In a Fishbowl discussion, Students are separated into an inner and outer circle. Students seated inside the “fishbowl” actively participate in a discussion by asking questions and sharing their opinions, while students sitting outside listen carefully to the ideas presented. One student from the outer circle keeps coming in the inner circle to share his/her ideas so that they practice being both contributors and listeners in a group discussion. This strategy is especially useful when you want to make sure all students participate in a discussion, when you want to help students reflect on what a good discussion looks like, and when you need a structure for discussing controversial or difficult topics. A Fishbowl discussion makes for an excellent pre-writing activity, often unearthing questions or ideas that students can explore more deeply in an independent assignment.
Open fish bowl activity was conducted in Science lesson with the students of Class-VI. Home task was given to the students to explore the assigned topic “Renewable and Non-renewable Energy Resources”. Discussion questions of the activity were also shared with the students so they come well prepared to participate actively in the discussion.
Fishbowl activity went really well and it was an engaging and student-centered strategy that built comprehension of complex texts while developing group discussion skills. Research also supports the use of fishbowls as a particularly effective way to engage students with a range of abilities and in multiple settings.
