A basic activity that cooperative groups can work on is a word problem, which allows multiple students to take on a role in finding the final product. The teacher creates a problem that has multiple steps and requires students to take on varying responsibilities to solve the problem. For example, students may be asked to calculate the volume of a variety of classroom objects (See Reference 1). In a group, one student may be in charge of measuring and recording the dimensions of each object. Another student may be in charge of determining the appropriate equation for each object, and yet another student would solve the problems.
Group work can also include competition between groups (See Reference 2) to practice skills with linear equations, which is a focus of eighth grade math (See Reference 1). For example, the teacher writes an equation on the board and each group works to solve the problem. The group that calculates the correct answer the fastest wins the round of the competition. Small prizes, such as candy or points toward a class assignment, are incentives to participating in the group work.
A cooperative learning strategy that involves pairs instead of larger groups is often referred to as "think-pair-share." This activity type begins with individual work on a problem, such as calculating the missing side of a triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem--another topic in eighth grade math (See Reference 1). Once the individual student finds an answer, he is paired up with a classmate to compare work. The pair works to reach a consensus on an answer. Then, the teacher checks with the groups to ensure that all students understand the concept (See Reference 3, p. 3).
Group projects may also focus on investigation or researching a math principle to gain a more in-depth understanding of a topic. For example, students may research the properties of parallel lines and transversals (See Reference 1). Through researching in textbooks or via online resources, students can compile a list of the types of angles created by parallel lines with transversals and a list of rules for finding the measure of each angle. Once the groups complete their research, they can present their findings to the rest of the class.