62 Instructional Strategies
Detailed guide for 62 effective instructional strategies.
Lead4Ward instructional strategies playlist.
Movement and Discourse Templates
Learning is activated when kids are moving and talking. Movement provides the opportunity for learners to become actively engaged and talk to each other in a variety of group sizes. Get them moving every 18-20 minutes.
PURPOSE – Movement and Discourse: Add rigor throughout a unit by thinking different ways around one topic or concept with a partner.
1. Using the Thinking Partners handout, students mingle to get different thinking partners for the unit.
2. Throughout the unit, the teacher poses Think It Up questions using the verbs on the Thinking Partners handout.
3. Students pair up with the appropriate thinking partner to help form a response.
4. Teacher sees and hears the students’ thinking and clarifies/verifies as appropriate.
thinking_partners_elem_template_19-20 (1).docxPURPOSE – Movement and Discourse: Add rigor throughout a unit by thinking different ways around one topic or concept with a partner.
1. Using the Thinking Partners handout, students mingle to get different thinking partners for the unit.
2. Throughout the unit, the teacher poses Think It Up questions using the verbs on the Thinking Partners handout.
3. Students pair up with the appropriate thinking partner to help form a response.
4. Teacher sees and hears the students’ thinking and clarifies/verifies as appropriate.
Texas_Two_Step_19-20 (1).pptxPURPOSE – Movement and Discourse: Students help each other remember critical information associated with key words, concepts, topics, or skills.
1. Organize students into line A and line B, facing each other. 2. Teacher presents an important word, concept, topic, skill, or question. 3. Texas Two Step: • Step 1 - Student A shares everything he knows about the concept in 30 seconds. • Step 2 - Student B adds at least 1 more idea. 4. Teacher presents another important word, concept, or topic, and A/B switch roles. 5. Get a new partner: • Line A takes 1 step to the right, then line B takes 1 step to the right. • The LAST person in line A and the LAST person in line B walk through the middle to the other end. • Play country music here to make it fun! • Now each person should have a new partner! 6. Teacher presents another word, concept, topic, or skill and the Texas Two-Step continues. 7. Teacher sees and hears students’ thinking and clarifies/verifies as appropriate.
Dance_It_Chance_It_template_19-20 (1).pptxPURPOSE – Movement and Discourse: Allow students to respond to a question, collaborate with a friend, and then take two chances as they solve problems.
Rehearsal and Practice Templates
Learning requires rehearsal and practice. The more the teacher varies the practice, the more likely kids are to engage in learning. Rehearsal and practice that allows for collaborative work also help learners self-correct misconceptions.
jig_saw_sell_template.docxPURPOSE – Rehearsal and Practice: Group members become experts in different parts of the content and “sell it” (teach with enthusiasm) to their home group members.
fact_or_fib_template_19-20.docxPURPOSE – Rehearsal and Practice: Clarify misconceptions as students determine which statements are facts and which are fibs in a slap down game.
just_the_facts_template_19-20.docxPURPOSE – Rehearsal and Practice: Students read a text passage (any subject area) and select specific facts to promote comprehension, and then use those facts to make an inference.
stop_plop_roll_template_19-20.docxPURPOSE – Rehearsal and Practice: During a reading assignment (in any subject area), students participate in activities to better comprehend what they are reading.
stop_plop_roll_template_MATH_19-20.docxvocabulary_pyramid_template_19-20.pptxPURPOSE – Rehearsal and Practice: Give clues, make inferences, and draw conclusions about important words.
Undercover_Agent.pptxPURPOSE – Rehearsal and Practice: Parts of a problem, visual, or question are revealed one small piece at a time, and students synthesize all the clues to determine the big idea
Extending Thinking Templates
Learning requires thinking. Well-designed learning tasks allow kids to think about a topic multiple ways or think through a topic to arrive at more complete and justifiable answers. Often learners stop too early in their thinking or in the learning process.
matching_double_trouble_template_17_18.docxPURPOSE – Extending Thinking: Make connections between words, descriptions, and visuals
justified_list_template2.docxPURPOSE – Extending Thinking: Select examples of a concept from both positive and negative exemplars, then justify your thinking.
card_sort_template (1).docxPURPOSE – Extending Thinking: Make connections by classifying/categorizing important terms, concepts, visuals, manipulatives, or assessment items.
connect_the_dots_template_17_18.docxnine_square_template_17_18.docxjustified_list_template1.docxTalk_a_Mile_a_Minute_template_19-20.pptxrock_and_roll_vocabulary_template_19-20.docxtic_tac_tally_template_17_18.docxrock_and_roll_vocabulary_math_template_19-20.docxodd_one_out_template_17_18.docxDouble_Decker_Discount_template_18-19.docx