TEACHER TOOLKIT

ERIN HALLEY
UPDATED: DECEMBER 9, 2019

1. Experiential learning : an engaged learning process where students “learn by doing” and by
reflecting on the experience. Experiential learning activities could include hands-on laboratory
experiments, practicums, field exercises, and studio performances.

Examples : A. Field visit to botanical gardens, as part of a science unit on plants. B. Field visit to
the State Capitol as part of a Social Studies Unit on the three branches of government. C.
Classroom performance dramatizing “Oh the Places You’ll Go” at the end of a lesson where
students read the book. D. Lab experiment where students (with teacher guidance) combine
Mentos with Soda to create a chemical reaction, as part of a science lesson about chemical and
physical reactions. E. Students participate in a class voting simulation as a part of a Social
Students lesson on the electoral process.

Variations : A. Take a mini-field trip to the campus greenhouse to observe the

flowers growing, rather than a botanical garden. B. Students participate in a
“Three Branches of Government” simulation in the classroom, rather than
visiting the State Capitol.

2. Service learning : a pedagogy that combines classroom instruction, engaged

student learning, meaningful service in the community, and personal
reflection.

Examples: A. Students volunteer with a local food pantry, as part of a Social Studies lesson on
how to be a Good Citizen. B. Students plant a garden in the spring semester as part of a Science
unit on the life cycle of a plant. The vegetables can be donated to a community partner
organization. C. As part of a unit on the arts and drama, students write, practice and perform a
short play and perform it at the local library to a group of preschoolers. D. Students write letters
to current members of the Armed Services, as a part of a History lesson about Veteran’s Day. E.
As part of a Social Studies lesson on Patriotism, students visit a local nursing home, and perform
the Patriotic songs they have learned.

Variations : A. Students collect canned goods for a local food pantry and bring them to school to
be donated, rather than going to the food pantry. B. Students perform the play to preschool
students on their school campus, rather than at the local library.

3. Teaching with Archival, Botanical, and Museum Collections : can help students to evaluate
evidence in primary documents, develop skills in visual and contextual analysis, collect and
examine raw data, extract and synthesize information from a large amount of undifferentiated
material.
Examples : A. As part of a Social Studies unit on Community Resources, students visit the local
library and complete a Library Scavenger Hunt, to reinforce library resource skills. B. During a
unit on Texas History, students visit the Mayborn Museum at Baylor University and take notes
on the Texas-specific artifacts displayed. C. As a part of a Science unit on the Ice Age,
students visit the Waco Mammoth Site and observe the conditions at this active dig site. D.
During a unit on the Civil Right Movement, students visit the Dallas Civil Rights Museum,
focusing specifically on the original speeches housed there. E. After completing an Art lesson
about watercolors, students visit the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University, focusing on
their extensive watercolor collection.

Variations: A. Instead of visiting the Waco Mammoth Site, use their Teacher Kit of fossils to
encourage students’ learning and understanding by viewing actual artifacts. B. During a Science
Unit on Types of Energy, students visit the Mayborn Museum and focus on the hands-on exhibits
involving energy.

5. Cross-disciplinary teaching on themes : Teaching similar vocabulary and themes in different

classes.

Examples : A. Social Studies lesson about the Statue of Liberty, while also writing about the
theme of Liberty in ELAR. B. Reading a book about bears while learning about bears in Science.
C. Learn about estimating distances by going to the gym and taking turns doing long jumps and
measuring the distance jumped. D. Combine a History lesson about the Seven Wonders of
the World with a Geography lesson using Google Earth. E. Learning about The Revolutionary
War, and including writing “letters” to the historical figures from the lesson.

Variations : A. Practice math drills while doing relays in the gym. B. Combine a science lesson
about landforms with a geography skill using Google Earth.

6. Literature circles/book club/small group guided discussion : Students discuss portions of

books in a small group. Sometimes roles are assigned for group interaction. Students at varying
levels are able to share different points about the book.

