Purpose: To provide every individual opportunity to contribute to group consensus
Set-up: Divide groups into equal numbers of 3-5 people. Have one placemat per group. Each placemat should have a large oval in the middle and then the space around it should be divided into as many sections as there are members of the group. For a group of four it would look like this:
Post the discussion question somewhere visible, likely on powerpoint. “What are the essential principles to know from (Task 1)______?”
Each person has a pen/marker. They sit/stand where they can write on their section. Give them a time, 2-3 minutes to write down everything they can think of to answer the question. NO TALKING during this time. It is private and quiet. Everyone is to be writing on their spot on the placemat.
When the time is up, the groups discuss their answers with one another. Any principle that each member wrote down automatically gets written in the center shape. For example, if everyone wrote down “careful study,” then that will be written in the center. If there is no answer that everyone wrote down, they must then discuss and come to consensus on what belongs in the middle. Limit the consensus answers to something reasonable, like 3-5 principles. This will force participants to truly discuss what the most essential principles are.
After everyone is finished, the facilitator can lead a whole group discussion to compare/contrast answers as a group.
Step 1: I will number you off. All 1s, go to table __, all 2s to table __, etc.
Step 2: Each person should have a pen/marker. Write your name on one section of your poster. This is your spot on the poster.
Step 3: You have __ minutes to answer the question on the screen. Each person write down in your section every thing you can think of that answers the question. Do not talk to your group during this part of the activity. This is for individual thought.
Step 4: Now that you have each written things down, your group will discuss and agree what the 3-5 most essential principles are. Write those principles in the center. If you all wrote the same thing(s), then those go in the center. If you did not write the same things, then discuss and agree what should be written in the center.
Step 5: When you are finished each group will present their 3-5 essential principles.