Collaborative Protocol: THINKING TRIOs BELLRINGER

Teachers can maximize time if students are trained to expect a bellringer each and every day.  This month's protocol allows students to talk-it-out in groups which is a break from the classic bellringer, and that keeps boredom at bay.  Tell me what you do to keep students actively engaged. 

THINKING TRIOS BELLRINGER (Collaboration, Discussion)
 
Description: An often-used bellringer is to ask students to find “mistakes” embedded in material presented on the whiteboard.  Rather than individual students working silently, use preassigned student groups to collectively find the mistakes and discuss possible solutions with each other and then as a whole group.  
 
Application: Use this warm-up in any subject.
 
Process: Preassign teams of three and explain the bellringer:
1. Gather in assigned trio and be ready to find mistakes. 2. Work quietly so that other trios do not hear answers and raise hands when they think they found all of the mistakes. 3. After the first team finishes, other teams will have a few additional minutes, but then, at the count of three, all other trios must indicate (with their counting fingers or a piece of scrap paper, the number of mistakes found. 4. The trio that finds the most mistakes describe its answers until another team challenges or until they are finished.  (The teacher will affirm the answers or clarify any misconceptions if necessary. Bellringer should last at least ten minutes, but no more than fifteen.)