Up close, a painting like Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884- 1886) looks like nothing but dots. As you step back a beautiful picture emerges. There are many data points to connect in AP Government and an Affinity Diagram Review will have your students up and moving their bodies and brains as they turn those dots into a meaningful picture. 

Purpose:

Affinity Diagram Review allows students to organize large groups of information into meaningful categories, revealing new patterns, and generating more connective and creative ways of thinking. 

Materials:

3x3” Post-it notes (1 or 2 per student)

Chart paper or large wall

Procedure:

1. State the issue to be examined in broad terms, such as an open-ended question or statement.

Money in American politics  or  How does money impact politics in the U.S.?

2. Students can either work individually or in pairs. Generate and record ideas using Post-it notes. Begin sticking them on a wall or large sheet of chart paper, in no particular order, and where everyone can see them. Ensure that everyone is included. Note the contributor’s initials.

• Money in America has a huge impact on elections. $billions every election. 

• Money in elections is overseen by the FEC

• Money in politics increased after the ruling of Citizens United

• The most expensive presidential election ever was in 2020

• The candidate who outspends their rival usually wins

• Most campaign money is spent on advertisements on television, internet, radio, and print

3. Arrange the notes in related or similar groupings. Complete the groupings. This can be done by simply pulling up and replacing the post-its near others that are similar in nature. Involve the group in clustering the notes into 6-10 related groupings. Have everyone stand and do this silently. Be prepared for some loners. Avoid forcing them into a group. Some notes may need to be duplicated for different groupings and identical notes can either be thrown out or pasted on top of one another.

4. Choose a word or phrase that captures the intent of each group and place it at the top as a category name or title on the newsprint.

• Campaigns

• Effects

• Government

5. Give each learner two dot stickies and ask them to vote on the categories they would most want the class to review together. Use these categories as guides to your further review.

6. Have volunteers rearrange the Post-it notes into different affinity groupings

7. Ask students to write then share what they learned from the experience. 

8. Have students write about the topic or answer the question in writing.

Money in American politics  or  How does money impact politics in the U.S.?

9. Try again with other topics:

• Democracy in America

• Federalism in the U.S.

• Voting in America

• The Bill of Rights

• The U.S. Constitution

• Congress

10. What topics would you like to review with an affinity diagram?