It is important to choose an Activating Strategy that is suitable for students’ existing background knowledge.

As you look at the Learning Goals of the lesson, ask yourself if students already have some background knowledge of the concepts and skills or if the content is being introduced for the first time. Thinking about this will help you decide if you need a strategy that will help students connect to what they already know or a strategy that will build background knowledge that they can connect to in the lesson. For example, if this is an introductory lesson to new concepts, a K-W-L would not be appropriate. In this case you might want to provide an experience such as a picture walk through a text or a simulation activity.

If students have existing background knowledge for the concept, you could use a strategy in which they recall what they know, such as by creating an acrostic of key words related to the concept.

Example:

S um up

U se only crucial details

M ain ideas are included

M uch shorter than the original

A lways concise

R educes information

Y ou use your own words