Examples: A. After completing a unit where students read “Charlotte’s Web,” students discuss
the book in small groups. B. Students read and discuss in an article about a recent science
discovery and discuss it in small groups. C. Students read a short book about the Ice Age for
Science class. Divide students into groups where each person is responsible to lead the
discussion a certain portion of the book. D. Assign each student a different section of the book to
discuss with their group.

Variations: A. Provide “talking chips” for each group, to ensure that each student is participating
equally. B. After one group cycle, have students switch both partners and the portion of the book
they are covering.
7. Fan-N-Pick: Teammates play a card game to respond to questions. Roles rotate with each new
question. Each team receives a set of question cards. Student #1 holds question cards in a fan and
says, “Pick a card, any card!” Student #2 picks a card, reads the question aloud, and allows 5
seconds of think time. Student #3 answers the question. Student #4 responds to the answer.
Students rotate roles, one person clockwise for each new round.

Examples: A. Students play a Science unit review game. B. Students check for understanding of
key Writing vocabulary terms. C. Students review their knowledge of key dates in a Social
Studies lesson about WWII. D. Students review Math multiplication facts. E. Students review the
key Social Studies facts of the Revolutionary War.

Variations: A. The Teacher provides statement cards, rather than question cards. Student #3
Illustrates the statement. B. The teacher provides quotes on statement cards. Student #3 answers
stating which main character in the story or passage said the statement.

7. The Jigsaw Method: a cooperative learning method that brings about both individual
accountability and achievement of the team goals. This process involves putting the parts of the
assignment together to form a whole picture of the assignment which is similar to the jigsaw
puzzle. The assignment is divided into parts and the class is also divided into the same number of
groups as that of the assignment . Each of these groups is given a different topic and allowed to
learn about it.

Examples: A. Groups are studying about the 5 major world religions as part of a Social Studies
lesson. B. Groups are learning about the 5 major landforms as part of a Science lesson. C.
Student groups are studying the 5 major regions of The United States as part of a Geography
lesson. D. Students are learning about PEMDAS (6 steps of the order of operations) for a Math
lesson. E. Students teach each other about the 4 main battles of the Texas Revolution, as part of a
Texas History lesson.

Variations : A. After students study their content area independently, they huddle with the other
students covering the same content in “Expert Groups.” They review the content together and
make sure they know how to teach group the information. B. When creating groups with uneven
numbers, two students can be paired to cover the same one chunk of information.

STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS:

8. Anchor Activities : Activities used with students at the beginning of classroom instruction or
if students finish early, in order to maximize classroom instruction time. The purpose of the
activities are to review or extend the lesson’s content.

How to Use/Steps : 1. Prepare a variety of review/extension activities ahead of time. 2. Allow

students to choose which activity they would like to do upon arrival or once they have completed
their assignment. 3. Designate a specific bin/location in the room where students may easily
access these materials at the appropriate time.

When to Use/Examples : For Special Education students of varying ability levels, these Anchor
Activities can be tailored to the student’s needs. Here are examples: A. Flash cards with visual
aids to review key terms and concepts from the lesson. B. Reflection journal with fill in the blank
writing prompts and the option to write or draw. C. Independent reading of a content-specific
book, with an adjusted reading level, as needed. D. Art project related to the material covered in
the lesson, with visual examples of things that could be drawn. E. Engage with Interest Centers,
tailored to the students’ needs and ability in a specific subject.

Variations : a. Allow students to work in pairs on larger, more involved

activities. b. Assign specific activities to each student, rather than having
them choose their activity.

9. Appointment Clocks : A clock template that is used to quickly get students

into pairs.

How to Use/Steps : 1. Each student has a clock template with a numbered clock. 2. The teacher
selects the classmates to serve as partners for most of the hours on the clock, leaving several slots
for the student to choose a partner. 3. When the teacher says, “Find your 3 o’clock partner!”
everyone knows what to do and can quickly move into pair work.

