversations in Literacy
addicted to softball says
Any thoughts on using this with math? I love the interactive nature of this activity.