• Reciprocal questioning: Have students come up with questions for the class on a recent lesson or concept.

• The pause procedure: Take a break every 10 to 15 minutes so that students have time to discuss, ask questions or solve problems.

• Muddiest point: Ask students to write down which point in the lesson is the least clear to them.

As a high school CTE teacher, chances are you’ve struggled with getting and keeping your students’ attention at the beginning of class. After all, with so many distractions available to students, it can be hard for them to focus on the critical material you’re teaching.

SOMETIMES CALLED STARTERS OR DAILY SPONGE

1. Question of the Day

A popular version of a bell ringer is asking a Question of the Day. The Question of the Day is a warm-up query designed to get students thinking, typically about content from the previous day’s class. Some teachers also offer questions that preview the content they’ll cover during the upcoming class period.

When implementing this bell ringer, it’s key that your questions are compelling. A successful Question of the Day shouldn’t be so easy that learners can respond with just a few words. Instead, you want to introduce questions that inspire critical thinking or invite a variety of well-considered replies.

Some examples of stimulating question formats include:

• Evaluate two responses to a problem. Describe which answer is more effective and why.

• Consider a real-life scenario where you would use information used in yesterday’s class.

• Today’s class will cover a new concept. Write what you already know about this topic and your most pressing questions about it.

When students finish answering the daily question, discuss their responses as a class. This conversation will be a great transition to the rest of your lesson.

2. Current Event Activities

Regardless of which CTE Career Cluster they are pursuing, keeping students aware of current events will help them make insightful connections between your course and the world around them.

For an easy current events bell ringer, you can provide your learners with a recent article to read at the start of class. You can also hand the resource to students as they enter your classroom, so they can focus on reading even before the class period begins.

As students finish their reading, ask them to write reflections on how the article connects with a topic you are currently covering. Then, lead your class in a conversation based on their responses. Since every student has reviewed the article, individuals should be able to develop their own perspectives to share with the entire class. You’ll also make your material feel relevant and timely.

Current event activities are repeatable and relatable and are a perfect contextual touchpoint to help learners understand the value of your CTE classes.

3. Warm-Up Surveys

Collecting baseline data in your classroom is a great step toward instructional success. When you know beforehand what your students do or don’t understand, you’ll be better equipped to scaffold your instruction to their individual needs.

A simple way to collect baseline information is to give students a brief survey as a bell ringer exercise. You can do this at the beginning of the school year or when starting a new unit.

For the survey, have students answer questions about a topic. Be sure they know this isn’t a graded test; you are just checking to see what they already know. Their answers will give you a reasonable understanding of your learners’ knowledge of the subject. When you analyze the survey, you’ll be better equipped to evaluate your instructional plans and cover any weak spots.

As a bonus, you can also use warm-up surveys to monitor progress in the middle of a unit. When students can’t recall what you have already taught, you can adjust your instruction to review and reteach critical content.

By offering bell ringer surveys, you’ll better understand where your CTE students are and ensure you maximize your instructional time.

4. Problem-Solving Activities

Another easy-to-use bell ringer activity for high school is introducing problem-solving sessions to use at the beginning of class. Students are often inclined to talk and work in groups, but assigning learners a problem to solve as a group can work to minimize distractions at the beginning of class and focus your students on the subject you’re teaching.

To use this bell ringer, give your students an assignment at the beginning of class and offer five to ten minutes to come up with a solution.

There are many different ways you could structure your activity, including:

• Provide a worksheet with a problem and questions to answer in the allotted time.

• Create a puzzle related to your subject that requires teamwork to solve.

• Have students solve a problem based on homework or content from a previous day’s class.

• Complete a vocabulary exercise to help students memorize critical terms.  EOP or INDUSTRY CERT

As an alternative, you can have students work with partners or as individuals. Simply adjust the parameters of your assignments to suit.

Regardless of the problem or puzzle your students will solve, you’ll be able to center their attention on the course content as well as hone their analytical thinking and collaboration skills.

5. Student Check-Ins

One more way to prepare students for your class is by privately asking them simple questions about their well-being. You can do this through paper notes or, if your students are in front of a computer, using a digital resource such as Google Forms.

You can use these check-ins to encourage her students to communicate how they are doing and understand any potential learning obstacles they may be facing outside of class.

Before class, ask students to complete a Google Form asking how they have slept, about their breakfast or lunch, and how they are doing outside of school on a scale of one to five. Or give students the chance to share anything they’d like you to be aware of. Over time, you can use the results of the surveys to analyze student performance in your classes.

Student check-ins are easy to adapt and implement. This makes these surveys a straightforward way to collect feedback from your students. When you use them regularly, these check-ins can build community within your classroom. 

https://www.icevonline.com/blog/bell-ringer-activities-high-school 

Why are brain breaks important?

Brain breaks help students recharge, refocus, and reconnect with themselves and others. There are all kinds of benefits associated with brain breaks:

• Enhance focus and concentration

• Boost learning and short-term memory

• Emotional regulation

• Inspire creativity and problem-solving skills

• Improve social skills

• Foster positive classroom environment

How do I integrate brain breaks effectively?

1. Observe your students’ engagement levels

Schedule a group game after 20 to 30 minutes of quiet work. Or let them know they can relax after they answer 5 math questions. This will help your students stay motivated during work time, knowing they have a break coming up.

You might decide to adjust the timing depending on the age and specific needs of your students. Older students tend to focus better than younger students.

Most importantly, stay flexible! Carefully observe if your students are getting tired or losing focus early. Then start the brain break earlier to re-energize them! If they’re on a roll, hold off on taking a break.

2. Pick different brain breaks

Create a list of brain breaks to make it easy to get started without thinking and choosing. And it allows you to try out different ways to engage your students!

Or here are some more creative options:

• Put them on a large dice or beach balls

• Write them on popsicle sticks to pull from a jar

• Print a brain breaks bingo card to complete

3. Find the best break for the right situation

Think about what your group of kids will respond best to. Each kid has different interests and preferences. Take this opportunity to get to know your students better! Do they like making music? Do they like dancing? Are they into drawing?

Also consider the time of day and your students’ energy levels. If everyone is tired at the end of the day, a sit-down activity might be better than a dance break.

Being aware of your students’ energy levels and enthusiasm will help you run effective brain breaks.

4. Use a timer

Keep time with a stopwatch or your phone to make sure your break lasts the right amount of time.

Too short, and kids might not feel rested enough. Too long, and they might become distracted and reluctant to return to the task at hand.

Place the timer somewhere your students can see or use music as a countdown timer. Tell them that the activity is over when the song is over. This way, they can be fully prepared to get back to work when it’s time.

5. Talk about it afterward

Make sure to ask kids how they felt about the activity.

Ask them the following questions:

• How did you find today’s work?

• What was your favorite brain break?

• How do you think the brain break helped you?

Pinky-Thumb Flip

This one-minute sensory exercise uses both halves of your brain and your hands. Hold your hands into fists. On one hand, stick out your thumb only. On the other hand, stick out your pinky. Now, bring both fingers back in and switch back and forth.

Yoga minute

Take a minute to move and stretch with your students. Pick up to 5 yoga positions to hold for a few seconds. You can play a video to follow along or lead them through the sequence yourself.

Mindfulness breaks

Mindfulness exercises are extremely effective for stress reduction, relaxation, and overall well-being and mental health, no matter your age! In fact, many schools are using SEL (social-emotional learning) techniques in their classrooms.

Collaborative storytelling

First student starts the story with one sentence. Each subsequent student adds to the story with one additional sentence. Story ends with the last student.

Drawing games

You could play a game that gets students to bust out their drawing and guessing skills. You’ll definitely get a few chuckles at people’s drawings. Here are two games that are great for large groups:

Pictionary: This is a simple drawing and guessing game. Use the whiteboard and have everyone guess individually or in teams.  Telestrations: This is like a “telephone” game, but on paper. It’s also known as the “Write Draw Pass” activity. You’ll need to divide up a large class into groups of 8 and make sure there’s a logical passing order. Learn how it works here (and fun variations).

Silent Ball

In this peace-inducing quiet game, students form a circle around the perimeter of the classroom. The rules are simple and adaptable to your classroom’s size and the age of your students. 

The game begins when one student tosses a soft or squishy ball to another student, who then throws it to someone else, and so on. However, if a student fails to catch the ball, they are eliminated from the game.  Additionally, if the judge deems a throw “uncatchable,” the thrower is eliminated. Play continues until only one person remains standing. This game offers several benefits, including improving focus by reducing noise and chatter, allowing them to concentrate on a single object – the ball.  

Spot-the-difference puzzles

These puzzles are an excellent tool for engaging students with minimal preparation. The idea involves comparing two similar-looking photographs that have subtle differences.  Students can take turns identifying these differences, or they can work in teams to compete against the clock. While there are many free online websites offering spot-the-difference images, it’s important to ensure they are accessible and not blocked by your school’s server.

Would you rather…?

This engaging conversational activity presents students with two challenging and sometimes humorously absurd choices, from which they must select one option.  Students make their choice by standing on one side of the room or the other, as directed by the questioner’s instructions.

17 Brain Breaks Tailored for High Schoolers

Student Objective 

Students will contribute information and opinions in response to pre-determined questions/stimuli located on chart paper around the room. 

Overview 

This structure is used to build background knowledge, review material, or generate opinions. 

Carousel Brainstorm encourages students to build upon one another’s ideas, with maximum participation. 

Materials/Set-Up 

• Chart paper 

• Markers or other writing utensils 

• In advance of the activity, complete the following: 

• Compile several stimuli (e.g., topic, question, image, quotation) based on a previous or upcoming lesson/unit. 

• Write a different stimulus at the top of each sheet of chart paper and post these around the classroom. 

