New materials, manipulatives, books, globes and much more are fun to share with students. So, save yourself time and frustration and spend your first minutes with free exploration. Let the students investigate the materials on their own for several minutes before you try to use them. Why?
Curiosity. Until student time for exploration is allowed, your intended use will be thwarted because they will explore the materials rather than listen to your lesson. Think of yourself, taking on a new craft or activity. It’s important to allow time to investigate the materials before you use them in earnest. More so with your students.
How should I proceed?
1. Demo their use so students will know the proper way to handle the item(s).
2. Share ideas about proper care, sharing with a partner and any other details such as how the cubes link or how the book is organized, or, with globes, how to turn them properly.
3. Let students explore those linking cubes, look at globes, thumb through books, try out new media for 5-10 minutes. Encourage them to share their findings so other students can explore ideas they may not have discovered yet. This time creates an excited buzz.
4. NOW, you can start using the materials for your intended project. In many instances, you will need to repeat your exploration time followed by an all-class discussion about the care and handling of the materials. This may also reveal ‘new’ uses for the materials thereby extending their usefulness in the classroom.