ideas



**One Minute Essay** – Students write for one minute on a specific question, which might be generalized to “What is the big point you learned in class today?” and “What is the main unanswered question you leave class with today?”

**Annotated Portfolio** – Student gives teachers a limited sample of work accomplished during a unit of study with an explanation of the work in relation to the course content and goals. (Self-reflection & self-assessment)

**Problem Recognition/Principle/Documented Solutions** – - 1st Give case studies with different types of problems and ask students to identify the TYPE of problem - 2nd After recognizing the problem, students assess what principle to apply in order to solve it. Helps focus on TYPES rather than individual specific problems. (List out the principles for students) - 3rd Keep track of the steps needed to solve problem TYPES. Model a list for students first and then ask them to perform similar steps.

**Mix-Music-Meet** – A review tactic where the student writes down all they know about the day’s topic. Teacher starts music. Students move around room. Music stops. Students get a partner. Pairs share lists and add something to the other person’s list. Continue 4 or 5 times.

**Punctuated lecture** – 5 steps: listen, stop, reflect, write, give feedback. Helps students become self-monitoring listeners.

**Recall, Summarize, Question, Connect, and Comment** – This method of starting each session has 5 steps to reinforce the previous session’s materials: recall it, summarize it, phrase remaining questions, connect it to course as a whole (Big Ideas & Essential Questions), and comment on that class session.

**Drawing for Understanding** – Students illustrate an abstract concept or idea. Compare drawings around the room to clear up misconceptions

**Impromptu Speeches** – Students generate key words or phrases, drop them into a hat, and choose presenters to speak for 30 seconds on a topic.

**Using Pictures** – Show picture and ask students to write about it using terms from lecture, or to discuss the processes and concepts shown.

**Student Storytelling** – Use a given concept in relation to something that seems personally relevant. Or student can make the topic into an analogy and tell story.

**Total Physical Response** – Students either stand or sit to indicate their binary answer, such as True/False, to the teacher’s questions.

**Red Card / Green Card** – Students hold up green card when they are understanding, red card when they are not. Can be prompted by teacher or initiated by student.

**White Board Response** – Students have a 1’x1’ white board on which they write responses and share

**Timed Pair Share** – Teacher announces a topic and states how long each student will have to share. Provide think time first. In pairs, Partner A shares; partner B listens. Then reciprocate.

**Group Experts** – Give each group a different topic. Remix groups with one planted “expert” on each topic, who now has to teach his new group. (Consider assigning students to groups based on weaknesses)

**Role-Playing/Charades** – Assign roles for a concept, students research their parts and act out in class or in small groups. Observers critiques and ask questions.

**Definitions and Application** – in small groups, students provide definitions, associations, and applications of concepts discussed in lecture

**Line Drill** – students make flash cards; word on one side, visual on other (could do a definition too). Divide class in half; line up facing each other. Use a timer, when timer goes off, move (right line move/left stay still). Teach word to person in opposite line. Come back in class and use graphic organizer to show understanding.

**Four Corners** – Post a different topic in each corner of the room and ask students to pick one, write down their ideas about it, then head to “their” corner to discuss opinions with others who also chose this topic.

**Think Break** – Ask a rhetorical question and then allow 30 seconds for students to think about it before you go on to explain. This technique encourages students to take part in the problem-solving process even when discussion isn’t feasible. Having students write something (while you write an answer also) helps assure that they will in fact work on the problem.

**Imaginary Show & Tell** – Students pretend they have brought an object relevant to current discussion, and “display” it to the class (or in small group) while talking about its properties.

**Pictionary** – Teacher or students create cards with a word, phrase, or concept. Cards are shuffled, stacked, and placed face down. In small groups, student #1 picks the top card, reads it to self, and on the opposite side or another paper the student sketches a visual to communicate the content.

**Word of the Day** – Select an important term and highlight it throughout the class session, working it into as many concepts as possible.

**Questions as Homework** – Students write questions before class session: “What I really wanted to know about but was afraid to ask. . .”

**Pair/Group Decided Question** – Stop class, group students, ask them to take 2 minutes to decide on one question they think is crucial for you to answer right now. **Find the Fiction** – Students write three statements about the topic: 2 true, 1 false. Group students. One student reads his/her statement to the other. Without consulting the others, each student writes down, his/her best guess as to which statement is false. Students “round-robin” and defend their best guess (teacher may or may not ask groups to attempt to reach consensus). Individuals announce their guess. The student who reads the statement announces the false statement.

**Ticket In / Ticket Out or 3-2-1** – Teacher makes tickets on1/2 or 1/3 sheets of paper on which is a question or prompt. Greater focus might come from the student stating, “3 important concepts/ideas I learned, 2 items I am solid with, and 1 question I still have”.