Simple instructional strategies that incorporate digital media in meaningful, effective, and practical ways.

WOULD YOU RATHER?

Students need to be able to understand the points and counterpoints of
arguments to be able to produce effective persuasive writing. In this strategy,
based on the popular game Would You Rather?, students will place themselves
in the shoes of historical figures and the events they experienced. Students will
use critical thinking and justify their opinions with evidence from the media and
resources available.

Materials: a variety of digital media about the historical figure or event, a teacher-
created Would You Rather? question relating to the topic of study, paper, writing
utensils

1.  Prior to the lesson, create a Would You Rather? question relating to the unit of
study.
2.  Explain to students that they’ll be examining resources about your topic to
determine which situation they would rather face.
3.  Share the Would You Rather? question with the class and provide students a
My Content folder, with preselected digital media files, or Content Collections
about the topic.
4.  Allow students time to examine the resources you provide or conduct their own
research.
5.  Encourage students to take notes in a journal or by using graphic organizers,
as they will need to justify their responses with evidence from their research.
6.  Provide five minutes for students to work in pairs or small groups to share their
responses.
7.  Have students take the opposite opinion and argue the counterpoint.
8.  As a whole class, ask for volunteers to share their answers and focus on
recognizing students who support their answers with evidence.

Access more of these strategies at links.DiscoveryEducation.com/sos

Simple instructional strategies that incorporate digital media in meaningful, effective, and practical ways.

Sample Questions

Would you rather…  

 
Be President Kennedy during the Cuban
Missile Crisis or President Nixon during
Watergate?  
 
Be an arctic fox or a polar bear in the
winter?  
 
Be Christopher Columbus exploring the
New World or Marco Polo exploring the Silk
Road?  
 
Have 5 x 11 jelly beans or 8 x 7 jelly beans?  
 
Be George Washington leading the
Continental Army or King George of Britain
during the Revolutionary War?

Asking students to examine a situation from the perspective of the person

experiencing the event is an effective way to encourage creative and critical
thinking, as students build awareness of the details that create the whole
picture. This strategy also allows students to communicate their opinions and
develop valid arguments based on evidence.

•  Use this as review at the end of a unit of study. Ask a Would You Rather?
question and take instant answers based on what the students already know.
This will help all students to review what they have learned.
•  Have students create their own Would You Rather? questions.

Access more of these strategies at links.DiscoveryEducation.com/sos