Instructional Steps 

1. Create as many groups as there are stimuli posted around the room (e.g., for seven stimuli, create seven groups of students). 

2. Send each group to a different piece of chart paper. It may be helpful to assign each group a color of marker, to differentiate each group’s contributions. 

3. Give each group a short amount of time to brainstorm as many ideas as possible for the question/stimulus before them. 

4. After the allotted time is up, have all groups rotate to the next poster. Each group will now review the ideas on the chart and add their own ideas and questions. 

5. Repeat this process until all of the groups have recorded ideas for each question/stimulus. 

6. Once all of the groups have been to all of the posters, have students complete a Gallery Walk to review all of the posters, discussing ideas that other groups added. 

Extension 

• To increase rigor, use this collaborative structure as a technique for review the day after students complete Cornell notes. 

The topics on the posters could come from their notes, and students can then use their notes to generate ideas. 

• To integrate technology, use a collaborative word processing tool, such as Google Docs, with one document for each prompt. 

For the Carousel Brainstorm, groups can “visit” each of the documents and add their own ideas—either with a new color/different font. 

Different than a Gallery Walk

For the Gallery Walk, they can review the documents and use the comments feature to layer on a discussion.   Gallery Walk is a structured activity for sharing group products. Have students/groups either post or place their products around the perimeter of the room.  Then, have the students slowly circulate around the classroom and peruse each group’s product.

Example: “Select one member from your group to take your one-pager about Costa’s Levels of Thinking and stand against a wall of the classroom. Once they get there, the rest of us will Gallery Walk around the room. Make sure to pay attention to how they illustrated each Level of Thinking.”

Case studies, role-play, and debates are valuable instructional strategies that promote active learning and enhance critical thinking. Case studies involve analyzing real-world scenarios, role-play allows students to step into different perspectives, and debates encourage structured argumentation and critical analysis. These techniques can be used individually or combined to create engaging and effective learning experiences. 

Scenarios, case studies and role plays are examples of active and collaborative teaching techniques that research confirms are effective for the deep learning needed for students to be able to remember and apply concepts.  Typically you would use case studies, scenarios and role plays for higher-level learning outcomes that require application, synthesis, and evaluation

Scenarios

Scenarios are typically short and used to illustrate or apply one main concept. The point is to reinforce concepts and skills as they are taught by providing opportunity to apply them. Scenarios can also be more elaborate, with decision points and further scenario elaboration (multiple storylines), depending on responses. 

Case studies

Case studies are typically used to apply several problem-solving concepts and skills to a detailed situation with lots of supporting documentation and data. A case study is usually more complex and detailed than a scenario. It often involves a real-life, well documented situation and the students’ solutions are compared to what was done in the actual case. It generally includes dialogue, creates identification or empathy with the main characters, depending on the discipline. They are best if the situations are recent, relevant to students, have a problem or dilemma to solve, and involve principles that apply broadly.

• Definition:
  Case studies are in-depth investigations of real or fictional situations, designed to promote analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making. 

• Purpose:
  They help students develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills by engaging with complex problems and exploring diverse perspectives. 

• Implementation:
  Instructors can use case studies to introduce new concepts, illustrate practical applications of theories, or assess student understanding. 

• Example:
  A business case study might involve analyzing a company's financial performance and recommending strategies for improvement. 

Role plays

Role plays can be short like scenarios or longer and more complex, like case studies, but without a lot of the documentation. The idea is to enable students to experience what it may be like to see a problem or issue from many different perspectives as they assume a role they may not typically take, and see others do the same.

• Definition:
  Role-play involves students taking on specific characters or roles within a simulated scenario to explore different viewpoints and practice communication skills. 

• Purpose:
  It fosters empathy, helps students understand diverse perspectives, and encourages creative problem-solving. 

• Implementation:
  Role-play can be incorporated into case studies or used as a standalone activity to explore specific scenarios or concepts. 

• Example:
  In a history class, students could role-play a debate between historical figures to understand their motivations and perspectives. 

https://www.deca.org/advisor-resources/use-role-plays-and-case-studies-in-the-classroom 

Similar to a Real-World Scenario, a Role Play activity puts students in a real-world context with a twist–they are to play the role of someone in the scenario. 

1. Create a list of scenarios that relate to your subject area. Consider situations that would actually occur and don’t have easy solutions. Examples include safety issues, emergency situations, ethical dilemmas, unforeseen circumstances, or interpersonal situations relating to colleagues, patients or customers.

2. Project the scenarios on the screen or print them out to pass out to students. 

3. Put students in small groups. Assign each group a scenario to consider. In addition, assign each student a role to play in the scenario. Provide the student with enough information to effectively take on that role. 

4. After groups have had time to act out the scenario, call on groups to reflect on the process. 

*For an example of this activity, view the lesson “Can You Save Me? Using Triage Protocol.”

Debates

• Definition:
  Debates involve structured arguments between two or more sides of an issue, requiring students to research, analyze, and present evidence to support their claims. 

• Purpose:
  They develop critical thinking, communication, and research skills, while also encouraging students to consider different viewpoints and challenge their own assumptions. 

• Implementation:
  Debates can be used to explore controversial topics, assess student understanding of complex issues, or practice persuasive communication. 

• Example:
  A debate could be organized around a current social issue, with students researching and presenting arguments for and against a particular policy. 

• Provide a topic for debate. Consider a current controversy related to your subject area that has 

• Essential Tips for Conducting a Class Debate 

https://signaturepractices.casel.org/ 

Weave the signature practices throughout the day, every day, as a regular part of planning and facilitating lessons, meetings, and professional learning. These research-based practices can be part of a systemic approach to SEL. They help us build and practice social and emotional skills and create a climate of belonging for everyone, building strong, equitable, effective learning and working environments.   

Inclusive Welcome Examples: https://signaturepractices.casel.org/welcome/ 

Engaging Strategies Examples: https://signaturepractices.casel.org/engaging/ 

Intentional Close Examples: https://signaturepractices.casel.org/closing/ 

Collaborative paragraphs are a teaching strategy where students work in small groups to co-create, draft, and revise paragraphs, building writing, critical thinking, and communication skills by sharing ideas, providing peer feedback, and contributing to a shared text. Methods include using graphic organizers like the "Cooperative Strip Paragraph" to build sentences sequentially, or group brainstorming for outlines, helping students scaffold ideas from topic sentences to supporting details, and improving confidence and understanding. 

How it works (e.g., Cooperative Strip Paragraph)

1. Brainstorm & Topic: The class discusses a topic, and the teacher guides them to a main idea for a paragraph.

2. Sentence Building: Students, often in groups using pocket charts or digital tools, contribute one sentence at a time, building a coherent paragraph together.

3. Review & Revise: Groups use rubrics to read, provide feedback, and edit the collaboratively written paragraph, focusing on clarity and structure.

4. Expand: Students can then use sentences from the main paragraph as topic sentences to create new, related paragraphs, learning to expand on ideas. 

This video demonstrates how to use the Cooperative Strip Paragraph strategy:

Be GLAD!

YouTube • May 30, 2023

Key Benefits

• Enhanced Skills: Improves critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and organization.

• Scaffolding: Helps struggling writers by providing support from peers, making complex tasks manageable.

• Increased Engagement: Boosts student confidence, motivation, and ownership of learning. 

You can watch this video to see how to build a collaborative outline for student writing:

Educational Partners International

YouTube • May 13, 2022

Implementation Tips

• Establish Rules: Set clear expectations for respectful discussion and participation.

• Model: Teachers should model the collaborative writing process and giving constructive feedback.

• Vary Formats: Use digital tools for online collaboration or physical materials like sticky notes for in-person brainstorming. 

Concept mapping is a powerful cognitive strategy that involves the creation of graphic representations or conceptual structures of the content to be learned. It encourages higher-level thinking as students synthesize their ideas and integrate them with other concepts. Teachers can use concept maps to assess the depth of understanding and identify possible misconceptions. These visual tools help represent and organize interrelated ideas hierarchically, making complex information more accessible to learners. Not to be confused with graphic organizers, concept mapping is an instructional strategy that teaches students to identify the hierarchy and connections between the material they are learning about.

Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts.

• Graphic organizers are a tool, not a strategy

• Concept maps improve cognition and help students learn by putting them in control.

• Leveraging technologies gives students that much more freedom to map their understanding.

Concept mapping is a three-step process that teachers model as needed so that the students can eventually complete all steps on their own.

• Start with the main idea, topic, or issue

• Determine the key concepts

• Connect concepts by creating linking phrases and words.

Benefits

• Engages students in higher level thinking to evaluate information

• Helps students brainstorm, generate new ideas, and bring personal meaning to content

• Encourages students to discover new concepts and the schema that connects them

• Allows students to more clearly communicate ideas & information

• Helps students integrate new concepts with previous concepts

• Addresses the Thinking & Student Work indicators of the TEAM rubric

How

• Teachers need to model this for students:

  • • Start with Main Idea, Topic, or Issue - A predetermined topic or question will help with hierarchical structure

    • Add Key Concepts - Rank them from most general, inclusive concepts to smaller

    • Connect concepts by creating linking phrases and words - Add cross-links to further illustrate the relationships and strengthen comprehension

Examples

• The Lost World Character Concept Map

• Environmental Science Concept Map

• Internet Marketing Concept Map

• Integers Concept Map

• Graphing Functions Concept Map

• Hand-drawn Concept Maps

Learn More About Using Concept Maps in the Classroom

• The Teacher Toolkit:Concept Mapping

• Concept Muraling: Organizing Knowledge Visually to Improve Comprehension

• Use Mind Maps to Reinforce Flipped Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZJj6DwCqSU 

Concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZJj6DwCqSU 

• Graphic organizers are a tool, not a strategy

• Concept maps improve cognition and help students learn by putting them in control.

