Life is a Journey

Running Head: CUBING1Cubing 3

CubingAndrew SmithEDU 382Instructor WallAugust 5, 2013

CubingCubing is a technique used to enable students to look at something from multiple perspectives. In cubing, as with cubes, there are six sides, which is where we get the name. Each of these sides looks at the learning through a different perspective, which allows the teacher to assess the learning in a more meaningful and complete way. This also helps students to organize their thinking and see where they may need further explanation and guidance. In the video, the instructor used the cubing activity in a creative writing unit in order to help her students build high-level thinking skills (Cubing). This technique is a great tool to use when students are locked into a particular way of thinking, (Gregory & Chapman, 2013, P. 142, Par. 4). It can be used in a variety of different subjects, and has a number of benefits. It is a simple way to differentiate, while still instructing each student on the same topic or skill. Each cube may contain the same commands, but the tasks on the cubes will be different according to the needs of the various groups, (Lazzaro, 2009, Section 4, Par. 4).Cubing taps into different intelligences by providing alternate perspectives, and by asking the students to think in different ways. The different sides of the cube each look at the information in different ways; these are through recall, understanding, application, analysis, evaluation, and creation. With each of these sides, different types of questions are asked so that students will think about the information in different ways, and how they can manipulate the information. Each of the different sides focuses on different intelligences, so that verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, interpersonal, bodily/kinesthetic, and intrapersonal processes are all used, and the students can learn with their strengths and strengthen their weaker abilities (Cubing with multiple intelligence, n.d.).Cubing is a versatile strategy, which allows you to plan different activities for different students or groups of students based on student readiness, learning style, and/or interests, (Differentiated instructional strategy: Cubing, n.d., P. 1, Par. 1). Instructors can use multiple cubes, each designed for different levels of readiness, so that these cubes can use the zone of proximal development, meaning that the work is not too easy, but also not too hard, it is just out of their level of understanding so it is attainable but with some help or research. The types of questions on the cube are another form of differentiation. There can be multiple questions on each side, each targeting the same intelligence (verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, etc.), but focusing on different areas of interest. For instance, in a unit on plate tectonics, the questions could be related to volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, or many other aspects, and would allow students to focus on their interests in their learning.There are many ways a teacher can assess the readiness level of their students for cubing activities. Many of them are the same ways they assess readiness levels for alternate assignments and learning. This is important, because teachers can design multiple cubes, based on readiness levels. Teachers must assess each of the areas that will be covered, the information and the ability to manipulate the information. They should also assess their learning styles and preferences (verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, etc.) to check their abilities in those areas. Assessments like written pre-tests, other assessment tools such as squaring off, boxing, and graffiti fact boards will be able to identify previous knowledge and allow the teacher to figure out the student readiness levels. Because many students will be at different readiness levels, using multiple cubes can be very beneficial.Cubes can be used for a variety of different units to help inspire and reach different levels and types of thinking. Each side uses a different type of question that encourages students to think about a topic from multiple perspectives, leading to a more complete understanding of a topic. As students answer the questions and complete the activity on the cubes, they gain a deeper understanding of the material. The textbook offers suggestions on how to use these cubes and things that should be kept in mind when designing a cubing activity. Teachers should: keep the goals of the lesson in mind when writing questions; create material, questions, and experiences for varying levels of readiness, learning preferences, and using the multiple intelligences; create clear and easy to understand questions and activities. If teachers are using multiple cubes, students should be arranged so that they work together with their readiness level, and can help each other (Gregory & Chapman, 2013).Example of completed cube for The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein:REMEMBER Recall the number of times the boy went back to the tree and why.The boy went back to the tree four times, the first for money (apples), the second for a house (branches), the third for a boat (trunk), and the last for a place to sit.UNDERSTAND Who was the key character of the story?I believe the main character of the story is the tree. This is because the title is The Giving Tree, and tree seemed to be the important part of the story.APPLY What is another instance of selfless giving, which is what the tree is doing in the story.You can also see this type of giving in families, and especially parents. Parents try to do their best to provide for their children, which the tree is doing throughout the story.

ANALYZE What is the relationship between the tree and the boy?Their relationship is like that of a mother and child. The tree keeps giving to the boy without anything in return, but making the boy happy is what makes the tree happy.EVALUATE In your opinion, do you think the boy should have taken so much from the tree?I think the boy should have taken only what he really needed for the tree, or at least use a less harmful way that allowed the tree to stay the way it was.CREATE Propose a method the boy could have used to gain the things he was looking for without destroying the tree.The boy could have planted more trees, that way he would only have to take a little from each to get what he needed.

(The giving tree, n.d.).

ReferencesCubing[Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/activity/cubingCubing with multiple intelligence. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2013, fromhttp://cicobb.typepad.com/strategies/2008/11/cubing-with-mul.html Differentiated instructional strategy: Cubing. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2013, fromhttp://www.duvalschools.org/newteachers/DI%20Strategies/DI%202012/Cube.pdf Gregory, G. & Chapman, C. (2013). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesnt fitall (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Ltd./Corwin Press.Lazzaro, T. (2009, July 7). Cubing. Retrieved fromhttp://2differentiate.pbworks.com/w/page/860043/Cubing The giving tree. (n.d.). Retrieved August 5, 2013, from http://the-giving-tree.info/