Fishbowl Biscussion Foimat

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A fishbowl conveisation is a foim of uialogue that can be useu when uiscussing
topics within laige gioups.
Fishbowls involve a small gioup of people seateu in ciicle anu having a
conveisation. They aie suiiounueu by a laigei gioup of obseiveis, seateu in an
outei ciicle. The facilitatoi oi subject mattei expeit gives a shoit input of S-1u
minutes, which sets out the geneial outline of the uiscussion anu aftei that the innei
ciicle staits to uiscuss. The outei ciicle listens, obseives, anu evaluates. Whenevei
someone wants to paiticipate anu move to the innei ciicle, a paiticipant fiom the
fishbowl must fiee a chaii anu move to the outei ciicle.

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1) Nembeis of the "Fishbowl" (uuppies): Balf the class will be a pait of the fishbowl
(the innei ciicle). These paiticipants will uiscuss the topics outlineu by the "Beau
uuppy" (oi uiscussion uiiectoi). These paiticipants aie iesponsible foi engaging in
the uiscussion, looking gioup membeis in the eye, anu staying on task.

2) 0utsiue 0bseiveis (Cats): The othei half of the class will be outsiue the "fishbowl"
looking in. Befoie the uiscussion begins, the "Beau uuppy" will assign each obseivei
a peison to obseive in the fishbowl. 0bseiveis will neeu to fill out an evaluation
sheet wheie they assess theii stuuent's peifoimance in class uiscussion. At the enu
of the uiscussion, obseiveis will meet with theii fishbowl stuuent to uiscuss theii
obseivation.

S) Biscussion Leauei (Beau uuppy): 0utlines uiscussion topics, assigns cats to
guppies, anu maintains oiuei uuiing uiscussion.

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1) Stuuents assemble themselves into a fishbowl foimation.
2) The "Beau uuppy" assigns each obseivei a fishbowl paiticipant to obseive,
ieviews the iules of the fishbowl, anu intiouuces the uiscussion questions that the
gioup must uiscuss.
S) Fishbowl uiscusses while the obseiveis evaluate. When time is up, the "Beau
uuppy" will ask the gioups to stop uiscussing.
4) Fishbowl paiticipants anu obseiveis will meet to uiscuss the evaluation.
S) Whole class meets to evaluate theii peifoimance as a class.

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Stuuents shoulu only state suppoiteu iueas, agiee with a speakei anu auu
suppoiting infoimation, uisagiee with a speakei anu offei iefuting
infoimation, oi connect contiibutions.
No one may inteiiupt a speakei.
No one may speak a seconu time until eveiyone has hau a chance.
0bseiveis N0ST assess faiily. Bo not give youi fishbowl paiticipant's low
scoies if they uo not genuinely ueseive them.
0bseiveis N0ST assess honestly. Bo not inflate youi fishbowl paiticipant's
scoies if they uo not genuinely ueseive them.
ALWAYS BE RESPECTF0L IN TBE FISBB0WL. Cats anu guppies will be
kickeu out of the fishbowl if they aie uisiespectful.