• Leveraging technologies gives students that much more freedom to map their understanding.

Concept mapping is a three-step process that teachers model as needed so that the students can eventually complete all steps on their own.

• Start with the main idea, topic, or issue

• Determine the key concepts

• Connect concepts by creating linking phrases and words.

Learn More About Using Concept Maps in the Classroom

• The Teacher Toolkit:Concept Mapping

• Concept Muraling: Organizing Knowledge Visually to Improve Comprehension

• Use Mind Maps to Reinforce Flipped Learning

Technology Tools that Support

Bubbl.us

• https://bubbl.us/

• A good tool for creating visually attractive concept maps. No software download required and maps you create can be saved as an image. It also supports different sharing and collaborative features.

• https://youtu.be/G7FT4RAVxGw

Popplet

• http://popplet.com/

• It offers various features including: recording notes in different formats with text, images and drawings; link notes to each other; export your final work as PDF or JPEG; supports several languages and many more.

Coggle

• https://coggle.it/

• Useful tool for creating collaborative concept maps. ‘Coggle is an online tool for creating and sharing mind maps. It works online in your browser: there's nothing to download or install.’

Microsoft Whiteboard App

• Download Free from Rutherford County Microsoft Store

• Whiteboard gives teachers and students a freeform, intelligent canvas for real time ideation, creation, and collaboration. Transform your work into professional-looking charts and shapes on an infinite canvas with an interface designed for pen, touch, and keyboard

• Getting Started Video Tutorial https://youtu.be/LCdC_ZjHvyU

relational-capacity development often characterized by conflict. The honeymoon period is over, and students will now begin asserting their own leadership. The conflict arising from this is a natural  progression and shows that some students have begun to feel ownership for  the community. While certain students have begun to take a personal stake in the class, cliques may form that begin to exclude others, potentially polarizing  the class. This is a critical stage for the community, and these conflicts must  be addressed in order to progress. Teachers can help the group continue its  positive evolution by overseeing the following:

Creating a safe space for conflict

Managing conflict and teaching conflict management

Maintaining a positive environment

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A0UUalnaywZqVQsgK32uKox8Pc51268Q/view?usp=sharing 

https://canvas.cornell.edu/courses/1451?authuser=0 

The Cornell Note Taking System

Why do you take notes? What do you hope to get from your notes? What are Cornell Notes and how do you use the Cornell note-taking system?

There are many ways to take notes. It’s helpful to try out different methods and determine which work best for you in different situations. Whether you are learning online or in person, the physical act of writing can help you remember better than just listening or reading. Research shows that taking notes by hand is more effective than typing on a laptop. This page and our Canvas module will teach you about different note-taking systems and styles and help you determine what will work best for your situation.

In our Cornell Note Taking System module you will:

• Examine your current note taking system

• Explore different note taking strategies (including the Cornell Notes system)

• Assess which strategies work best for you in different situations

The best way to explore your current note-taking strategies and learn about the Cornell note taking system is to go through our Canvas note taking module. The module will interactively guide you through how to use Cornell Notes – click on the link here or the button below. This module is publicly available.

https://canvas.cornell.edu/courses/1451?authuser=0 

Why is it important to elicit responses from students? How does eliciting responses promote student engagement? 

List with descriptions of strategies to elicit evidence from NWEA.org December 2020

Classroom energizers, also known as brain breaks or movement breaks, are quick activities designed to re-engage students and boost their learning potential.  

• Improves cognitive function

• Reduces stress

• Increases engagement and motivation

• Physical health benefits

Tips for Effective Energizers:

• Keep it short: Energizers should be quick (1-5 minutes) to maintain momentum without disrupting the lesson. 

• Make it relevant: Choose activities that connect to the subject matter or students' interests when possible. 

• Be enthusiastic: Teachers should model the energy they want to see from students. 

• Mix it up: Use a variety of activities to keep things fresh and engaging. 

• Consider timing: Use energizers during transitions or when students seem tired or distracted. 

High-Five Huddle: Students gather in a circle and do a quick round of high-fives, exchanging positive energy. 

Quick Stretch: Short, simple stretches to get the blood flowing. 

Dance Break: A short, fun dance session to get students moving. 

Shake It Down: Students count down from 16 to 1 while doing arm and leg movements, then say "Shake it down". 

Four Corners: Students move to different corners based on a leader's call, with variations like eliminating students based on a number. 

Human Knot: Students stand in a circle and tangle themselves into a knot, then try to untangle. 

Copy Me: Teacher or student-led activity where students copy movements and sounds. 

Name Toss: Students toss a soft object (like a beanbag) while saying their names. 

Word Association: Teacher or students give a word and others respond with related words. 

Quick Draw: Students quickly draw a picture based on a prompt. 

Riddles: Start the class with a riddle for students to solve. 

Flash Fiction: Challenge students to write a 6-word story. 

"Would You Rather": Students discuss fun "would you rather" questions in pairs. 

Common Thread: Students find common interests within small groups. 

Rock, Paper, Scissors Battle

As you are able, stand up and play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with a partner (best 2 out of 3 wins).

Pair up with another team, the winners play against each other and the others support with cheers.

Play continues until we have a Rock, Paper, Scissors Champ!

Finger Counting Face-off

As a table group, choose two people to start.

When the group counts to three, the chosen participants will hold up any number on their fingers, up to 10.

The first person who adds them correctly first wins. The winner will play again and selects another person in the table group to play.

Repeat until everyone has had a turn and your table has a winner.

If time allows, have the table winners compete for the ultimate winner. 

Hot Takes

Hot Takes is a great way to get large groups to connect and laugh. For this activity, start by announcing a non-controversial topic. Then, let willing attendees raise their hands to give their hot takes on the issue. You can opt for humorous hot-take options that will lighten the event mood. For instance, my hot take on the worst ice cream is chocolate. You can then try to see how many attendees support your hot take by requesting players in agreement to raise their hands.

Examples of Hot Take topics:

• Best food to eat as leftovers

• Best villain

• Best international cuisine

• The best travel destination

• Pineapples belong on a pizza

• Cheese belongs in every dish

The Candy Game

With the combination of fun and sweet treats, the Candy Game is an excellent choice for meeting energizers for large groups. You can use this activity to foster interaction among strangers or let workers know each other. For large groups, you can start by dividing participants into small teams of up to 20 attendees.

Instructions:

1. Purchase multi-colored candy and give event facilitators to pass to the guests

2. Instruct each participant to pick three candy pieces as they would like. However, participants must not eat the candy.

3. Let each participant answer a question for each candy they take.

Examples of questions as per color:

• Blue- What is your favorite food from a different culture?

• Red- What is your favorite travel destination?

• Orange- Who is your favorite celebrity?

Be sure to include light-hearted questions that spark conversation after the game.

Here are get-to-know-you questions you can use as inspiration.

The Name Game

The Name Game is one of the best large group energizer activities. In addition, the activity will provide an avenue for after-event interactions. To start the game, have all participants stand in a circle. Then, let attendees mention an adjective that begins with the same letter as their name.

Examples:

• Jovial James

• Smiley Susan

• Outgoing Olivia

• Naughty Nolan

• Fantastic Faith

Once every attendee introduces themselves, pick participants randomly and let them select three other players and mention their names. Participants will also sharpen their memory capability and name recognition skills through the name game.

Who Am I?

The Who Am I game is a classic large group energizer that will get attendees talking and laughing.

Instructions:

• Start by distributing pens and sticky notes to attendees.

• Instruct all participants to jot down the names of one famous personality that all players may know. Let participants think of globally renowned personalities or local celebrities.

• Once each player writes one name on the sticky notes, instruct them to stick the paper on another participant’s forehead. However, players would not get a peek at the sticky notes on their foreheads.

• Players will then walk around within a specific timeframe and inquire about the name written on the papers. However, other participants can only give yes or no answers and will not give actual clues about the famous personalities.

https://www.activeschoolsus.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Energizers-ALL.pdf 

First Day Magic: Setting the Tone Early

The first day is crucial in shaping student perceptions and classroom culture. 

Research suggests students often underprepare for the first day compared to teachers' expectations. 

To set the right tone:

• Introduce yourself as approachable, using an engaging icebreaker to build rapport.

• Use active teaching strategies such as storytelling, posing thought-provoking questions, and incorporating multimedia.

• Get students excited for the course

• Prepare more activities that you think you might need

• Establish standards by greeting students at the door, using their names, and reinforcing positive behavior.

• Clarify classroom expectations through discussion and collaborative agreement on behavior norms.

• Help students learn about each other

• These early efforts create a structured, engaging environment that sets the stage for long-term classroom control and management.

First Days of School Resources 

A Gallery Walk is a critique protocol in which students get feedback from their peers on a finished project. Here are the basic steps:

1. Place the work to be assessed on classroom walls or tables or digitally on computers, depending on the project. 

2. Decide on the process for giving feedback. It can be as simple as leaving “Two Stars and a Wish” on sticky notes next to the project (students leave two “star” comments —areas where the student’s work excelled—and one “wish”—an area where there can be some level of improvement.) Or, you can have students fill out a pre-made rubric.

3. Be sure students know what to look for. Explain the criteria to be applied, or have them use a rubric or checklist for guidance. 

4. Have students move around the room (or go through a digital display) for a set amount of time to give feedback, allowing enough time to assess each piece of work displayed.

5. After the gallery walk, have students go back to their own project and read and reflect on the feedback they received from their peers. A great strategy is to have them assess their own project using the rubric as well.