When to Use/Examples : Special Needs students often benefit from visual aids and supports. An
appointment clock would be an excellent support for these students. It would also reduce stress
and ambiguity by defining the students’ partners ahead of time, in a way that the student can
easily understand. Here are examples: A. To pair Special Education students with a partner of a
higher reading level, for support. B. To pair stronger math students with weaker math
students, to support weaker students and strengthen the stronger students’ understanding, as they
help explain things to their partners. C. To pair Special Education students with a classmate of
similar interests for creative projects. D. To pair SpecialEducation students with a strong student/
buddy for a subject that is difficult for them, without singling them out. E. To pair Special
Education students of a similar writing ability for creative writing assignments, with similar
accommodations and/or modifications for writing length or difficulty. F. To get students into
pairs for rotating through learning stations.

Variations : a. Use to put students into groups, rather than pairs. b. Use a compass, instead of a
clock, and limit the partners to 4, rather than 12.

10. Drill & Practice : Teacher selects a small amount of material to present to students and the
material is repetitively reviewed in various forms. The purpose of the activity is to increase
retention of important information.
How to Use/Steps: 1. Teacher selects the material to be drilled. 2. Students are told the structure
and expectations of the drill activity - if it will be timed/not timed, large group or small group
activity, etc. 3. Students are provided with the tools needed for the drill. 4. After the drill is
completed, students and teacher assess the level of proficiency reached and determine if
further drills are needed.

When to Use/Examples: A. Timed multiplication facts drills as a part of a math lesson. B. Utilize
computer game based math drills in the classroom. C. Spelling practice with magnet letters or
Bananagrams for specific for weekly spelling words. D. Students play Moneybags Board game
to practice coin recognition and value. E. Flash cards for drilling literary terms.

Variations : a. Have students drill each other in small groups. b. Have students take turns leading
drill activities for the class.

STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER STUDENTS:

11. Four Sides : This is an activity centered around movement and discussion of opinions. The
teacher reads a controversial statement or asks a question and students move to one of four sides
of the room to show their level of agreement/disagreement. Students learn to engage with each
other in discussions about hot topics and also learn to respectfully listen to other people’s points
of view.

How to Use/Steps: 1. The teacher reads a controversial statement or asks a question. 2. There are
4 signs in 4 different areas of the room, labeled “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” and
“Strongly Disagree.” 3. Students are given a moment to consider their answer and then asked to
quietly move toward the sign that best represents their opinion. 4. Teacher facilitates as students
in each group engage with each other in civil discussion about their opinions.

When to Use/Examples: For English Language Learners, Four Sides offers excellent scaffolding
for lessons that involve sharing opinions. Students are able to participate by moving with their
classmates to one of four sides of the room to share information or opinions, regardless of their
second language ability. Here are some examples: A. Use after reading a short passage to
generate discussion. B. Use as a review activity at the end of a Social Studies unit. C. Use before
beginning a new unit, to determine prior knowledge. D. Use when students need a movement
break. E. Use to review facts on historical figures in Social Studies.

Variations: a. Pair students with a classmate that disagrees with their point of view. Students are
challenged to be respectful in their discussion and listen more than they talk. b. Students generate
statements and questions and facilitate the 4 Sides process.

12. Cubing : Six questions or commands are written on the 6 sides of a cube for students to read
and answer/act upon.
How to Use/Steps : 1. Prepare the cubes ahead of time, either making preferably dry erase dice).
2. Group students and have them take turns rolling the die and responding accordingly.

When to Use/Examples : For English Language Learners, Cubing provides a small group
environment for them to interact with and speak to only a few classmates, creating a safe place
for them to use and stretch their English language abilities. It also allows them to practice and
apply the content they are learning. Here are some examples: A. “ Describe, Compare, Contrast,
Apply, Predict, Imagine.” Could be used to review key events or people in a history lesson,
countries in a geography lesson, or geometric shapes in a math lesson. B. “Who, What, When,
Where, Why, How.” Could be used to start discussion of a reading assignment or to discuss a
current event. C. “Part of speech, Synonym, Antonym, Use in Sentence, Define in your own
words, Other forms of word.” Use as a vocabulary activity, where each group has a specific
word, and each student takes a turn rolling the dice and sharing their answers with their group. D.
“Character, Plot, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Resolution.” Use in groups to review and
discuss the elements of a story that students have just read. E. Parts of a Book: Use to familiarize
students with a new textbook and/or reinforce print awareness. Die would include terms such as:
glossary, table of contents, author’s name, Chapter 3 title, number of pages, and call number.

