Save the Last Word

Each student will share one most significant idea from the reading. It is often helpful to have a back-up quote as well.

• First student shares his/her idea or quote and explains why it resonated with him/her. (SPECIFY TIME: 2 min, 3 min, etc.)

• Others in the group briefly respond to that quote and what the presenter said, in less than a minute.

• The student who began has one minute to close discussion with a reflection.

Repeat for each person in the group.

Source: Teaching & Learning Lab Discussion Protocols

Connect-Extend-Challenge

Connect: How are the ideas and information CONNECTED to what you already know?

Extend: What new ideas did you see that EXTENDED or pushed your thinking in new directions?

Challenge: What is still CHALLENGING or confusing for you to get your mind around? What questions, wonderings, or puzzles do you now have?

Source: Project Zero Connect-Extend-Challenge

Compass Points

E = Excited: What excites you about these ideas? What’s the upside?

W = Worrisome: What do you find worrisome about these ideas? What’s the downside?

N = What else do you need to know or find out about these ideas? What additional information would help you to evaluate things?

S = What is your current stance or opinion on these ideas? How might you move forward in your evaluation of these ideas?

Source: Project Zero Compass Points

Four A's

• What Assumptions does the author of the text hold?

• What do you Agree with in the text?

• What do you want to Argue with in the text?

• What parts of the text do you want to Aspire to?

Source: National School Reform Faculty Four A's

TQE Protocol

After reading about the topic, what are your...

T: Initial Thoughts

Q: Lingering Questions

E: Epiphanies you have had

Source: Startalk TQE Protocol

I Used to Think...Now I Think

Remind students of the topic you want them to consider. Have students write a response using each of the sentence stems:

I used to think...

Now, I think...

Source: Project Zero I Used to Think...