The "gist" teaching strategy, also known as "Generating Interactions between Schemata and Texts," is a reading comprehension technique that requires students to summarize complex texts by identifying the most important information. To use it, students identify the main idea of a section, often by asking "who or what is this about?" and "what is the most important information about that subject?", and then write a brief, 25-word-or-less summary of the "gist" in their own words. This strategy helps students monitor their understanding and remember key concepts from a text without rereading the entire document. 

How to implement the GIST strategy

• Preview the text: Before reading, have students look at headings, subheadings, images, and bolded terms to get a general idea of the content.

• Read and annotate: Read the text in sections. As you read, ask questions like:

• Who or what is the text about?

• What is the most important information about the subject?

• Why is this happening or why is it important?

• Write the summary (the GIST):

• Write a summary of each section in 25 words or less, in your own words.

• Alternatively, some versions ask for a 10-word summary.

• Place the summary on a sticky note, in a notebook, or directly on the text if permitted.

• Combine and create a larger summary (optional): For longer texts, students can combine the individual section summaries into a single paragraph of 3–4 sentences to summarize the entire text.

• Review: The summaries and annotations can be used to quickly review the main ideas of the text later on. 

Graphic organizers are charts, graphs, or diagrams, which encourage students to see information as a component of systems rather than isolated facts. Have students take the information they learned and turn it into a Graphic Organizer as a way to grapple with and internalize new content.

• Comparison-Contrast Matrix: Students use a T-Chart to show the similarities and differences between two items.

• Venn Diagram: Each concept gets a circle that overlaps with another. All the things the concepts share are in the center of the overlapping circles.

• Branching Map: One key concept is circled. Related concepts are drawn as branches coming off of the main concept.

• Flowcharts: Great for sequential events, directions, decision making…

• Fishbone Diagram: Useful to show cause and effect or a timeline. 

Examples: 8 Graphic Organizers to Improve Learning 

 3 Fun Strategies for Note Taking

Note taking can be active, collaborative, and tailored to each student’s pace—and you can skip the lecture

https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-fun-strategies-note-taking/ 

Interactive Notebooks

Interactive notebooks allow students to interact with content, not just consume it. Students gather information from different sources and combine that information with their own thinking. Interactive notebooks go beyond just including text and can also include pictures, links, audio, videos, and much more. Interactive notebooks usually include important new information that has been learned and then an application and/or demonstration of understanding. Interactive notebooks are great when taking many notes over time and for sharing with others.

• Digital Interactive Notebooks: Getting Started – Slides vs. PowerPoint

• Digital Vocabulary Notebook 

Challenges

The easiest way to get most middle/high schoolers attention is to offer up a challenge. I’ve found these ideas work best in teams and I have teams create names/mascots to last the whole quarter.

Scavenger Hunt Post your notes/slides around the room with no guide as to what order they go in. Release the teams to create their own full note set. Fastest team to complete each section (with review) gets candy/sticker/extra credit

Jeopardy! I don’t want you to take any time prepping this, just finish a couple slides and ask a question. Teams should write the answer on a whiteboard and the first one to raise the correct answer gets the most points (2 or 3). Every other answer gets 1 point. Most points at the end of class wins.

Relay Races Same as above, but you have notes/slides with blank spots and each team sends one person at a time to fill in any blank. First team with all correct answers wins.

Guided Notes

Guided Notes are teacher-prepared handouts that outline lectures, audiovisual presentations, or readings, but leave blank space for students to fill in key concepts, facts, definitions, etc.  Guided Notes promote active engagement during lecture or independent reading, provide full and accurate notes for use as a study guide, and help students to identify the most important information covered.

https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/guided-notes 

Hooks give teachers that edge they need to bring students attention back to the classroom, spark their interest, and give them the boost of energy they need to delve into the upcoming content. 

Lesson hooks:  

• Increase student engagement and motivation

• Are an attention grabber

• Lead into asking questions (lingering questions)

• Spark curiosity 

• Create an event that students can connect to

• Make content feel more relatable and relevant

• Build classroom community and classroom culture

• Are a vehicle for deeper discussions

• Are really FUN

#1. The movie trailer hook

Using iMovie or Clips create a short video that includes ideas of the content being taught (see the example clip below). Remember not to give them too much information. Keep them wondering.

Learn more: 15 ways to create unforgettable multimedia with Adobe Spark

#2. The video hook

Video clips on the subject (volcano exploding, fast erosion on a street, venus flytrap getting food, stop motion of a plant dying etc..). YouTube is a great resource for short clips!

Learn more: 20 video project ideas to engage students

#3. The photo hook

"A picture is worth 1000 words." And it's true! Images spark lots of discussion and predictions. Use them to engage your students and preview a lesson.

Learn more: How to get and use free images the RIGHT way in class

#4. The mystery box hook

Put different items in the box to give clues to what you will be learning about. Students make predictions and discuss what they believe these objects have to do with the upcoming learning. Check out Matt Miller's blog on “Unboxing” for some great ideas! Our mystery/unboxing video was created in Flipgrid!

Learn more: The Unboxing Video: A fun classroom video activity

#5. Listen up! The music hook

Create or find short music or sound clips that lead to the topic of the lesson.This could be a song, verse, or sounds. If you are teaching a lesson about an ecosystem put together or find sounds of animals you might hear in that ecosystem. For an older grade, if you are studying different important historical moments take small recordings like the MLK speech to play. 

Learn more: 13 ways to connect music and lyrics to class

#6. The creative hook

Bring in the visual arts by having students create something with play-doh with clues from the lesson, use watercolors or paint to introduce a concept. 

Learn more: 60 tips to spark creative lesson ideas

#7. The short book hook

Find a reading that engages students and gives them a clue as to what they will be learning about.  

Learn more: Storytelling: Bringing the power of stories to your teaching

#8. The gallery walk hook

Many times gallery walks are used at the end of a lesson/unit to showcase students’ work.  However, this activity does not always need to come at the end! Have your lesson/unit start with a gallery walk. Students will observe, gather information, and ask questions. It is a great way to spark their curiosity and guide their inquiry.

Learn more: The Digital Gallery Walk: Collaboration on their feet

#9. Get up and move! The kinesthetic hook

Kinesthetic movements are a great way to engage students at the beginning of a lesson. There is also research showing that integrating movement with concepts/skills taught, students are more likely to remember those concepts/skills. And… It's FUN!

#10. The adventure hook

Plan a field trip or excursion that will get students excited for what is to come.  The beauty of technology is that it allows us to take our students on adventures without leaving our classroom! Virtual field trips, virtual reality apps, and augmented reality apps are great resources for this type of hook.  Google Expeditions, Google Maps, Google Earth, National Geographic are all apps and websites we have used for this type of hook. 

Learn more: 25 virtual field trips for your classroom

https://ditchthattextbook.com/lesson-hooks/

Hattie effect size - 0.54 

What Makes Interactive Video Effective?

• To enhance the effectiveness of this strategy, it should come after teacher delivered core instruction.

• Use videos in the 2-4 minute range.

• Add questions with purpose that are relevant and rigorous.  Think about adding questions at various levels of the Knowledge Taxonomy.

• Multiple viewings allow for deeper understanding.

• The purpose should be set with an essential question before students view the video.

• Look for videos that are relevant or use this strategy in station rotation so another activity can build the real world connection.

Create interactive videos and thousands of premade videos

https://go.playposit.com/ 

https://edpuzzle.com/ 

Teaching with Video Techniques

• Active Viewing - students take notes and respond to questions to help them comprehend the content of the video.

• Reactive Viewing - students think critically about the videos they are watching and react to what they are learning.

• Show & Tell - Show the video and let students tell you their responses in writing or via multimedia throughout the video, such as a discussion board.

• Tell & Show - Students tell the teacher what he or she thinks the answer is to a question before watching the video, and then the answer is revealed throughout the video. They can determine if their original assertions were correct.

Resources

Interactive Video-based Learning Strategy and Learning Effectiveness

Interactive Video: A Game-Changer in Learning

Kahoot! Kahoot! is an interactive platform that allows educators to create fun quizzes and games to engage students in learning.

• Watch Walkthrough

Mentimeter Mentimeter enables teachers to create interactive presentations with real-time polling, quizzes, and word clouds to enhance student participation.

• Watch Walkthrough

Nearpod Nearpod offers interactive lessons with built-in assessments, allowing for real-time feedback and engagement during instruction.

• Watch Walkthrough

Pear Deck Pear Deck integrates with slide presentations to provide real-time interactive questions, fostering student engagement and understanding.

• Watch Walkthrough

Padlet Padlet is a digital bulletin board that facilitates collaboration, allowing students and teachers to share ideas, images, and documents in a shared space.

• Watch Walkthrough

Quizizz Quizizz provides gamified quizzes and lessons, enabling students to learn and review content in an engaging, competitive format.

• Watch Walkthrough

Edpuzzle Edpuzzle allows educators to add questions and notes to videos, transforming them into interactive lessons that assess student understanding.

• Watch Walkthrough

Flip Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a platform for video-based discussions, enabling students to share their thoughts and reflections through short videos.

• Watch Walkthrough

Screencastify Screencastify is a simple tool for recording your screen, allowing teachers to create tutorials and instructional videos with ease.

• Watch Walkthrough

Blooket Blooket offers game-based review sessions, combining quiz-style questions with interactive games to reinforce learning in an enjoyable way.

• Watch Walkthrough

Shuffle Buddy Thoughtful results every shuffle. Never worry about seating charts again. Foster a strong classroom community by frequently shuffling your seating charts—while respecting your students’ individual needs.

• Website

https://www.jigsaw.org/ 

JIGSAW ACTE PDF 

The Jigsaw instructional method is a cooperative approach to learning. Following this method, a teacher introduces a main topic and several subtopics. Jigsaw students are broken into "home groups", and each member of the home group is assigned a subtopic. Then, students form expert groups to study their assigned subtopic through research and discussion. After the students have mastered the subtopic in question, they return to their home group to report on their findings. At the conclusion of the exercise, each home group member has learned about each subtopic from a member of the relevant expert group or through their own investigation with an expert group.