Variations : a. Have students work independently with a cube, rather than in groups. For
example, they could use it to outline a story they are going to write, using “Who, What, When,
Where, Why, How.” b. Use as a class, rather than in small groups. The teacher rolls the dice and
everyone writes their responses. The teacher asks a few students to share their answers for each
roll of the dice.

13. Jumble Summary : A way of reviewing key facts or events at the end of a lesson cycle or
unit.

How to Use/Steps : 1. The teacher writes/displays key facts at the end of a lesson cycle or unit. 2.
Students are given a specific amount of time to un-jumble the facts 3. Students are asked to write
them in the correct order.

When to Use/Examples : Jumble Summaries provide English Language Learners with visual aid
support, as well as scaffolded learning of the content, as all of the key elements are provided, and
the students are just being asked to put them in the correct order. ELL students can attempt to put
the facts in order, regardless of their English language fluency. Here are examples: A. Use with
ELL students to review the stages of a life cycle of a plant, insect, etc., to check for
understanding. B. Use with ELL students in a review activity in a math lesson about the order of
operations (PEMDAS). C. Use to review the sequence of events/timeline in a history lesson. D.
Use to review the key events in the plot of a short story assignment. E. Use it to review the steps
needed to solve a math equation.

Variations : a. In pairs, have 1 student create the Jumble Summary, rather than the teacher, and let
their partner put them in the correct order. b. Have students work in groups and give them strips
of paper with the Jumble Summary key events. Have a contest to see which group can put them
into the correct order most quickly.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES:

14. The Next-Time Message: This strategy attempts to correct student behavior with a short
explanation of what the student can do “next time” to make a better choice. Source: www.nea.org

How To Use: When a student exhibits an off-task behavior, the teacher approaches the student
and encourages them with how they can handle the situation the “next time” it occurs. The focus
is on the future, rather than what was done incorrectly this time.

When To Use: 1. With a student who is often in trouble, to attempt a different approach to
changing their behavior 2. With a student who is easily discouraged and down on themselves, to
provide a gentle correction of behavior 3. When you can’t pull a student aside to correct them 4.
With a student that does not realize that they made a mistake 5. With a “small” student issue that
is a classroom procedure, rather than a discipline issue

Variations: 1. Use with a small group of students who are off task, to explain a different choice
that they can make in the future. 2. Use with the entire class when the majority of the class is
participating in an off task behavior. 3. Ask student to help you think of ways that they could
respond differently next time.

15. Clock Focus:This strategy helps students with focus and restlessness issues.
Source: www.nea.org

How To Use: When a teacher observes that a student or students are having a hard time focusing
and are becoming restless, the teacher calls out “Clock Focus.” Students will them stop what
they are doing and stand and watch the second hand on the clock as it rotates around. Students
may watch for as long as they need to, and then return to their work. Prior to using this strategy,
the teacher should practice this procedure with the students, so that they know what to do when
they hear “Clock Focus.”

When To Use: 1. When students are working at various stations around the room and getting
noisy and unfocused. 2. When one student is off task and disrupting other students’ work. 3. Use
when students have lined up but are having to wait to exit the room. 4. Use with students at the
end of the day when the volume level is rising and students are getting antsy. 5. Use when
students re-enter the room from lunch or recess and are having trouble settling down. 



Variations: 1. Have students watch just one clock rotation for a quick re-set. 2. Make a visual of a
clock and have students do Clock Focus when they see you hold up the visual. 3. For a student
with persistent focus issues, place a small clock at their desk that they can look at to refocus as
needed.
16. The Visitor's Chair
Source: www.nea.org
This is used to help a teacher keep the discipline process positive and non-confrontational, while
allowing a student to refocus and get back on task.

