Intelligence type: Mathematical, naturalist, verbal, visual & interpersonal
- Any number of students
How it works:
- This is a tool to analyze and establish a cause and effect relation.
- The tool consists of a main axle, a square connected at the end and a number of branches coming out of the main axle and sub-branches coming out of them.
- The square at the end represents a consequence, a result or an effect.
- The branches are the causes that lead to that effect. The sub-branches are the main ideas or facts that constitute the causes.
- If properly done, at the end you will have a visual that represents the interaction between different variables and an effect derived as a consequence of those variables (cause).
Using this activity in the classroom:
- In my experience, students tend to confuse this activity with a concept map or a web check. Be clear in explaining that this tool is not to relate different ideas to a main subject, but to establish a cause-effect relationship. If necessary use an example.
- Unlike other tools and activities presented in this blog, the wishbone diagram can't be used in any situation. The subject needs to have a clear progression and relationships between variables and results.
- Take your time to explain the subject very well before attempting to draw a fish-bone diagram. Also give students enough time to work on their own. It might take them many attempts to get it right.
- This is a great tool for establishing variables for a research project and to validate research results.
Click image to enlarge
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