GALLERY WALK There are countless variations variations of gallery walks, as you will see through the rest of this book. The fundamental process involves hanging up various graphic and/or textual displays, and then having kids interact around them in a purposeful way, often leaving behind written comments as they go. A gallery walk can stand on its own, as we describe here, or it can be the culminating activity for many other lessons.
When to Use
Use a allery Walk at any point in the lesson to engage students in conversation! " After reading a story to discuss ideas, themes, and characters " After completing a lab to discuss findings and implications " To examine historical documents or images " #efore introducing a new topic to determine students$ prior knowledge " After students have created a poster or any other type of display pro%ect, or even before they submit it for a grade, use & 'ike, & Wonder, Wonder, (ext )teps *see below+ " To solve a math problem using U)" To generate ideas or prewrites
AT01&A') (00202 3opy of article for each student, large chart paper, different colored markers, tape, large *4x5 if possible+ ostit notes. *&f you don$t have any large sticky notes, you can instead hang a couple sheets of plain paper beside each poster when you get to )tep 6.+ 7ou may want to use a pro%ector to highlight discussion topics *see Tips+. )T0 8 lan the lesson 2ecide how you will form kids into groups of three. Assemble Assemble the materials noted above. )T0 9 0xplain the process Today we are going to read an article and have a discussion about it. (othing new there, right: #ut with this text we are going to
respond mainly with drawing, and we are going to have our discussion while walking around. )ound good: )T0 ; elmet Use 'aws,? using )ketching Through the Text *)trategy @+. The idea is to get kids to respond visually to the article, making drawings in the margins, which they can draw upon to create a uick poster. )T0 4
read those ideas too, and maybe factor them into your response to the poster. )o, at each stop, &$ll give you a little more time for reading, talking, and writing. #ring your copy of the article so you can refer to your own sketches and notes. 1eady: &s there a poster that looks really interesting to you: Well, you better get to itBfirst come first served, and only one group at a poster at a time. oF )T0 G onitor groups As kids work, circulate and confer, coaching and uestioning groups as needed. As always, you are looking for great uotes or examples that you can use to feed the discussion later. )T0 8H 1egather and debrief Dnce students have rotated through some or all of the postersBdon$t let the energy flagBhave them return to their own posters. There, they should read and discuss all the written comments. Then, engage everyone in a standing wholeclass discussion of the issues raised by the article. Try to dig out the agreements, controversies, and range of ideas that emerged from the various posters. 2on$t plod through every poster. aybe %ust ask! Was there a particular poster that really got you going: Which one made you think hardest or argue the most: 'et the responses spark an authentic conversation
'eader keeps the group on task, encourages participation, keeps conversation civil, assures that all group members understand key points. I1ecorder writes group responses on poster sheets and prepares the written report out. I1eporter presents the groupJs thoughts on a uestion to the class. Ionitor makes sure that responses are made at the top of poster sheets so there is room for the next group. Acts as timekeeper for timed activities. IWildcard *in groups of five+ acts as an assistant to any member that needs help. &f the activity spans more than one class period than this person can take the role of any member that is absent.
How to Use 1. Write Create six questions or prompts about the current topic o stu!"# an! write each one on a piece o chart paper or on a white boar!. Han$ or p%ace the questions or prompts in &arious p%aces aroun! the c%assroom to create six stations. 'ma$es# !ocuments# prob%ems# or quotes ma" a%so be use!. (. Group Group stu!ents into teams o three to i&e stu!ents# !epen!in$ on the si)e o the c%ass. Each $roup shou%! start at a !ierent station. *. +e$in At their irst station# $roups wi%% rea! what is poste! an! one recor!er shou%! wri te the $roup,s responses# thou$hts# an! comments on the chart paper or white boar!. -or in!i&i!ua% stu!ent accountab%i%it"# "ou ma" a%so ha&e the stu!ents recor! their own responses on a worsheet /see temp%ate be%ow0# or put their initia%s be%ow what the" wrote. Ha&in$ !ierent co%ore! marers or each stu!ent is a%so an option. . Rotate Ater three to i&e minutes# ha&e the $roups rotate to the next station. 2tu!ents rea! an! !iscuss the pre&ious $roup,s response an! a!! content o their own. Repeat unti% a%% $roups ha&e &isite! each station. 3o in&o%&e a%% $roup members# "ou can ha&e $roups switch recor!ers at each station. 4. 5onitor As the teacher# it is important to monitor the stations whi%e the stu!ents paricipate. You ma" a%so nee! to c%ari" or pro&i!e hints i stu!ents !on6t un!erstan! or misinterpret what is poste! at their station. 7. Re%ect
Ha&e stu!ents $o bac to their irst station to rea! a%% that was a!!e! to their irst response. +rin$ the c%ass bac to$ether to !iscuss what was %earne! an! mae ina% conc%usions about what the" saw an! !iscusse!.
