Quick and dirty write up: first day sound cups seating
In reply to CK’s ask for how to make sound cups:
Make Prep (only once)
I usually get junk i have in pairs, anything that can make a distinctive sound. “Variation is key to both problem-solving & survival.”
>>Examples: Feathers. Paper clips. Binder clips with and without the little silver bits. Rubber bands. Jingle bells from napkin rings. 2 Dice. 5 dice. 3 crumpled paper balls. 1 crumpled paper ball. 5 golf pencils. 1 golf pencil. (That’s already 22 cups.)
2. I put them in red solo cups and seal the end with anything opaque, even another cup. Rubber band or Velcro or tape the end so students can double-check.
3. For each pair of cups, I also sharpie half of a word, so I can check whether they are correct. This adds another “variable” they can “measure”.
>>example: “bio-” on one cup, “-logy” on the other. If students notice, I say this is one observation they can turn into a test of more variables that can help them find the right cup: checking the bottoms of cups.
During Class
I greet them at the door with the cups, check them by last name as they enter, and ask them to take one randomly and then try to find the matching cup. I model: “hi, my name is, my pronouns are, and this is my cup.”
Once students realize this is the first activity they get into it. Occasionally I will go through and mix them up the way a Canadian goose does, suggesting they compare sounds.
The goal is to get them talking, especially what they notice about the sound or other variables they can compare between a pair of cups. They get to sit down at a table I assign (“just for this week”) once both have shown me what detail convinced them the most that they matched. I try to ask them to explain what they mean at least once.
Can’t hear anything! When it gets loud I get to remind them to observe carefully and mind each other’s listening needs, just like we will do this year for other needs.) They will also devise their own ways of listening better or isolating sounds to compare. It’s a nice chaos that gets them going with a very simple data-test-check sequence.
Timing? Your mileage may vary. If it takes way longer than you want, you can cut it off and bring everyone back together and say “when we explore other planets, we won’t have a teacher or a way to check the cup. We can use each other’s observations to figure out where we can go and what to do next.”
Do you let them open it up to check? Depends on the message you want to reinforce about statistical certainty in science.
Then I do an intake form and explain how icebreakers are for habituating your body and startle response to these other people, not to memorize everyone’s details on the first day.
Students report this is helpful for calming first day anxiety, while still challenging their minds.