SQ2 Using The Jigsaw Method

Overview

This activity is an adaptation of The Jigsaw Classroom (Social Psychology Network, 2025) learning technique described on Dr. Elliot Aronson’s website about his methods http//www.jigsaw.org/. This variation takes a holistic approach to learning about AbenakiHistorically, this name was used by the French to refer to many different Indigenous communities in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. During the colonial wars, some New England Indians moved to southern Canada as war refugees. They were joined by refugees from other tribes and together became known as Abenaki. (Calloway, 1994) lifewaysThe customary foods, clothing, shelters, and arts of a people.  and honors Abenaki culture bearers, their ways of knowing, and their values. 

If you are familiar with the Jigsaw Classroom, you may notice that some terms have been changed. We replaced the term “Jigsaw Group” with “Home Group,” and the term “Expert Group” with “Research Group” because students will not become experts by participating in this activity. Research Groups collaborateTo work with one or more other people on a project, sharing ideas, knowledge, and skills to reach a common objective.  on finding out about a topic together. They share their ideas, findings, and perspectives about Abenaki culture. Dr. Aronson’s version of the activity calls on students to “craft a general statement.” In this version of the activity, we ask that students “craft an observational statement,” relying on facts and evidence from research, rather than personal interpretation.

Materials

• materials for note taking and sharing (journal, flip chart paper, whiteboard, sticky notes or index cards)
• markers
• timer

Worksheet

There are no worksheets needed for this activity.

Resources

Resources about Abenaki lifeways (books, articles, posters, online materials) can be found in the Resource Bank section of this curriculum. This contains both Illustrated Resources by Type and Resources by Subject Areas with Grade Levels. Review the Resources and select those that will be most appropriate for your students.

Guiding the Inquiry

• Use your classroom routines to divide students into four “Home Groups.” 
• Assign at least one student in each “Home Group” to research an Abenaki lifeway, such that the group will research all four (food, clothing, shelterA place or structure that protects people from the weather. , and arts).
• Once the topics are assigned, each “Home Group” student will move into a “Research Group.” All of the students researching food will form the food “Research Group,” students studying shelters will join the shelter “Research Group,” and so forth. 
• Have students use the vetted resources from this curriculum for their research. 
• When the time you allocate for research ends, allow students in each “Research Group” to share their findings and insights. Emphasize the importance of active listening and respectful communication.
• Then have the students return to their “Home Group,” where they will share the knowledge they gained. In this way everyone can contribute to the collective understanding of how Abenaki people have adapted their lifestyles over the years.
• Have each “Home Group” practice making observational statements about how Abenaki people adapted to their environmentAll the physical surroundings on Earth, including everything living and nonliving.  based on their lifeways. Be prepared to redirect the conversation if students describe stereotypes or myths. Students make a written list of the observational Statement so that the class can refer back to it. 
• Conclude the group-sharing phase with a whole-class summary and reflection that helps bring the discussion to meaningful closure.