When to Use
Use a Ga%%er" Wa% at an" point in the %esson to en$a$e stu!ents in con&ersation8 9 Ater rea!in$ a stor" to !iscuss i!eas# themes# an! characters 9 Ater comp%etin$ a %ab to !iscuss in!in$s an! imp%ications 9 3o examine historica% !ocuments or ima$es 9 +eore intro!ucin$ a new topic to !etermine stu!ents, prior now%e!$e 9 Ater stu!ents ha&e create! a poster or an" other t"pe o !isp%a" pro:ect# or e&en beore the" submit it or a $ra!e# use ' Lie# ' Won!er# ;ext 2teps /see be%ow0 9 3o so%&e a math prob%em usin$ U<2= 9 3o $enerate i!eas or pre>writes
?ariations Graiti 3he items poste! aroun! the room !o not ha&e to be questions# but can be i!eas or concepts or e&en math prob%ems. Lar$e sheets o paper or chart paper are p%ace! on the wa%%s o the c%assroom. 2tu!ents write their responses# !raw pictures an! recor! their thou$hts on the $i&en topic on the $raiti wa%%. 2tu!ents are encoura$e! to use co%ore! marers to mae the wa%% interestin$ an! to i!enti" each stu!ent,s wor@response. ' Lie# ' Won!er# ;ext 2teps Use a Ga%%er" Wa% ormat or stu!ents to $et ee!bac on their wor. Han$ stu!ent pro!ucts# such as !rawin$s# &isua% representations# poster pro:ects# etc. 2tu!ents# in!i&i!ua%%" or in $roups# rotate aroun! the room an! pro&i!e ee!bac to the creator
o the wor. 2tu!ents are require! to recor! one thin$ the" %ie about the wor !isp%a"e!# one thin$ the" won!er about it# an! one thin$ the creator cou%! !o next or impro&e. 3his can be !one beore wor is submitte! to the teacher so that stu!ents ma" use their c%assmates, ee!bac to impro&e their pro!ucts. 2tu!ents can write ee!bac on chart paper poste! b" each wor# or the" can use three !ierent co%ore! stic" notes /one or each cate$or"0 to write their ee!bac an! stic it !irect%" onto the stu!ent pro!uct or instant ee!bac. -or K comp%ete this Ga%%er" Wa% in shits. 2tu!ents shou%! stan! b" their wor whi%e $a%%er" wa%ersB ora%%" te%% the stu!ent one or two o the require! comments about their pro!uct. epen!in$ on the number o stu!ents# "ou mi$ht ha&e our or i&e shitsB so that each stu!ent can hear rom e&er"one in their c%ass. 't mi$ht be easier to !o one shit per !a" or an entire wee to accomp%ish this tas /be$innin$ with stu!ents who nee! the most he%p with their pro!uct or are s%ow worers.0 Ga%%er" Run 3his is a quicer &ersion o a Ga%%er" Wa%. 3he questions poste! at each station are %ower %e&e% questions in&o%&in$ now%e!$e or comprehension. 2tu!ents !on6t nee! to spen! as much time !iscussin$ questions at each station# so the" rotate them throu$h at a quicer rate. You can post man" more than 7 questions so stu!ents $et much more practice.
