THINK-PAIR-SHARE Teaching Strategy

Research shows that the most effective teachers ask an average of 24 questions (at all levels) during a 50-minute period; the least effective asked an average of 8.6 questions.

Think-Pair-Share is a great strategy to incorporate questions into any lesson. Just follow the instructions below:

The teacher will ask a question to the entire class and give at least 3-5 seconds to have the students think about the answer. Then the students share their answers with a partner. The teacher will then randomly call on a few students to share their answers in front of the class. This can be done throughout a lesson to check for understanding. I usually make sure the my students answer in complete sentences using academic language. 

For every unit I post a "Word Wall" so my students have something to refer throughout the lesson. Get a FREE Word Wall HERE!

If you are looking for more engaging teaching strategies click on the HERE!

Happy Teaching!

Fun Games and Review Strategies for the Secondary Classroom

I don't know about you, but I love to play games! I love competition so much that I started a monthly game night in my neighborhood. My favorite day to teach is the day before the test - review day! Are you looking for some new and engaging review games for your secondary classroom? Here are some of my favorites!

1. Bingo: I put a twist on this old-time favorite. I don't  call out the term, but I define the term and the students will have to find the correct answer on their bingo sheet! On the back of the sheet is a list of definitions. Once the term is chosen, the students write the term next to the definition. They can then take the review sheet home to study.

2. The SNAKE Game: This is one of my favorite's! It's also a great way to find out who is prepared for the test and who is not. In a nutshell, the teacher asks a question and the students write their answer on a piece of paper. For those students who do not have the correct answer, they stay seated. If they do have the correct answer they move to the next available seat. The first to pass their seat is the winner! (You can see more detailed directions HERE)

3. Cold Potato: Just like "hot potato" but opposite! Students sit in a large circle. The teacher asks a question.  As the music plays the students rotate a potato, or a kleenex box, or a ball of tape (whatever works). When the teacher stops the music, the student who is holding the "potato" has a chance to answer the question. If they are correct, they get an extra credit point!

Check out more of my "Fun Games and Review Strategies" HERE!

 

Let the games begin!

Numbered Heads Teaching Strategy

Are you looking for a different way to check for understanding from your students? Numbered Heads is a fun and copperative stragegy that makes sure that all students participate. Here are the easy steps:

STEP 1: Have students number off in teams, one through four. If your students are already in teams, assign each student a different number in their team.
STEP 2: Then ask a series of questions, one at a time. It could be review questions, questions to check for prior knowledge, even questions to ask their opinion about something.
STEP 3: Have the students in each group discuss possible answers for about 30 -90 seconds.
STEP 4: Call a number (1-4), and the students with that number either raise their hand or stand up, ready to respond.
STEP 5:  Then randomly call on students with the specified number to answer the on behalf of their group.
STEP 6: Continue to ask questions until the review session is over.

CLICK HERE to see more review strategies.

Happy Teaching!

IDEA WAVE Teaching Strategy

Are you looking for a fun activity to check for understanding? Here is a great teaching strategy the entire class can participate in. Read below for the directions for an IDEA WAVE. 

After students learn about a specific topic each student shares ideas they learned about that topic.

·         A volunteer begins the “idea wave” by sharing one idea.

·         The students to the right of the volunteer shares one idea; the next student to the right shares one idea.

·         The teacher directs the flow of the “idea wave” until several different ideas have been shared. 

At the end of the formal "idea wave, " a few volunteers who were not included can contribute an idea.

To put a twist on the idea wave, ask all students to stand and share information they learned about the topic. Tell the students that they must speak in complete sentences using academic langauge. (I post word walls for every unit for students to refer to). I say to the class, "the person who goes first is the person who is speaking". They cannot repeat information that someone else has already said, so they need to listen carefully. The goal for the students is not to be the last person standing. 

This is a great way to assess your student's knowledge about any topic and then be able to reteach information if necessary. 

To see more teaching strategies click HERE!

Happy Teaching!

Chalk Dust Diva

Give-One-Get-One Teaching Strategy

Give-One-Get-One is a great, interactive, teaching strategy that will help your students review any topic covered in your class. Simply have your students follow the steps below to easily implement this strategy in your classroom:

 STEP 1: Write your name legibly at the top of a piece of paper. List 3 to 5 ideas about the assigned

topic.

STEP 2: Draw a line after your last idea to separate your idea from those you select from your classmates’ lists.
STEP 3: Get up and interact with one classmate at a time. Exchange papers, read your partner’s list, then ask questions about new or confusing idea.

STEP 4: Add one new idea from your partner’s list to your own, along with his/her name. Make sure

that you are able to accurately present this idea during a class discussion.

STEP 5:  Continue sharing ideas with different classmates until the specified time is over. Be

prepared to report one new idea you obtained!

Here is an example of what your students' papers may look like.

 

Find this template and many more formative assessment ideas HERE!

Happy Teaching!

Reciprocal Cooperative Reading Strategy

One of my favorite reading strategies I use in my secondary history class is Reciprocal Teaching. So what is Reciprocal Teaching you may ask? It is a multi-strategy approach to assist students in understanding the meaning of text. Students are asked to:

• make predictions about what is going on in the text
• generate questions about the text content
• seek clarification of points that are not well understood or confusing
• summerize what has been read

 The goal of RT is to have the student automatically use these strategies when reading.

Here is a great resource to teach reciprocal teaching in the classroom. Comes with everything you need to easily implement this strategy in your classroom!

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Cooperative Groups Student Responsibilities and Procedures

Are you looking for a successful classroom management strategy? I was first introduced to this cooperative group strategy 16 years ago when I was completing my student-teaching, and I have used it ever since!  It can be used for any grade level or course of study!

Each quarter my students are assigned teams  and will compete for extra credit points with the other team members. This works very well for classroom management because the students manage themselves! For example, you may decide to take away an extra credit point to a student who is not on task. Because he is losing points for the entire group, his group members will pressure him to get to work. Peer pressure works every time!

The beginning of the Power Point begins with a class discussion about what qualities employers look for in hiring employees. One of the most important qualities is the ability to work cooperatively . Then it reviews student responsibilities and procedures when working with a group and explains how teams can earn and lose points.

Also included in this purchase is a Team Winner Certificate (4 different versions) to be given to the winning team members for the quarter and a Team Point Chart for the teacher to use to keep track of the team points.

So if you want to make your classroom run itself, check this product out by clicking HERE!