Cops and robbers - What do you know about mountains?

The 'Cops and Robbers' activity is an engaging educational game designed to encourage collaborative learning among pupils, specifically focusing on their knowledge about mountains. In this activity, pupils are grouped into teams of four and are given the task to recall and share information about mountains. Initially, each pupil has two minutes to jot down everything they can remember about mountains in the 'Own recalled knowledge' column of a provided table.

Following this individual recall phase, each pupil is given 60 seconds to review the notes of their peers. During this time, they're on the lookout for any new information that they didn't originally note down themselves – effectively 'stealing' knowledge from the others. Once they have gathered this new information, they add it to the 'Stolen knowledge' section of their table. The pupils are incentivized to participate actively, as they receive two points for each piece of newly acquired information. This interactive exercise not only helps students consolidate their understanding of how mountains are formed but also covers related geological phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes. The entire activity is designed to be completed in about 15 minutes, making it a concise and effective learning tool.