How To Use: When a student is disrupting the class with an off-task behavior or is breaking a
classroom rule, the teacher asks the student to come and sit in a seat near the teacher in a pre-
determined chair called the “Visitor’s Chair.” Before this strategy is ever used, students are
prepped on this chair’s name ahead of time. The teacher preps students on the and the teacher
explains to the class that if they are asked to sit in the chair, they are free to return to their own
seat when they can re-set and get back on task.

When To Use: 1. When you are doing direct teach, to allow you to continue your instruction with
minimal interruption 2. When you are at one of the stations that students are visiting in a
rotation, so that your instruction is minimally interrupted 3. When you have a student that has
focus problems and has historically improved behavior when sitting closer to you 4. When you
have a student that is struggling with the subject matter you are working on and is having
behavior problems due to their frustration over the content 5. When you have two students who
consistently talk to each other and need to be separated.

Variations: 1. If the teacher is teaching in an area that is not near the Visitor’s Chair, (at kidney
table, etc.) move the Visitor’s Chair to the area of the room where the teacher is located. 2. Have
more than one Visitor Chair, in case you need to invite more than one student at a time to join
you in a Visitor Chair. 3. Have the Visitor’s Chair be a flexible seating piece of furniture.

17. The Calm Reminder

Source: www.nea.org
How To Use: A teacher uses calm words and body language to remind students what they are
supposed to be doing. This strategy focuses on the teacher using positive emotions rather than
negative ones.

When To Use: 1. When a student appears to be sleeping or puts his/her head on their desk. 2.
When a student seems distracted and is staring out the window rather doing their assignment 3.
When a student is breaking class rules during small group time. 4. When a student is not paying
attention in line while in the hallway. 5. When a student appear to be emotional or upset.

Variations: 1. Have a visual prompt that students recognize that the teacher can point to, as a way
to provide a calm reminder without using words. 2. Have a musical cue that is played when the
majority of students are off task and need calm teacher redirection. 3. Teach the children a short
phrase, such as “On task?” that the teacher can say as a gentle reminder to redirect students.
18. Teacher/Student Game
Source: https://www.teachhub.com/teacherstudent-game-competitive-behavior-management
A competitive game/strategy. The teacher uses a friendly “competition” with the students to
remind and redirect students about expected classroom behaviors.

How To Use: Before class begins, teacher draws a simple scoreboard on the whiteboard, so that
it is prominently displayed and easy for the teacher to access. Teacher explains the rules to the
students. Students will get a point for modeling correct behaviors in accordance to a specific rule
that the class is struggling with (i.e. not talking with the teacher is talking). The teacher will get a
point when students are NOT modeling that behavior correctly. The teacher observes students
throughout the day and tried to “catch” students making good choices and give 3 points to
students for every 1 point for the teacher. At the end of the day, if the students win, they receive a
small class incentive like a fun song before dismissal.

When To Use: 1. At the beginning of the year, when classroom rules are not automatic and still
being learned. 2. At the midpoint of the year when students become a little lax in their adherence
to classroom rules. 3. All year long as a daily way to remind students of the class rules. 4.
5. The last month of school, when students are tired and have trouble staying motivated to follow
class rules.


Variations: 1. Set a weekly or monthly goal. If students win a certain number of times, they win a
larger classroom prize, like a popcorn party. 2. Use this strategy for other class procedures, such
as walking in the hallways. 3. Use this to reinforce ALL class rules, rather than just one.

19. Beat The Clock

Source: https://www.additudemag.com/is-adhd-keeping-your-child-from-finishing-homework/
This strategy is focused in keeping students motivated and helping them finish a specific task.

How To Use: This strategy is used to motivate students during transition times in class.
Depending on steps involved in the transition, the teacher will state a specific amount of time
that students have to complete it. If the whole class completes the task by the time the timer goes
off, then the class gets a point. These are displayed in a prominent place. When students reach a
specific number of points, they receive a small class reward.


