Easy and Engaging Instructional Strategies

Teresa Pinkston

White Boards• Laminated Card Stock

–Light colors• Dry Erase Markers• Paper Towels

–Individual answers –Think Pair Share

Red and Green• True and False• Agree and Disagree• Red and Green cards

– Each student displays his/her selected side over his/her heart or chin, wherever it is most visible to the teacher.

– Instruct students to hold it close to their body so it is difficult for others to view their choice.

Agree or Disagree!

Hold your card up close to your chin as soon as you decide if you Agree or Disagree!

Topic: Oklahoma Trivia

AgreeDisagree

True or False?In Tulsa, Oklahoma, you may

not open a soda bottle without the supervision of a

licensed engineer.

True!

Agree or Disagree? In Oklahoma City it is legal to

serve alcohol in a pool hall, and all intoxicated persons

must remain on the pool hall premises.

Disagree!

While it is legal to serve alcohol in an Oklahoma City

pool hall, all intoxicated persons must leave the

premises.

True or False?In Oklahoma, the entire

Encyclopedia Britannica is banned because it contains a formula for making beer at

home.

False!

The entire Encyclopedia Britannica is banned in Texas, not Oklahoma, because it contains a

formula for making beer at home.

Race to the Answers

• Self-adhesive presentation paper• Markers• Teams• List of questions

Rules– No talking between team members.– Team members form a single line. The first person may answer

any question or write IDK (I don’t know). When he/she has written one answer he/she will move to the back of the line.

– The next person may answer any question or correct a previous answer.

– When the team has answered all of the questions they will sit down.

– The teacher will check the answers and will tell the team if all the answers are correct. If there is an incorrect answer the team must stand up and continue. At this point the teacher may give hints or clues or allow team members to talk.

1. What Georgia City is home to the Masters golf tournament?

2. In what U.S. City was Motown records founded?3. How many U.S. Presidents were named George?4. Where in the body do you find the humerus bone?5. What is the name of King Mufasa’s cub in The

Lion King?6. Ozzy Osbourne was the lead singer of what band?7. What planet in the solar system has the most

moons?8. The spokesman for GEICO is what kind of

animal?9. What breed of dog is Snoopy?10. What is infinity plus one?

Hoodwinked

• List of numbered questions• Teams• Scorecard

Rules• Choose 2 groups of equal number.• List the number of each question on the board but not the question itself.

The instructor has the list of numbered questions.• The first team picks the question number for the second team. • Without any discussion, the members of the second team that believe that

they know the answer will stand.• The first team will choose one of the standing second team members to

give an answer for the team.• Scoring:

– If the selected second team member is correct, the second team gets a point for every member of their team standing.

– If the selected second team member is wrong, the first team gets a point for every member standing.

• Teams alternate picking the question, etc.• It is helpful to check off the question number on the board as it is selected.

Questions – Topic - Movie Trivia

• Question #1• Question #2• Question #3• Question #4• Question #5

• Question #6• Question #7• Question #8• Question #9• Question #10

Board Smack

• Questions with displayable answers • Board smackers (funoodles, fly swatters, nerf

bat, etc.)• Teams

Rules

• Choose 2 groups of equal number.• Each group lines up in front of the board.• The first member of each group stand with his/her

back to the board.• The teacher will read a question and allow some

time for the students to think about the answer.• Then the teacher shows the answers and the

students turn and smack the correct answer.• This student moves to the end of the line.

Question #1

• Who is famous for singing the song

White Christmas?

Question #2

• Which diagram represents an

obtuse angle?

Question #3

• Who is famous for singing the song

Poker Face?

Question #4

• What Oklahoma city was the only city in the

contiguous United States to be

bombed during World War

II?

Anadarko Boise City Broken Bow

Question #5

• In the Toy Story movies, who was the voice of

the cowboy doll Woody?

Bingo

• Bingo cards• Writing utensil• List of terms and definitions• Rules

– You may hand out blank bingo cards for students to fill in or you may create them yourself.

– You may play any form of bingo, four corners, etc.– The teacher reads the definitions and the students

cross of the words.

Zipline

• Cards with questions and answers

Scategories

• Answer sheets with letters and blanks• List of categories• Writing utensils• Timer• May be played individually or small groups

Rules

• Each student or team of students is given an identical answer sheet with letters of the alphabet next to blanks.

• Instruct the class to keep the next paper you hand out face down. Each student or team is given a face down list of the same letters with a category next to a letter. These are the same for each student or team.

• The goal is to come up with an answer for each category that begins with the letter assigned to that category. It can be a single word, a phrase, or a sentence, as long as it is something that fits the category and/or relates to that category.

Rules

• Students are given a stated amount of time to complete.

• After time is up, each student or team reads their answer to one category. Grading is as follows:– If an answer is the same as someone else’s answer, no

points are earned.– Answers that are not duplicated are given one point– If an answer is out there but not obviously incorrect, you

may have the class debate and decide if the answer is correct, with the instructor having ultimate veto power.

Scategories• If the category is this:W-Character from the Harry Potter Series• For the following blank on the answer sheet:W__________________• Any of these answers would be correct:Worm TailWeasley, RonWand MakerWeird headmasterWizard

Last Student Standing

• List of multiple choice questions• A – D signs

Rules

• Label the four corners of the room A-D.• The teacher reads multiple choice questions and

the students move to the corner corresponding to their selected answer.

