SOLO Noughts and crosses
Noughts and crosses is an learning activity that can be used for a particular text or combination of texts. It can be completed independently, in pairs or as a class activity. Prepare a noughts and crosses grid where each cell represents an element used in making meaning. An example nine cell grid is shown below.
| situation/settings | purpose | audience |
| structure and organisation | theme | language features |
| point of view | characters | events |
Students or student teams make SOLO coded questions for each cell, covering:-
- multistructural questions for bringing in ideas,
- relational questions for linking ideas
- extended abstract questions for looking at ideas in a new way
You may choose to play the game with questions from only one SOLO level (e.g. a relational grid) or with questions from across all levels of SOLO (a mixed level grid).
When students are playing noughts and crosses in teams, the teacher asks the first question and the team that answers correctly becomes the "crosses" team and chooses a cell. The opposing team (the "noughts") asks a randomly selected question from this cell. If the "crosses" team answers correctly , it marks the cell with a cross (X). The teams take turns in asking questions in this way until one team creates a horizontal vertical or diagonal line of noughts or crosses.
Refer McNeill and Hook 2012 SOLO Taxonomy and Making Meaning Bk3 Extended texts and thematic studies p8