When To Use: 1. When students have been working in stations and it is time to clean up and
return to their seats. 2. When students have are finishing independent reading and it is time to
return to their seats. 3. When students are returning to class from lunch. 4. When students are
going to the restroom before specials. 5. When students are finishing snack time and need to
clean up and prepare for the next activity.

Variations: 1. Use with a individual student with attention issues, to motivate them to finish a
section of their assignment within a certain amount of time. 2. Use this method to get students
into groups quickly. 3. Set up a friendly “Beat The Clock” competition between classes in the
same grade level for a larger class prize.

20. Affirmations
Source: www.theteachertoolkit.com

This strategy is focused on whole-class acknowledgement of students who do something

exceptional, such as sharing a thoughtful response in class or doing something kind.
How To Use: The teacher begins by choosing a set of affirmations that will be used in class.
These are placed on a poster or anchor chart and displayed in the classroom. Next, the teacher
must introduce the concept of affirmations and when and how to use the specific whole-group
chants selected. After the students are familiar with the chants, the teacher actively looks for
student behaviors to affirm. When a student is selected to be affirmed, they are allowed to choose
which affirmation they would like to receive. Then, the whole class affirms the student, and the
student’s name goes into drawing for the following week’s student of the week or other reward of
the teacher’s choosing.

When To Use: 1. This strategy can be used at any point during the school day. For example, it
could be used during classroom discussion, when a student shares a thoughtful response to a
question. 2. Affirmations could be used when a student goes out of their way to show kindness to
a classmate. 3. It could also be used to reward a student that has been struggling with a concept
and then has success 4. It could also be used to acknowledge a student who struggles with
behavior issues, and has a particularly good day. 5. Affirmations could also be used to celebrate
students who meet their goals for AR reading, Achieve3000, or a similar goal.

Variations: 1. This would be used with the whole class for hard work or success. 2. Affirmations
could be given in written form. 3. Affirmations can be given via a positive phone call to the
student’s parents.

21. Total Physical Response (TPR)

Source: www.theteachertoolkit.com
This strategy is focused on teaching concepts with whole body movements.

How To Use: This strategy is used to learn and reinforce concepts, such as vocabulary words,
using movements that are student-created, to help them remember the term and its meaning. To
introduce the concept of TPR, the teacher chooses the content to be learned. Then, the teacher
chooses one word as an example and asks for a volunteer to help them come up with a movement
that goes along with the word. Next, the rest of the terms are introduced and the students are led
through the process of selecting movements to go with each term.

When To Use: 1. TPR would be helpful when introducing weekly vocabulary words. 2. It could
also be used at the beginning of the school year when learning the class expectations. Students
could create movements for each expectation. 3. TPR would be helpful with learning a poem.
4. TPR could help students remember the steps in a learning strategy, such as UPWRAP. 5. TPR
could also be helpful with behavior management, by teaching students to listen for and respond
to key words the teacher says during classroom instruction.

Variations: 1. This could be used as a learning strategy to support ELL students. 2. This could be
used as a learning strategy to support ADD/ADHD students who need opportunities for
movement. 3. This could be used in a review game format, to see if students/teams recall the
terms and accompanying movements.

22. White Board Wipe Out

Source: www.theteachertoolkit.com
This strategy is a type of formative assessment that allows a teacher to quickly see all students’
understanding.

How To Use: First, the teacher must gather enough small white boards and markers for each
student in the class. These are passed out to students to be used during instruction time. The
teacher poses a question to the class and asks students to write their answers on their boards and
not show their answers until she asks them to. All at the same time, students hold up their white
boards with their answer. This allows the teacher to quickly and efficiently see all students’
responses at a glance, and it is fun for students.

When To Use: 1. This strategy could be used during math instruction. A problem is written on the
board and students answer individually on their white boards. 2. It could also be used during
reading, to check for understanding of a passage. 3. This could be used as part of a review game
for any subject. 4. This could be used during grammar instruction to check for spelling and
grammar issues. 5. This could be used with geography. A continent, country, or state can be
projected on the screen and students write down the location name.

Variations: 1. This could be used at math stations, for students to show what they are learning. 2.
This could be used in groups or in pairs, as a “showdown” game, such as a math facts review. 3.
It could also be used as an exit ticket strategy for students to show what they’ve learned, rather
than using pencil and paper.

23. Frayer Model

Source: www.theteachertoolkit.com
This strategy is a vocabulary learning strategy.

How To Use: The Frayer Model is a four-square model. Students have a handout with the model
on it, and the teacher displays the model on the screen, as well. The key word goes in the middle
of the model, and each of the 4 boxes provides students with 4 different ways to connect with the
word’s meaning. First, they write down the exact definition of the word in one box. Next, they
draw a picture to represent the word. In the third box, they use the word in a sentence. Finally,
they make connections to the knowledge they have from other content areas.
When To Use: 1. This strategy could be used to introduce key science vocabulary words. 2. It
could also be used at the beginning of a new unit. 3. The Frayer Model could be used to
introduce key reading vocabulary. 4. It could also be used to teach an abstract concept. 5. The
Frayer Model could be helpful when teaching a key history concept.

Variations: 1. This would be helpful to use with ELL students as a support for their learning. 2.
This would be a good support strategy with visual learners. 3. This could be done as a jigsaw
activity, where 4 students in a group work together, each completing one square on the model.

24. KWL Chart

Source: www.theteachertoolkit.com
This is a strategy that helps students to connect their prior knowledge to new classroom content.

How To Use: At the beginning of a lesson, the teacher begins by asking students what they
already know about a given topic. Using a three-column chart, they write down things that they
already know about the subject, from previous years in school or from outside sources. The
teacher records the students’ responses on a chart on the board. In the second column, students
write down things they want to learn about the subject. The final column is completed after the
lesson, and students record any new information that they have learned about the topic.

When To Use: 1. KWL could be used before an independent reading assignment. 2. It could also
be used at the beginning of a new science unit. 3. KWL would be helpful when starting a
fractions unit, ask what students know about subtraction or division. 4. KWL could be used at the
beginning of a social studies unit about the early explorers. 5. It could also be used prior to a
lesson about the events of September 11, 2001.

Variations: 1. KWL could be used in pairs. Students can write their answers independently and
then share them with their partner. 2. The KWL chart can be adapted to KWHL, to include
“How” to go about answering the students’ questions. 3. KWL could be used prior to a guest
speaker’s talk. Students could pose their questions to the speaker and record the answers.

25. Tableau
Source: www.theteachertoolkit.com
This strategy is focused on getting students to create a “living snapshot” that explains the topic
that they are learning, without speaking during the presentation.

How To Use: This activity is best done in pairs. First, students are given a worksheet to complete
with their partner. It helps them to think through the concept that they have been studying in
class and sketch out what they are going to do. Next, the students create their Tableau, using only
props, posters, and their own bodies. Finally, the Tableaus are presented to the class, for others to
guess.
When To Use: 1. Tableau could be used at the end of a Science unit, to review a key concept. 2.
It could also be used at the end of a literary unit, to review the characters, plot, or setting of a
story. 3. Tableau could be used as a spiral review of history concepts, to see what students
remember and how well they can communicate their knowledge. 4. It could also be used to
describe the math concept of multiplication. 5. It could be used in a unit on Theme, where
students create Tableaus to represent the theme of a reading passage.

Variations: 1. Tableau Pictionary - Each pair in the class are given different concepts to act out.
Groups must guess the concept, as well as how it is represented. 2. Tableau Reporter- The teacher
could “interview” the partners in the tableau and ask them questions about their creation. 3.
Tableau 20 Questions: Instead of being completely silent, the characters in the Tableau can
answer up to 20 yes or no questions to help their classmates understand their work.