• Only those student with the correct answer may continue until you have the Last Student Standing.

• To discourage students from following others teachers may need to arrange for a strong student to intentionally select an incorrect answer.

Mystery Word

• Term or procedure with 5 clues• Rules

– 5 clues, from most challenging to easiest– Students write word on board– Points can be given for first completed correctly,

spelling can count

Let’s make a Cake

• The chef has to find each task (fellow student) and place them in sequential order.

• When complete, the group discusses whether the steps are in optimal order for completing in the quickest amount of time and if not, how they could be more efficient by changing the order.

• The students will calculate the total time it will take to complete this “project” and will determine what the critical path is (the longest path of planned activities).

• They will then brainstorm ideas on how to compress the schedule (i.e. add resources to the tasks, work on tasks concurrently, etc.) and recalculate the new critical path.

Incredible Shrinking Notes• 3 sizes of notecards (preferably different colors)• Writing utensils• Rules

– Students may work individually or in groups– Read an assignment (paragraph, section, chapter)– Student(s) summarize the reading on the largest card.– Reduce the summary to the middle sized card.– Reduce the summary to the smallest card. – Share the summaries with the another group or the entire class.– May pass the card and have another student or group read the

assignment and summarize on the smaller card.– More than one person or group with the same reading

assignment.

ABC Review

• Paper– Individual– Groups - self-adhesive presentation paper

• Writing utensil– Pens, pencils, etc. or Markers

• Timer

Classmate Feud

• Teams• List of questions• Bell• Scorekeeper• Rules

– Played like family feud– Teams line up across from each other– First player to hit the bell answers the question. If he/she is

wrong it goes to the opposite team. – If multiple answers, the team that hits the bell first answers as

many as possible before it goes to the other team.

3-2-1 Scoot• 3 x 5 cards with a numbered question written on each card• Numbered paper for student answers• Answer key• Timer• Writing utensils• Rules

– Students clear their desks. – Pass our answer sheets. – Cards are placed question side down on desks. – Set the timer. – Students write the answer on the numbered line that corresponds to

the question. – When timer signals they “scoot” (3-2-1 Scoot) to the next question. – Review as a class.

Talking Stick

• The one who has the stick gets to do the talking– Review– Discussions

Roll the Dice

• A way of grading assessments• Students/group can roll them to find out what

question or topic they will cover• Student/group what order they will go in

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/maths/dice/

Cube It

• How would you use it

Graphic Organizers• http

://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning/graphic-organizers

K-W-H-L

• K - Stands for helping students recall what they KNOW about the subject.

• W - Stands for helping students determine what they WANT to learn.

• L - Stands for helping students identify what they LEARN as they read.

• H - Stands for HOW we can learn more (other sources where additional information on the topic can be found).

Jeopardy

• https://jeopardylabs.com/

• Play jeopardy http://jeopardylabs.com/play/class-jeopardy54

3-2-1 Exit SlipExit Slip

3

Things I Learned Today …

2

Things I Found Interesting …

1Question I Still Have …

Additional Strategies

• Jigsaw• Read and Word Strategy• Think Pair Share• Draw a Picture• Heads Up• Role Play

Videos

• Jigsaw https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/jigsaw-method

• Learning the alphabet https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AwrSbgg4WsdU.FAAh_NXNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA2Noci15b19nYwRncHJpZAMxZGdhWW0yUVE0YVBGcy5LM0Q5OGxBBG5fcnNsdAMwBG5fc3VnZwM0BG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMzBHBxc3RyA2xlYXJuaW5nIG15IGFiYydzIHZpZGVvBHBxc3RybAMyMwRxc3RybAMzMwRxdWVyeQNsZWFybmluZyBteSBhYmMncyB2aWRlb3MgZm9yIGtpZHMEdF9zdG1wAzE0MjIzNTA5MjA-?p=learning+my+abc%27s+videos+for+kids&fr2=sa-gp-search&fr=chr-yo_gc&type=523482

Ma’ and Pa’ Kettle and Mathematics

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CACQmiaU6CU

What mathematics understandings did you observe?

What could account for the misunderstanding?

Word Sort—A Vocabulary Strategy

• Each envelope has 28 terms.• Put them into at least three categories.• Each category must have at least three terms.• Use any collective knowledge you have.

Interactive Word Walls--Simulation• Scan the article and underline all of the words you think are important to

understand what you are reading.• Come to consensus on the words that are the most important• One word per participant:

– On the front of the large index card, colorfully, creatively, and legibly draw the word.

1. Turn the card over and write 1 at the top of the card and creatively define your word in one sentence.

2. In the middle of the card write 2, look up the word on the Internet and write the definition that best defines the word in the context of the article.

3. At the bottom of the card write 3 and write the definition in your own words.

Strategies using Technology

• Padlet • Kahoot• Soapbox• Polleverywhere

http://padlet.com/tpinkston/blended

Focus Free Write

What did you get out of today’s workshop? Is there a strategy you can take back and use

tomorrow?

Ideas to Share

Hope you gained at least one new instructional strategy to take with

you.