Creating the Hook and Closure

Recall Cards – Generates memory about any topic, any level.

Who am I / What am I – Game to introduce or review people, places.

Scavenger Hunt – Use clues to get the title of a new book, the title of a new unit, special word.

Make it with playdoh – Students have to make the topic (Solar System – make own planet).

Math Ball – Beach ball with numbers; students pass the ball and follow teacher instructions.

Conversation Starters – Objects on a desk when students walk in; students brainstorm the subject of the new unit based on the objects.

Fun Facts – Facts about a topic that students put in order of coolest to not so cool.

Rhymes / Rap – Use a topic word to come up with sentences that rhyme (Percents are needed in life, especially when shopping with my wife).

Smell / Sounds – Play music related to the topic.

TouchBox – Have a box that students can “feel” around in and then guess what the items have in common.

Alliteration of Names – Students create phrases using alliteration to teach about poetry elements or as a mnemonic device: “Catherine the Compulsive Cleaner.”

Drawing – Students draw a diagram representing the idea to be taught (For a portion unit in math or nutrition, have students draw a plate of food or a whole pizza to be divided into various portions).

Quick Search – Students use the dictionary, an almanac, or the internet to search for answers to three questions about a future topic. (In American history, have students search for three facts about Benjamin Franklin).

True or False – Ask students questions about information to be taught. They can work individually or with a partner and then see who gets the most correct.

Videos - Fun, engaging videos that provoke thought or parody the topic.

Story - Quick, engaging story that leads directly to the material.

Analogy - Using an interesting analogy that connects to students' lives.  For example, I observed a high school history teacher ask students how they knew when their relationship with their boyfriend/girlfriend had ended–the students replied when their status on Facebook changed.  He then compared this to the Declaration of Independence.

Using Props - A candle burning in the classroom to spark a discussion about inductive and deductive reasoning.

Closure is an opportunity for assessment and helps the instructor decide: 1. if additional practice is needed 2. whether you need to re-teach 3. whether you can move on to the next part of the lesson

    1.

Exit Pass

Students give a written answer to a question before leaving.

Math example – work a question from the material covered during the lesson, use as a formative assessment for the following day, sort into piles: got it/ didn’t get it or minor errors / conceptual  errors

 2.

 Whip Around

Students quickly and verbally share one thing they learned. You can have them toss a ball from one to another or just have volunteers. (You have to have a safe, trusting environment – not where kids chose others based on their perception that the student won’t have anything to say.)

 3.

3-2-1

3 things they learned, 2 things they have a question about, 1 thing they want the instructor to know – post-its, index cards, etc.

4. 

Fishbowl

A student writes one question they have about the topic of this lesson. This can be something for which they know the answer or for which they want an answer. Form an inner and outer circle. Share a question with the person in front of you to see if they know the answer, switch who is asking the question, if time allows, rotate to a new partner.

5. 

Pair/Share

Tell the person next to you 2 (3,4,5,…) things you have learned today, then the groups report out. Variation is to have students Think/Write/Pair/ Share

6. 

Gallery Walk

Students create graphic representations of their learning and post them. Students can either share out the posters or move from station to station – writing questions or comments, noting similarities and differences, and reflecting on what they might do differently if they were to repeat the process.

7.

Choose  from the  Daily Dozen

Students choose two questions from a generic list to respond to about the day’s lesson.

8.

Quick Doodles

Doodle/draw two or three concepts presented in the lesson. May include words or numbers.

9.

Credit  Cards

Students are given an index card and required to state the lesson’s objective and if they feel that objective was met. Credit is given for participating.

10.

Commercial

Students write a 1-2  minute commercial to use at home when asked, “What happened in math class today?”