Benefits

• According to John Hattie’s research, Jigsaw learning is a high impact strategy with  a 1.20 affect on learning.

• Fosters empathy and promotes understanding within diverse groups.

• It promotes collaboration among learners.

• It improves critical thinking.

• All students are engaged directly with the learning material.

• Students gain practice in self-teaching which is a valuable life skill.

• It encourages creativity.

Form the Home Group

• The main class will be divided into smaller groups called jigsaw or home groups, ideally consisting of 5 to 6 learners in each group.

• The groups should include a mix of learners of different genders, ethnic backgrounds, races, and abilities.

• Each member of the home group is given a subtopic that relates to the overall topic or reading assignment to read and learn

Form the Expert Group

• Give students time to read over their segment a least twice and become familiar with the material.

• Have one student from each home group join the others that were assigned the same segment, passage, etc.

• Provide time for expert groups to share the main points and rehearse the presentation they will make to their home group.

• This is a very good place to use a digital tool (i.e. shared PPT, Padlet) for students to collect their thoughts for the presentation to their home group.

Put the Puzzle Together in the Home Group

• Each expert presents his/her information to the Home group and answers any questions.

• This is a good time to introduce a graphic organizer for Home group students to take notes over the new material.

Recap and Quiz

• To wrap up the Jigsaw method, the class can come together for a full-group discussion

• To check how well learners have understood and remembered the content, they can do quizzes, have discussions, or engage in group activities. Microsoft Forms is a great resource!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=euhtXUgBEts 

The "No-Thingy" Zone: Designate a specific area of the shop (like the tool bench) where students are "fined" (in classroom currency) or must restart their request if they use vague language like "the blue tool" instead of "the needle-nose pliers."

Implementing The "No-Thingy" Zone is a brilliant way to bridge the gap between "knowing" a tool and "mastering" a trade. It transforms the workshop into a high-stakes (but fun) linguistic environment where technical precision is the only currency that matters.

Here is a guide on how to design, implement, and enforce this zone effectively.

1. Defining the Boundaries

The "No-Thingy" Zone shouldn't be the entire shop—that can be overwhelming and stall productivity. Instead, designate a high-traffic bottleneck where precision is most critical.

• The Tool Crib/Check-out Counter: Students must name the tool exactly to receive it.

• The Instructor’s Bench: If they come to you for help, they enter the zone.

• The Assembly Table: Where parts are joined and nomenclature matters most.

Pro Tip: Mark the floor with bright floor tape (like hazard stripes) to create a physical "threshold." Once a student steps over that line, the rules of the zone apply.

2. Setting the Rules of Engagement

To avoid frustration, the rules must be clear, consistent, and visible. Post a "Price List" or a "Restricted Language" sign near the zone.

The "Fines"

• The Vocabulary Tax: Use a vague word? Pay 5 units of classroom currency.

• The "Try Again" Penalty: If they can't name it, they must step out of the zone, find the name in a manual or on a wall chart, and return to the back of the line.

• The Silent Treatment: The instructor simply points to the "No-Thingy" sign and waits until the student self-corrects.

3. Practical Examples of Correct vs. Incorrect Language

The goal is to move students from Visual Descriptions (what it looks like) to Functional Specifications (what it is).

The "Thingy" (Fined)

The Technical Term (Accepted)

Why it Matters

"The curly drill bit."

"A 1/4-inch twist bit."

Prevents choosing the wrong size or type (e.g., masonry vs. wood).

"That silver squeezy thing."

"Needle-nose pliers."

Distinguishes from slip-joint or linesman pliers.

"The star-shaped screwdriver."

"A T25 Torx driver."

Prevents stripping the screw head with the wrong size.

"That metal measuring stick."

"A 12-inch Combination Square."

Precision—a stick is for stirring paint; a square is for layout.

"The spinny sander."

"Random Orbital Sander."

Distinguishes the finish from a belt or palm sander.

4. Scaffolding for Success

You can't fine students for words they haven't learned yet. Support the zone with visual aids to ensure the "fines" feel fair rather than punitive.

• The "Wall of Fame": A literal board with tools mounted and labeled clearly.

• The Cheat Sheet: A laminated card taped to the tool bench within the zone that lists common tools and their proper names.

• Peer Coaching: Allow a "Lifeline"—a student can ask a peer for the name, but both must then explain why that is the name (e.g., "It's a ball-peen hammer because the back side is a ball shape for shaping metal").

5. Why This Works

By gamifying technical literacy, you’re teaching more than just names; you’re teaching professionalism. In a real-world job site:

1. Safety: Misunderstanding "Pass me the circular saw" vs. "Pass me the miter saw" can lead to accidents.

2. Efficiency: Sending an apprentice to the truck for a "thingy" wastes 15 minutes.

3. Respect: Using the correct terminology signals to employers and clients that the student is a pro, not an amateur.

What kind of classroom currency or reward system are you currently using to track these "fines"?

A one-pager is an instructional strategy where students synthesize their learning on a single page using a combination of text and visuals. It's a versatile tool for various subjects and grade levels, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and deeper understanding of the material. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRWulKBk87E&t=56 

https://youtu.be/s3Nv8Vj22sM?si=ZF3gB3nY5fiCuIfS 

Key Features of One-Pagers:

• Visual and Verbal Integration: One-pagers combine text and visuals, leveraging dual coding theory, which suggests that learning is enhanced by processing information through both language and non-verbal representations. 

• Synthesis and Reflection: Students analyze, synthesize, and reflect on key information, demonstrating their understanding of the material. 

• Creative Expression: One-pagers encourage students to be creative in their presentation, using colors, images, and symbols to convey their understanding. 

• Variety of Applications: One-pagers can be used for various purposes, including analyzing texts, articles, videos, lectures, and other forms of information. 

• Adaptable to Different Subjects: While often used in English Language Arts, one-pagers can be adapted for use in any subject where students need to synthesize and demonstrate their learning. 

Benefits of Using One-Pagers:

• Enhanced Memory and Retention: The combination of visual and textual elements aids in memory retention and comprehension. 

• Deeper Understanding: The process of creating a one-pager encourages students to think critically and make connections between different concepts. 

• Increased Engagement: The creative and visual nature of one-pagers can make learning more engaging and enjoyable for students. 

• Formative Assessment: One-pagers can serve as valuable formative assessments, allowing teachers to gauge student understanding and identify areas where students may need additional support. 

• Reduced Writing Anxiety: For some students, the visual and creative aspect of one-pagers can make the writing process less daunting. 

Tips for Implementing One-Pagers:

• Provide clear instructions and examples: Show students examples of effective one-pagers and explain the expectations for the activity. 

• Offer templates: Provide templates to help students organize their thoughts and visuals, especially for younger learners or those who may be overwhelmed by a blank page. 

• Encourage creativity: Allow students to use their own creativity in designing their one-pagers. 

• Provide ample time: Allow students sufficient time to research, analyze, and create their one-pagers. 

• Use one-pagers for discussion and reflection: Have students share their one-pagers with each other and engage in discussions to further deepen their understanding. 

• Consider using one-pagers for different purposes: Use them as a pre-reading activity to activate prior knowledge, during reading to monitor comprehension, or as a post-reading activity to demonstrate understanding. 

How it Works:

1. Setup: Arrange chairs/desks with an "agree" side, a "disagree" side, and an "undecided" space, facing each other.

2. Prompt: Present a controversial statement (e.g., "Technology does more harm than good").

3. Initial Stance: Students write down their initial thoughts and move to their chosen side (Agree, Disagree, Undecided).

4. Discussion: Students take turns sharing, supporting claims with evidence, and responding to others, summarizing the previous speaker's point first.

5. Movement: Students can move to another side if convinced by an argument, illustrating evolving understanding.

6. Moderation: The teacher (or student) moderates, ensuring rules are followed (e.g., "three before me" rule to prevent domination, respectful listening) and probing questions are asked.

7. Reflection: The discussion ends with students reflecting in writing on what changed their minds or solidified their views. 

Key Goals:

• Develop respectful, evidence-based dialogue.

• Challenge assumptions and encourage intellectual flexibility.

• Integrate reading, writing, inquiry, and collaboration (WIC-R). 

Variations:

• Use a continuum (Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree) instead of just two sides.

• Base discussions on specific texts, requiring textual evidence. 

What & Why of Problem Solving Teaching

"Problem solving teaching isn't about letting student solve a lot of problems on their own in class, following the steps you set out for them. It's about recreating in your classroom the circumstances of encountering an authentic problem." - Kieschnick

Problem Solving Teaching is -

• student driven

• rigorous learning

• productive struggle

• opportunity to develop grit, perseverance, and resilience 

Problem solving teaching has a stellar .63 effect size (Hattie, 2015), but only when it is purposefully used to let kids struggle and develop tenacity along the way.

• Encourages active learning.

• Promotes collaboration

• Builds critical thinking skills.

• Increases motivation,

• Enhances creativity.

• Promotes productive struggle.

Problem Solving Teaching Process:

1. Model the problem solving process.

2. Present students with a new problem similar to the problem you modeled.

3. Have a class discussion.

4. Set students free to problem solve.

5. Provide three rounds of spaced intervention.

The problem-solving method is a highly effective teaching strategy (.63 effect size0) that is

designed to help students develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. It

involves providing students with real-world problems and challenges that require them to

apply their knowledge, skills, and creativity to find solutions. 

