The students in this classroom have been given a “do now” to work out in their groups. Initially, the students believe they have the correct answer and are done with the task. Upon further reflection and referencing her notes, one student suggests that maybe they haven’t got it right. This is a clear benefit of having a small group discussion: one student with a different thought can lead to all students rethinking.

On the surface, this seems as if it is not the most group- or discussion- worthy task, as they are asked to simply apply the rules of logs. The students could have found the answer and sat silently waiting for the whole class debrief to begin. But working as a group and being prompted to discuss, the conversation goes beyond the current task as students ask their peers what they would do if the log involved exponents. Taking the discussion to this level suggests students feel ownership of their own learning; they are not just doing what they have been told to do.