Creating Decision Trees Using Whiteboard Painted Walls

Teachers can easily apply decision trees as instructional tools in classrooms containing whiteboard painted walls. Decision trees are graphic diagrams drawn in a branching format that divide difficult choices and their potential outcomes into simple, sequential, easy-to-follow stages. In this way, they function like the human brain. In computer science, decision trees are widely applied as aids in data analysis and decision-making.

Decision tree graphics are easy to visualize and interpret and are often used during business meeting presentations. They are also adaptable for use on middle or high school classroom whiteboard walls. There they can be related to any subject area or learning task. These might include solving math problems, analyzing literary texts, or categorizing types of chemical reactions.

Traditionally, decision trees are produced by hand, so the vast surfaces of walls coated with whiteboard paint are perfect for generating large trees with many nodes and branches. In this article, we will go over how middle school and high school teachers can apply decision trees as instructional tools in the classroom.

Materials Needed

• Whiteboard painted walls
• Multiple sets of low-odor dry-erase markers in various colors
• Microfiber cloths for erasing
• Printed pre-determined scenarios or problems on which to base the decision trees (optional)
• Printed group homework assignments (optional)

Lesson Plan

Below is a plan for a 50-60-minute lesson during which students will collaborate in groups to create decision trees on whiteboard painted walls. The object of the lesson is to visually represent different outcomes based on a series of decisions or actions related to a specific question or topic of study. Before asking students to create their decision trees, do the following preparation:

1. Discuss how decision trees can be helpful in making choices, analyzing problems, or planning a course of action.
2. Create a sample decision tree on your classroom’s main whiteboard painted wall.

In this part of the lesson, you can demonstrate the structure of a decision tree by posting a central question inside a square to provide the tree’s primary node. Then, draw lines coming out from the square to represent various options, such as choosing a career path or solving a problem in science class.

Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Introduce the Activity

• Tell students that they’ll be working in small groups to create their own decision trees on the classroom’s whiteboard painted walls.
• Discuss several scenarios or problems that students can use to map out different choices and potential outcomes in their decision trees.

2. Grouping and Assigning Scenarios (5 minutes)

Form Groups

• Divide students into groups of three to five based on the size of the class. Assign each group to a designated section of the whiteboard painted wall, or provide individual boards coated with whiteboard paint for each group to use.

Distribute Scenarios

• Give each group one of the previously discussed scenarios or problems to work on. Depending on the subject, the scenario could be something like one of the following:
  • Language Arts: A novel character must make a tough choice between two courses of action.
  • Social Studies: A historical figure needs to decide between two political alliances.
  • Science: A scientist has to choose between different experiment methods.
  • Math: A business person needs to make a decision on the best financial investment option based upon various economic factors.

3. Creating Decision Trees (20-25 minutes)

Group Work:

• Ask each group to use their section of the whiteboard wall to create a decision tree that includes these components:
• A central main node represented by a square, which branches off into possible outcomes, each leading to additional nodes that branch off into other possibilities. Carrying out this procedure results in a tree-shaped diagram.
• Other types of nodes for students to create: 
  1. Chance nodes – These show the probabilities of specific indefinite outcomes; represented by circles.
  2. Decision nodes – These indicate decisions to be made; represented by squares.
  3. End nodes – These indicate outcomes represented by equilateral triangles.

In creating their decision trees, students should carry out these steps:

1. Post the main decision or problem: Begin by drawing a box at the top or center of their section of the whiteboard painted wall containing the main decision that needs to be made.
2. Create branches: Draw lines out from the box showing the different choices or actions that could be taken.
3. Create outcomes: For each choice, draw branches that represent the possible consequences or next steps to be taken.
4. Create final outcomes: The end branches should represent the final outcomes or solutions decided upon, preferably showing both positive and negative results.

While creating their decision trees, encourage students to think critically about the consequences of each decision they come up with. Ask them to use different colored markers to distinguish between various types of decisions or outcomes.

Teacher Support

• Move among the groups, answering questions and guiding the students’ thought processes. Encourage them to think about as many “what if” scenarios as possible to make sure that all decisions are thoroughly explored.

4. Presentation of Decision Trees (10-15 minutes)

Group Presentations

• Once all of the groups have completed their decision trees, have them come to the front of the room individually to present their decision trees to the rest of the class. During the presentations, the groups should do the following:
  • Explain the initial problem or decision they were dealing with and the choices they considered.
  • Walk through each branch of their decision tree while explaining the possible outcomes.
  • Ask the other class members if they have questions or need clarification.

Class Discussion

• After each group presents its decision tree, encourage the whole class to ask further questions or offer alternative branches that could have been explored on the trees.

5. Reflection and Debriefing (5-10 minutes)

Class Reflection

• Lead another class discussion on these questions:
  • How did creating a decision tree help you to understand the decision-making process?
  • Did any unexpected outcomes or answers emerge when you were mapping out your trees?
  • How could decision trees be valuable in real-life situations (or in understanding the subject you’re studying at the time)?

Debrief the Learning:

• Connect the activity back to the larger lesson or unit you are currently covering in class. Discuss how decision trees can help with critical thinking, solving problems, and visualizing complex processes.

6. Optional Homework or Extension

Individual Decision Trees

• As a homework assignment or an in-class extension, assign your students the task of creating individual decision trees. These could be about a personal decision they are facing in their lives or about a topic related to a unit being studied.

Digital Versions

• Ask students to take pictures of their decision trees with their cell phones. Then, if available, students can recreate or expand on their trees using digital tools such as Lucidchart or Google Drawings.

7. Assessment

Formative

• During the activity, observe how the members of the different groups participate, and make sure all of the students contribute equally to creating their decision trees.

Summative

• Evaluate students’ finished decision trees based on completeness, logical structure, depth of thought in exploring various outcomes, and clarity of presentation.

8. Differentiation

For Struggling Students

• Provide additional assistance, such as step-by-step examples or simplified scenarios that they can easily grasp.

For Advanced Students:

• Challenge them to create more complex decision trees with multiple levels of decisions or with branches showing different possible outcomes.

Conclusion:

Decision trees are powerful tools for middle school and high school teachers to use in supervised learning situations. They can be extremely effective in teaching students how to solve a wide range of problems. And the vast canvases of whiteboard painted walls are ideal surfaces for producing them in the classroom.

Summary

Article Name

Creating Decision Trees Using Whiteboard Painted Walls

Description

Use whiteboard painted walls to create interactive decision trees in classrooms, enhancing student engagement and visual learning.

Author

Susan Anspach

Publisher Name

ReMARKable Whiteboard Paint

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