Model Problem Solving 

• Actually model the process you go through when finding a solution

• Come up with essential questions that must be answered to get started

• Model how you evaluate & decide what resources to use​

• Articulate your thinking as you find the solution​

Present Students with a New Problem

• Similar to the problem you modeled, but not too similar

• Don't want students just repeating your exact steps, just the process

• Allow productive struggle - this develops perseverance, grit, & gumption

Have a Class Discussion

• Lead a conversation about what information is needed before coming up with a solution

• Support them as they come up with the essential questions that will lead them to a solution

• Make sure to redirect students if they get off track

Set Them Free to Problem Solve

• Let students go about the resource and tool finding process on their own

• Let them decide how to solve the problem on their own

• Be available to provide support and guidance, but not solutions

• This is an excellent opportunity to integrate technology - whether it is researching, supporting the solution, or checking their solutions

How to Promote Productive Struggle

• Give students time.

• Scaffold students' thinking by giving informative feedback.

• Provide non-routine problems.

• Praise perseverance not right answers.

• Create a collaborative environment.

• Display work that shows creativity no the highest scores.

Provide Three Rounds of Spaced Intervention

• An initial intervention aimed at making sure students are on the right track

• An intermediate intervention to scaffold for those students who are struggling

• A final, summative intervention in the last 5 or 10 minutes of class where we stop shy of providing a step-by-step solution, but instead discuss the problem-solving process as a class

• Problem Solving Lesson Plans from Ed Creative https://www.eds-resources.com/edcreative.htm 

Digital Tools

Teaching Mathematics Through

Problem Solving

•What is Productive Struggle

•Problem Solving Lesson Plans from Ed
•A Problem Solving Approach to ELA
•Knowledge Compass

• Code.Org

• BrainPop

• Gizmos

Technology Tools 

Brainpop Educator

https://educators.brainpop.com/

School, District, and Homeschool subscribers can set up My BrainPOP educator accounts. My BrainPOP accounts allow educators to create classes, assign work to students, and track student progress.

https://youtu.be/0iQk3OJo1qA

TEDEd

https://ed.ted.com/

Browse hundreds of TED-Ed animations - short, award-winning videos that will spark the curiosity of your learners. You'll also find thousands of other video-based lessons organized by the subjects you teach.

https://youtu.be/1fL9YIxMB88

Minecraft

https://education.minecraft.net/

• Minecraft: Education Edition is an open-world game that promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment where the only limit is your imagination

• Educators visiting the Minecraft: Education Edition community site will find existing lesson plans on pixel art, grid paper to plan student work, and even a Minecraft world set up as a blank canvas for students to engage in creative expression. These materials are distributed to the students, and the crafting begins..

HistoryPin

https://www.historypin.org/en/

Historypin is a place for people to share photos and stories, 

Knowledge Compass

http://www.knowledgecompass.org/

The Knowledge Compass is a wonderful way to help students formulate questions and begin the research process. The website provides several different types of questions to help students ask the right questions to guide their research.

https://youtu.be/k19wqBMqUwM 

Design Squad Global

https://pbskids.org/designsquad

Fun engineering problems encourage classroom competition, innovation

Watch the video located here:

https://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/program/global.html

Student Objective 

Students will continue developing their relational capacity by sharing different pieces of personal information and preferences in an impromptu and fun manner. Overview As students begin to increase their relational capacity, they start to feel  comfortable sharing increasingly personal and vulnerable information.  

Question Beach Ball is an exciting activity that encourages students to go beyond sharing generic information and take risks in a fun, friendly, and positive environment. 

Materials/Set-Up 

•Teacher Resource: 

• 1.14a: Beach Ball Questions 

1. What is the first thing that you do when you get out of bed?

2. What is your favorite line from a movie?

3. What is your favorite joke?

4. What do Martians do for fun on Mars?

5. If your life was being turned into a feature-length movie, who would play you? Why?

6. Up to this point, what would you describe as your “15 minutes of fame?”

7. What is your favorite jelly bean flavor? Why?

8. What one object in your home are you most embarrassed about owning? Why?

9. When you dance, what do you look like?

10. If you could be a famous actor, writer, athlete, artist, or musician, what would you choose? Why?

11. What is the worst occupation in the world? Why?

12. What is your greatest fear? Why?

13. If you were given a canvas and water colors, what would you paint?Why?

14. Which celebrity irritates you the most? Why?

15. What is your lifelong dream? Why?

16. If you could ask the president of the United States one question, what would it be?

17. What was a moment in your life where you tried something and simply were not good at it?

18. What is the biggest advantage of being really tall?

19. How many minutes does it take you to get ready in the morning?

20. What hobby have you always wanted to pick up? Why?

21. What is it about you that people find irresistible? Why?

22. If you were any animal, what would you be? Why?

23. What event or technological breakthrough do you think will revolutionize the future?

24. What is the most beautiful word that you can think of? Why?

25. What beverage do you find nauseating? Why?

26. What three adjectives best describe you?

27. What was your favorite book growing up? Why?

28. What is the most common compliment that people give you?

29. What is the best purchase that you have ever made?

30. If you could add any word to the dictionary, what would it be?

31. What commercial product would you refuse to endorse? Why?

32. What word best describes your Internet knowledge?

33. What occurred during the longest period of time that you have spent in a car?

34. What is the best costume that you ever wore for Halloween?

35. If you were a teacher, what subject would you teach? Why?

36. What is the worst grade that you ever received, and in which class did you receive it?

37. What would you like your nickname to be?

38. What are you most proud of?

39. What age were you when you had your most embarrassing hair style and what was it?

40. What is the best advice that you have ever received?

• One beach ball with the numbers 1–40 written on it to correspond to  the questions on Beach Ball Questions 

Instructional Steps 

1. Have a student volunteer hold the ball and knock it into the air. 

2. Have the next three students knock it back into the air. ELL Integration: Consider providing academic language scripts to support students’ ability to dynamically introduce academic vocabulary  and switch from social  to academic language. 

• It might be helpful to have the class chant, “One” (when the first person hits it), “Two” (when the second person hits it), and “Three” (when the third person hits it). 

3. The fourth student should catch the ball and announce the number that is closest to the index finger on their right hand. 

4. Read the corresponding question from Beach Ball Questions. 

5. Have students use the wording of the question to formulate the answer. • 

For example, “The first thing that I do when I get out of bed is….”

6. When the student has answered the question, repeat the previous steps, allowing a new student to respond to a question each time. 

7. Close the activity with a debrief, either verbal or written, using a few of the questions from the Stage 2 Debrief Prompts. 

Extension 

• To increase scaffolding, allow students to request to answer a different question. 

• To integrate technology, use a beach ball without numbers on it. Once  the fourth person catches the ball, use a random number generator to assign their question.

A quick competition teaching strategy uses fast-paced, engaging games or activities to review material, boost participation, and check understanding, often through digital tools like Kahoot!, team relays (Whiteboard Relay, Quick Sorts), or point systems, focusing on effort and learning over just winning to keep it low-stakes and fun. 

This video demonstrates a quick competition strategy called Whiteboard Relay:

Edutopia

YouTube • Nov 17, 2023

Quick Competition Examples

• Kahoot!/Quizizz: Digital quizzes with live leaderboards, earning points for speed and accuracy, making assessment fun.

• Whiteboard Relay: Teams write answers on mini-whiteboards, passing them to teammates to build collaboration and review concepts quickly.

• Quick Sorts (60-Second Strategy): Students sort concept cards into categories, getting instant feedback, ideal for bell-ringers.

• Team Tally/House System: Assign points (tallies) to teams for good behavior or correct answers, with rewards for the winning group.

• Minute Papers/Exit Tickets: Students write brief responses to a question, providing quick formative assessment for the teacher to plan next steps. 

Watch this video to see how to use Quick Sorts in your classroom:

Edutopia

YouTube • Mar 7, 2025

Key Principles for Success

• Focus on Learning: Emphasize effort, teamwork, and skill-building, not just the win.

• Keep it Low-Stakes: Ensure the goal is engagement and checking understanding, not high-pressure testing.

• Provide Feedback: Use results to guide future lessons and help students correct mistakes.

• Healthy Mindset: Teach students to handle winning and losing positively, framing losing as a learning chance. 

Quick writes are short, informal writing tasks that can be assigned during class or as brief, out-of-class assignments. Quick writes help students remember, organize, and manage information, and they can be used at any point in a classroom lesson to help them communicate their thoughts, experiences, and reactions to what they are reading and learning. They can also be used as a formative assessment to determine how well students have learned content.

Quick writes are:

usually completed in less than 10 minutes

usually not revised

informally evaluated

Quick Writes are so powerful because they do not require a significant amount of planning. For many students, writing can be very challenging and Quick Writes avoid some of the anxiety that longer, more formal writing tasks can cause.

Examples of quick write tasks

• informal notes/scribbles

• margin notes while reading

• list of facts, steps, ideas

• set of instructions or directions

• filling in a graphic organizer or completing a set of notes

• free-writing: write on a topic for a short specified amount of time

• one-paragraph summary

• generate a few questions

• KWL chart: What I know, What I want to know, What I learned (download reflection form template)

• write a definition in your own words

• draw, label, or explain pictures/diagrams

• short answers to questions

• sentence combining

• short communication with someone else (email, tweet, note, text message)

• admit and exit tickets (download template)

Using questions for quick writes

When students respond to questions in writing, their ability to process and remember content information improves. Here are some suggestions for general questions that can be used in all content areas:

At the start of class:

• What was the most important thing you learned from your homework assignment or reading?

• What questions do you have about your homework assignment or reading?

• What are you most interested in discussing or learning in today’s class?

At the end of class:

• What was the most important thing you learned today?

• What do you want to learn more about?

• What was confusing, or is there something you would like explained better?

https://ctlonline.org/quick-write-2/ 

Reciprocal Teaching

What is it?