ow would you rephrase or summariKe what has been discussed so far:L 9.LWhat is your group doing now and where do you feel the discussion will progress: L ;.LWhat similarities and differences do you see between the responses you are giving at this station and what was summariKed at the last station:L 4.L7our group seems to think...about this issue. Why do you say about that:L
@.L>ow would you explain this issue to someone who has little or no background with this material:L 5.'ook at a particular response, either from the current group or a previous group, LThis group said....is this correct:
enerate Muestions thumbnail of stepNbyNstep Ninstructions O Think of four to five uestions to use around a central class concept. )ee >igher Drder Thinking and #loomJs Taxonomy and 0xamples of allery Walk for guidance on writing appropriate uestions. )tudent teams in a allery Walk typically number three to five. )o, for a class of twenty write four to five uestions. Por larger classes either write more uestions or repeat the same set of four to five uestions, posting the same uestion set in different sections of the class. 9. Write Muestions
thumbnail of postNit image)ource! )taples O #efore class time, write the allery Walk uestions on large sheets of self adhering chart, postit paper, self supporting flip charts, whiteboards *;4L x 94L+, or simply write uestions on pieces of normal loose leaf paper. An advantage of whiteboards is that the boards can be used over and over again. Write one uestion for one sheet of paper. ;. ost Muestions O ost the uestions on the wall around the class, giving sufficient separation space between sheets. Alternatively, uestions can be placed on desks dispersed throughout the class. 4. repare )tudents O The first time allery Walk is used, give students instructions for carrying out the techniue. )ee the reparing )tudents section. &f the allery Walk has formal oral and written evaluation, mention the important components of that evaluation. )ee Assessing allery Walk for a variety of assessment rubrics. @. roup )tudents and Assign 1oles O Arrange students into teams of three to five. rovide each group with a different colored marker, pen, or crayon. Ask that each group member introduce themselves. &f cooperative learning techniues will be used, assign roles like leader, reporter, monitor, and recorder. The role should be alternated between each team member. To add even more cooperative group structure, add an LemissaryL function to each group. The LemissaryL communicates any uestions or problems to the instructor. This added role forces group members to channel their discussion through another member of the group. 5.#egin allery Walk
thumbnail of allery Walk direction O 2irect teams to different charts or Lstations.L Upon arriving at the station, each team writes comments for the uestion posed at the station. To avoid chart clutter and rambling comments, encourage the recorder to write in a pithy bulleted format closest to the top of the chart. 6.1otate to (ew )tation and Add 3ontent O After a short period of time, say three to five minutes but the exact time will depend upon the nature of the uestion, say Lrotate.L The group then rotates, clockwise, to the next station. At the new station the group adds new comments and responds to comments left by the previous group. To involve all group members, switch recorders at each station. E. &nstructor onitors rogress O As groups rotate, the instructor nurtures student discussion and involves all group members. #e ready to a+ rephrase uestions or to provide hints if students either donJt understand or misinterpret uestionsC be ready to provide instructions for those that still donJt understand how to conduct a allery Walk.
To spur discussion, ask uestions like L7our group seems to think ..... about this issue. >ow would you rephrase or summariKe what has been discussed so far:L or LWhat similarities and differences do you see between the responses you are giving at this station and what was summariKed at the last station:L Por a more complete list of uestioning strategies, see the L&nformal 0valuationL section of Assessing allery Walk. Dn a personal level! encourage developing ideas and praise insight. 3ouch criticism constructively. G. 1eturn to )tarting oint O Teams continue to review the answers already contributed by previous groups, adding their own comments. This procedure continues until groups have visited all stations and return to the station at which they started. &nstruct students to record their original *starting+ uestion and to sit down in their teams to begin the L1eport DutL stage. 8H. 1eport Dut O &n the L1eport DutL stage, the group synthesiKes what has been written about their original discussion uestion. Allow about ten minutes for the group to synthesiKe comments. The LreporterL chosen earlier, summariKes the groupJs comments with the help of other group members and makes an oral presentation to the class using the blackboard or on an overhead pro%ector. The oral report should not exceed five minutes in length. Alternatively, students can write a written report composed either individually or as a group. 88. auge for )tudent Understanding O 2uring L1eport DutL stage, the instructor reinforces correctly expressed concepts and corrects for misconceptions and errors. What, for
example, did students seem to readily understand: What did they find difficult and how can & ad%ust my teaching to accommodate students:
