The name of the game: Keeping students engaged through opening activities Gerardo Joel Aponte-Martínez I Am A Teacher Expo 2013 East Lansing, Michigan

Overview The beginning of a lesson is a crucial moment where a teacher must "hook 'n link" - hook students' attention and link new content to their prior knowledge. This session will explore a number of activating strategies to help teachers engage the students from the beginning of the lesson  Intro  An overview of activating strategies  Samples  Practice Session

The beginning of a lesson KnowWant to knowLearned

Activating strategy  Every lesson should begin with an opportunity for students to prepare themselves  Transition into cognitive process of the subject  Build relevance to students lives  Establish continuity (between lessons, topics, units, etc.)  Activating strategy: Hook ‘n link – motivates AND activates prior knowledge

Purposes Motivate Link prior knowledge Preview key vocabulary Advance organizer or map of concept/skill/content for lesson Hints Allocate time (~10% of instructional time) Link new to prior (either something they have already learned or something that establishes relevance) Engagement (students are contributing information/ideas) Use of new vocabulary during lesson Connections between prior knowledge and new knowledge during lesson How you know it’s a good strategy Scdcnds Not announcements/agenda Not a list of new content Not a warm-up, review activity disconnected from the lesson Not an additional content- related, instructional activity What it is not ACTIVATING STRATEGY Adapted from Thompson & Thompson (2009)

Components  Content/skill Objective – what will be the highlight of the lesson?  Introduce the key vocabulary, skills, concepts of the lesson  Hook – how will you motivate students, get them excited to learn about the topic?  Link – what will be the connection between the content and students’ prior knowledge, experiences, interests, talents?

I see, I think, I wonder I seeI thinkI wonder Name objects you see in the painting (only things as they are) Interpret what is happening (give meaning to the objects, what you think things in the painting represent) What questions do you have as a result of your interpretations? (connections to broader themes/topics)

Sample 1  Modeling:  John Gast’s American Progress  Activating Strategy: I See, I Think, I Wonder  LEQ: How and why did the Louisiana Purchase take place?  Context: 8 th grade U.S. History – Western Expansion unit  Thoughts about this activating strategy….

Types of Strategies  Recall  Making predictions  Games  Humor or mystery  Exploration or experience  Role play or simulation  Media (video, music, literature, art)

Indian Reservation 

Sample 2  Modeling:  Indian Reservation by Paul Revere & The Raiders  LEQ: What were the effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?  Context: 7 th grade Geography – U.S. History Unit  Thoughts about this activating strategy….

Practice  In your team, plan an activating strategy for a team-taught lesson.  Components:  Content/skill Objective – key vocabulary, skills, concepts of the lesson  Hook  Link  Types: recall, making predictions, games, humor or mystery, exploration or experience, role play or simulation, media (video, music, literature, art)

Contact information: Gerardo J. Aponte-Martínez Doctoral Student & Instructor Department of Teacher Education Michigan State University Questions?