Reciprocal teaching refers to an instructional activity in which students become the teacher in small group sessions. Teachers model, then help students learn to guide discussions using four strategies:predicting, clarifying, questioning, and summarizing. (Effect Size .74)

Teachers must coach students through the process of student to student communication.

Reciprocal teaching is for any discipline.

Students should work in groups of four or five.

Students must do the questioning.

• Increased Engagement - Reciprocal teaching makes students active participants in the lesson, enhancing their attention and comprehension

• Transition to Independent Reading - It helps students move from guided to independent reading by reinforcing comprehension strategies.

• Improved Reading Comprehension - Studies show that using reciprocal teaching can lead to significant gains in reading comprehension within just a few months.

Example of Reciprocal Teaching:

• Student groups make a PREDICTION about what they will be reading in a shared group PPT.  Students must say why they made their prediction.

• Student then scan but do not read explicitly to look for unfamiliar words and put these in to the PPT.  Students work together to CLARIFY the meaning of the unfamiliar words.

• Students read the assigned text and develop QUESTIONS:   a "right there"question, a "between the lines" question, and a critical thinking question. Student groups exchange questions to answer.

• Student come to consensus and  work together to create a succinct SUMMARY.  This could be tweeted to the teacher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsfzZKMickI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My68SDGeTHI 

Articles to Support Reciprocal Teaching

Weebly: Strategies for Reciprocal Teaching

ASCD’s Fab Four Reciprocal Teaching Reading Strategies

Intervention Central’s planning for reading comprehension

Weston Kieschnick Webinar modeling Reciprocal Teaching - https://www.hmhco.com/webinar/reciprocal-teaching 

Resources

• Reciprocal Teaching Interventions

• Reciprocal Teaching Package

• Reciprocal Teaching: Selecting from the “Fab Four”

• Weston Kieschnick webinar on Reciprocal Teaching

• How to Boost Reading Comprehension with Reciprocal Teaching

• Reciprocal Teaching Techniques to Increase Engagement

• Reciprocal Teaching with Multimedia

Technology Tools that Support

https://nearpod.com/

• a free app available for iOS and Android

•  teachers create digital lesson plans, share it with students during class, and track individual progress.

• Lessons are comprised of teacher-created slides that can include text, video, images, websites, questions, quizzes, polls, and assignments. 

• Students are able to follow the lesson on their own devices at their own pace or teachers can lead a synchronized session where students can follow the lesson in real-time

•  a few sample lesson plans that teachers can choose from

Powerpoint Shared or Powerpoint Recording

• Access through the Office 365 App launcher

• Students record their thinking as a group; using the 4 step close reading process

• Teacher has a record of student thinking and discussion

How to Share a Powerpoint

How to Use the Recording Tab in Powerpoint

Flipgrid

• Flipgrid is a website that allows teachers to create "grids" to facilitate video discussions. Each grid is like a message board where teachers can pose questions, called "topics," and their students can post video responses that appear in a tiled grid display.

• Topics can be text-based or include a resource such as an image, video, Giphy, emoji, or attachment. 

•  Responses can be 15 seconds to five minutes, and a maximum recording time can be set. 

• The CoPilot feature allows more than one teacher to be a grid moderator

Actively Learn

• Actively Learn is an online tool with a library of thousands of texts and Common Core-aligned lessons that both teachers and students can interact with in real-time. 

• Students can interact with a text by digitally highlighting and annotating, responding to embedded questions and content, and leaving feedback and comments for peers.

• Actively Learn chunks text by breaking it up with embedded questions. Students cannot proceed until they answer the question

Seesaw

• Free basic plan

• Digital portfolio, journal, and blog 

• Audio, video, and drawing options add tons of opportunities for differentiation and reflection, enabling teachers to accommodate a variety of learning styles without a lot of extra effort

• Teachers approve posts and can give Family access to the student portfolio

• Works on any device

• Can allow peer to peer feedback

Class Notebook

• OneNote Class Notebooks have a personal workspace for every student, a content library for handouts, and a collaboration space for lessons and creative activities.

• Class Notebook can be accessed through your Office 365 App launcher

• The MS TEAMS App has a built in class notebook

Red Dot / Green Dot is a great activity to use at the start of a unit or project. It will help you to determine how much prior knowledge students have (and get them up and out of their seats!). 

1. Terms and/or topics specific to your lesson are listed on various charts around the room.

2. Students are asked to “rate” their knowledge of each term using colored dots, markers or symbols (red OR a dash mark = not familiar at all; yellow OR a plus sign = somewhat familiar; and green OR a star = very familiar). 

3. Provide 5-10 minutes as needed for students to go to each chart and place a colored sticker/mark next to the term/topic based on their familiarity with it.

4. Once all the students have visited all the charts, review each term together. Which ones are familiar to students already? Which ones may require more support?

*This activity is particularly useful in the metacognition of new word learning. It will specifically help EL students by giving them an opportunity to “preview” the vocabulary required for the upcoming lesson. 

FCPS CTE Rubric Guidance

Rubrics Folder  

Self-Assessment (Effect Size 1.33) Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_5dJ-dlIQ 

This is all about students assessing their own learning and documenting it.

The most important element of taking Self-Assessment from Old to BOLD is the idea that self-assessment is a cycle, with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

• Beginning: The teacher defines proficiency and how it will be measured.

• Middle: Students are given some sort of self-assessment opportunity, followed by a teacher-guided dialogue with students about the revelations of the assessment.

• End: Students are given the chance, through some sort of learning task to apply what they have learned from the self-assessment and make improvements.

Technology can easily take self assessment to the next level.

Students should be coached through the process of self assessment.

The goal is to push students to grow their expectations of themselves, stretch to meet their expectation, then grow again.

Students with frequent opportunities to self assess develop an awareness that they are in control of their learning.

Questions to consider: 

If students were successful with an outcome, what strategies did they employ? If they weren’t successful, which strategy didn’t work and why? Which strategy could work next time?

Technology Tools that Support

Poll Everywhere

https://www.polleverywhere.com/

https://youtu.be/dT3aZ5Ph8e8 

(PollEv) is a web-based student response system that works on any Internet enabled device.

Instructors can choose from a variety of question types to display via a mobile-friendly website and ask students to engage with the content by responding to the questions on their devices.

Additionally, instructors can integrate polls (questions) in any existing presentations built in PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides.

Kahoot

https://youtu.be/qfPH4GEo600 

Create a quiz to reinforce learning outcomes.

 You can create a game to introduce a topic. It can help you discover what the students alreadyknow and where you should focus your instruction.

It works best with short, quick response questions. It is a great tool for learning terminology.

 Survey the students about something you are discussing in your unit of study.

Create a quiz to use as a study session for an upcoming exam.

 You can play the game a second time using a “ghost”. The game plays the same as previouslybut now the students are playing against their first responses and hoping to improve their score..

How to Create a Kahoot Quiz

Quizziz

https://youtu.be/TmqRCMPpHbA?t=22 

Quizizz is a free tool.

It works on any device: web browser, iOS, Android and Chrome apps.

You can access hundreds of ready-made learning quizzes or create your own.

Join as a teacher, pick a quiz, and use the code for a virtual room to give to your students. 

Students work at their own pace

Each student receives questions in a random order.

Teachers can choose to make their quiz public or private. 

Print individual student reports for use during  conferences and IEP meetings

Socrative

https://youtu.be/upY8uG3NFfY 

allows teachers to create simple quizzes that students can take quickly on laptops – or, more often, via classroom tablet computers or their own smartphones.

Quizzes can be true/false, multiple choice, graded short answer or allow open-ended short responses. Activities can either be teacher-paced (for use during a classroom discussion) or student-paced (for use as a more traditional class-end “exit ticket” or quiz).

There’s also a gaming element: the “Space Race” feature can set up a quiz so that teams of students can compete against one another to launch rockets into space. Results can be displayed live in the classroom to facilitate discussion (with student identity kept anonymous)

Kids will like the instant feedback; it’s easy for teachers to see where students are missing a concept and adjust instruction accordingly

Articles to further explore Self-Assessment:

Reflection Questions for Student Led Conferences

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ815370.pdf

1. Preparation and setup

• Choose a text:  Select an authentic, thought-provoking text that invites multiple interpretations

• Prepare students: Let students know about the seminar in advance, give them time to read the text, and have them annotate it and prepare their own questions.

• Create the space: Arrange the classroom so that students can sit in a circle or oval, facing one another, to encourage a free-flowing dialogue.

• Establish norms: Work with the class to collaboratively create discussion norms. These should include respectful listening, addressing the group, using textual evidence, and avoiding side conversations or interruptions. 

2. Conducting the seminar

• Begin with a question: Start with an open-ended, text-based question that requires no single "right" answer.

• Let students lead: Empower students to lead the discussion by having them ask and answer questions, with no hand-raising or calling of names.

• Facilitate, don't lecture: The teacher's role is to guide, not to dominate. Stay out of the way, but be ready to ask clarifying questions like, "Does anyone see a different perspective?" or "Do we need to revisit the text?".

• Encourage participation: Use prompts to draw out quieter students and encourage those who tend to dominate to make space for others.

• Incorporate structure (optional): For larger groups, consider using a double-circle "fishbowl" format where an inner circle discusses while the outer circle takes notes or offers support. Another option is a backchannel, like a shared digital space, for students to post comments and questions. 

3. Reflection and assessment

• Conclude with a summary: End by having the teacher or a student summarize the main points of the discussion, focusing on the different perspectives explored rather than a definitive "answer".

• Facilitate reflection: After the seminar, have students reflect on their own participation, what they learned, and what they could do differently next time. This reflection can be more valuable than a grade. 

