This document describes the cooperative learning strategy of carousel brainstorming. It involves dividing students into small groups that rotate between stations in the classroom, spending designated time at each station brainstorming ideas in response to questions posed. As groups rotate, their ideas are recorded at each station so that all groups can read and build upon the ideas. The roles of recorder, speaker, and mediator are assigned to structure participation. Sample questions and a wrap-up activity are provided as an example for using this strategy to brainstorm books related to social justice themes.

1. Cooperative Learning with
Carousel Brainstorming
Christine M Smith
04-13-2011

2. Carousel Brainstorming
● Students rotate around the classroom in small
groups, stopping at stations for a designated amount
of time.
● Students will activate prior knowledge of different
topics or different aspects of a single topic through
conversation with peers.
● Ideas will be posted at each station for all groups to
read.
● Prior knowledge will be activated, providing scaffolding
for new information to be learned in the lesson.

3. Carousel Brainstorming
Cooperative learning roles:
● Recorder, contributes own ideas, records the ideas
each member of the group, writes the name of the
contributor beside the idea.
● Speaker, contributes own ideas, presents group ideas
to the class, is fair and impartial in sharing all ideas.
● Mediator, contributes own ideas, helps to keep ideas
flowing within the group, encourages and refocuses
the group to each task.
● All group members, communicate ideas openly, listen
to teammates, "all for one and one for all"
McGraw-Hill, Inc.

4. Carousel Brainstorming
Step 1: Assign roles and tasks
● Divide students into groups of three for more equal
participation
● Explain and assign the roles of recorder, speaker, and
mediator
● Highlight the responsibility of the group "all for one and
one for all"

5. Carousel Brainstorming
Step 2: Ask thought provoking questions
● Develop questions that spark interest and
conversation about a new topic area.
● Write each question on a sheet of chart paper.
● Post the questions a stations around the classroom.
● Each groups recorder will be given a different color
marker.
● Direct groups to a starting station and set a time limit.
● Students should brainstorm ideas and the recorder for
each group should write them directly on the chart
paper.
● At time intervals groups will rotate the next station.

6. Carousel Brainstorming
Step 3: Facilitate Effective Interaction
● Be available to students who made need clarification.
● Equalize rotation time.
● Recognize that some groups may need additional time
as the lesson progresses to read prior posts.
● Amount of time may vary depending on student needs
and lesson objectives.
● Move groups clockwise.

7. Carousel Brainstorming
Step4: Use Presentations to Clarify
● Allow each speaker to summarize brainstorming of
their group for each question in turn.
● Opportunities for clarification, re-teaching key
concepts.
● Have a class recorder document essential information
for each question answered.

8. Carousel Brainstorming
Step 5: Save time to wrap-up the activity
● Make sure that students have recorded at least three
essential answers to each question.
● Revisit each question for additions and final remarks.
● Use the ideas to give a summarizing assignment
which may be completed individually.

9. Sample Carousel Brainstorming for books with themes of
"Social Justice"
● Why would the author call his book Bystander? What does it
mean to "just stand by?"
● Who do you think the author is referring to when he calls the
kids in his book Misfits? What makes someone feel like a
misfit?
● Why do you think a book called Poison Ivy might be about
bullying? What questions would you ask a bully if you could
put them on trial?
● In the book Waiting for Normal, what do you think some of
the challenges are that the main character might face?
What is normal? Is it the same for everyone?
● What might make you think that the main character in the
book Word Nerd has been bullied? What do you think of
when someone is called a nerd?

10. Sample wrap-up activities
● After group presentations, students will identify three
key concepts for each question.
● Books will be "book talked."
● Students will choose a book with a partner.
● They will read and write letters to each other
discussing the themes in the book.
● They will demonstrate understanding of the concept of
"social justice" today not just in an historical context by
presenting book talks to their peers.