• https://youtu.be/-IiRYGK0Erg 

Spaced practice refers to a study schedule that involves studying material over a period of time, with breaks in between, to promote better retention of information. This technique is often used in educational settings and is considered one of the most effective study strategies for long-term learning. According to John Hattie’s Visible Learning research, the method of spaced practice is a high impact strategy with a .59 effect size. 

https://youtu.be/qJ7HtVV2oo8

Benefits

Spaced practice refers to a study schedule that involves studying material over a period of time, with breaks in between, to promote better retention of information. This technique is often used in educational settings and is considered one of the most effective study strategies for long-term learning. According to John Hattie’s Visible Learning research, the method of spaced practice is a high impact strategy with a .59 effect size. 

Technique

• Identify key facts and ideas that students must know for the future.

• Plan short and frequent review sessions throughout the year.

• Mix old information with new material. This can be done on Homework, quizzes, technology programs.

• Review older material first.

• Take advantage of down time to practice.

Resources

• Teaching Strategies: Spaced Practice Video

• Microsoft Forms Quiz

• Playposit

• Nearpod

• Moby Max

• Textbook Software

• Quizlet

• How To Study Using The Spaced Practice Method

• Spaced Practice vs Mass Practice:  Why Cramming Doesn’t Work

• Purpose — To collaboratively construct meaning, clarify, and expand our thinking about a text or document.    This protocol works especially well with shorter texts.

• Group size — Can accommodate any size group by increasing time.

• Preparation — Send the text or document to all participants in advance, and instruct them to mark the sentence, the phrase, and the word they think is particularly important for our work. Select a scribe for the group if you prefer not to scribe, and bring chart paper or appropriate technology for charting.

• Option — If you have a text that is only one or two pages long, consider having the group read the text aloud. Ask for a volunteer to read the first paragraph, then go around the group, with each new person reading the next paragraph. Remind the group that everyone is free to pass if they prefer not to read. Once the text has been read, give the group a couple of minutes to mark the sentence, phrase, and word that is significant to them. Listening to a text provides a different kind of experience when extracting meaning. If you use this option, use the debrief to explore the difference between reading silently and listening to the text being read.

Steps:

1. Setup — Review the protocol’s purpose with the group. Give them a couple of minutes to ensure they have a sentence, a phrase, and a word to share in rounds. Remind them that for this text protocol, they don’t need any “backups.” People make connections with others who have also chosen “their” sentence, phrase, or word. (3 min.)

2. First Round, Share Sentence — Each person shares a sentence from the document that they feel is particularly significant. (5 min.)

3. Second Round, Share Phrase — Each person shares a phrase from the document that they feel is particularly significant. If desired, the scribe records each phrase on chart paper/white board/onscreen for all. (5 min.)

4. Third Round, Share Word — Each person shares a single word from the document that they feel is particularly significant. The scribe records each word on fresh chart paper/white board/onscreen for all. (5 min.)

5. Discuss — The group discusses what they heard and what it says about the document. (10 min.)

6. Debrief and reflect — Discuss the process and the product of the protocol. (5 min)

• •  In what ways could you use the final list of words?

  • What ideas did not strike you as important in your private reading that feel much more important now after the text rendering protocol?

  • How do you feel about using this particular protocol compared with other text protocols?

  • Did some of the phrases or words seem to imply something different than the overall text or document?

  • Did this protocol feel more like teaching or training (pointing you towards a specific outcome) or more like facilitation (revealing the complex thoughts of the group)?

Think-pair-share

• This active learning technique is another of the best-known instructional strategies. After presenting a lesson, pause the lecture for a moment to ask students to pair up with a partner. Have them discuss the material they just learned. Prepare questions, and, once they’ve had some time to discuss with their partner(s), get students to take turns presenting their observations to the rest of the class.

Think: The teacher presents an open-ended question, encouraging students to reflect and jot down answers for two or three minutes. 

Pair: Then students team up with a partner to discuss and enhance their answers. 

Share: Finally, the two-person teams present insights from their discussion to the rest of the class.

Make the question challenging, such that it could spark debate between the grouped or paired students. 

Give them just a few minutes to talk amongst themselves and come to a collective conclusion.

Think-pair-share can work especially well for the first few lessons of a class, keeping students on their toes and interested in the material that is to come. But it can also help recapture student enthusiasm near the middle of a term, reminding students that they aren’t alone in their learning and that others share their views or concerns, and that there are different perspectives to support an issue that are worth considering beyond their own.

Think Pair Share is a strategy that can be used to get students to collaborate to answer a question or solve a problem. Students begin by compiling their own understandings in relation to the prompt (Think). They then discuss those thoughts with a partner and talk about their common understandings and misunderstandings 

(Pair). Finally, they provide a synopsis of their duo’s response to the question 

(Share). This strategy gives students a chance to reflect on big course concepts, encourages students to engage with course concepts, and gives less outgoing students the opportunity to have a voice in class.

Why use this strategy?

Using the Think-Pair-Share strategy has many benefits. It can promote student engagement with the content by asking them to begin to put material into their own words, which helps with later recall of the information. It can also promote sense of community because students speak to a classmate about the material. This strategy is also helpful in allowing many students to feel they have a voice in the class rather than asking a question and only one or two students getting to respond.

Tips

• Ask a specific question that you would like to have students answer. Opinion or personal experience questions work very well because of the diversity of answers that can occur. It is recommended that factual answers are avoided in this strategy.

• Explain the whole procedure and purpose of each step to students at the beginning. Students sometimes try to talk with their classmates during the Think stage which could drastically change their own thoughts.

• Give students a task to be completing while listening to their classmates during the Share portion of this activity. Consider having them write down three points that they hadn’t thought about or important findings from the group.

Tools to Consider Using

• 16 Variations on Think-Pair-Share to Keep Students Engaged 

Vocabulary "Scavenger Hunts": Give students a list of 5 technical terms. They must find the physical representation of those words in the lab and take a photo or "tag" it with a post-it note.

The Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt is the perfect active-learning antidote to the "sit and get" lecture. It forces students to move, observe, and connect abstract terms to cold, hard steel.

By requiring a photo or a physical "tag," you turn the workshop into an interactive puzzle. Here is how to structure it for maximum engagement and retention.

1. The Logistics of the Hunt

To keep the shop from becoming chaotic, set clear parameters for how students "claim" their finds.

• The Digital Method: Students use their phones or school tablets to take a photo of the item. For extra credit, have them include themselves in the frame (the "Tool Selfie") to prove they found it.

• The Analog Method (Post-it Tags): Give each student or pair a pack of Post-it notes with their initials on them. They must stick the note to the tool or component.

• The "Time Trial": To add urgency, the first team to correctly tag all five items wins a "Master Tradesman" bonus in classroom currency.

2. Tiered Challenge Lists

Don't just list five random tools. Structure your lists by Category or Difficulty to keep them thinking critically.

Level 1: The "New Recruit" (Basic Identification)

Target: Common hand tools and shop stations.

1. Ball-peen Hammer (Must not be a claw hammer).

2. Philips Head Screwdriver (Must be a #2 size).

3. Speed Square.

4. Bench Vise.

5. Adjustable Wrench (The "Crescent" wrench).

Level 2: The "Journeyman" (Parts & Components)

Target: Specific parts of a machine or specialized fasteners.

1. Chuck Key (Usually found near the drill press).

2. Fence (Specifically on the table saw or jointer).

3. Collet (The sleeve that holds the bit in a router or CNC).

4. Set Screw (A small screw hidden inside a pulley or knob).

5. Miter Gauge.

Level 3: The "Master Tech" (Abstract & Evaluative)

Target: Identifying states of being or specific measurements.

1. A "Burr" (Finding a piece of metal or wood with a rough, unfinished edge).

2. Flush Joint (Finding two pieces of material that meet perfectly flat).

3. Countersink (Finding a hole prepared for a flat-head screw).

4. Pilot Hole.

5. Grain Direction.

3. The "Gotcha" Elements

To ensure they aren't just guessing, include "Distractor" items.

The Example: Tell them to find a "Socket Wrench" but leave a "Box-End Wrench" out in plain sight. If they tag the Box-End wrench, they "lose a life" or face a small currency deduction. This teaches them to look for specific functional features (the ratcheting mechanism) rather than just "something that turns a bolt."

4. Verification & Discussion

The hunt shouldn't end when the last photo is taken. Use the results for a quick Rapid-Fire Review:

• Scroll & Show: Project a few student photos on the screen. Ask the class: "Is this a Pilot Hole or a Clearance Hole? How can you tell?"

• The "Why" Factor: If they tagged a Safety Guard, ask them to explain the specific injury it prevents.

5. Examples of Scavenger Hunt Themes

You can rotate the theme of the hunt every Friday or at the start of a new unit:

Theme

Target Vocabulary Examples

Fastener Frenzy

Hex Bolt, Carriage Bolt, Lag Screw, Cotter Pin, Lock Washer.

Safety Search

E-Stop Button, Eye Wash Station, Fire Blanket, MSDS Binder, Yellow Line.

Measurement Mania

1/16" Mark, Plumb Line, Level Bubble, Caliper Jaw, Depth Gauge.

Abrasive Action

80-Grit Paper, Steel Wool, Wire Wheel, Deburring Tool, Grinding Stone.

Pro-Tip for Management

If you're worried about 20 students crowding one drill press to find a "Chuck Key," give different groups different lists or have them start at different "stations" in the lab.

Are you planning on having them do this individually, or do you find that "Shop Partners" work better for these types of activities?

This is great for lessons that involve tools or equipment. 

1. Label ten or so different items with a number.

2. Have students make a list on a piece of paper.

3. Have students go around and try to identify each item. Tell them to not share their answers!

4. When students are done, the teacher shares the answers. You might give the student that had the most right answers a prize.

Student Objective