v The teacher establishes a timeframe to complete the activity.
v Students work individually or together in pairs or groups to brainstorm words related to the topic that begins
with each letter of the alphabet.
v When the time limit expires, the teacher guides the students through discussion of their entries for each
letter. Answers can be recorded on an overhead transparency, data projector, SMART or Promethean board
v Students use Learning From A to Z as a study guide.
Quick write
v Use a “quick write” to activate background knowledge, clarify issues, facilitate making connections, and
allow for reflection.
v Students write for a short, specific amount of time, perhaps several minutes, about a designated topic related
to...
Socratic Seminar
Use a Socratic Seminar to help students facilitate their own discussion and arrive at a new understanding in
which they learn to formulate questions and address issues in lieu of just stating their opinions.
Students engage in a focused discussion in which they ask questions of each other on a selected topic;
questions initiate the conversation, which continues with a series of responses and further questions.
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Graphic Organizers
This strategy provides an alternate system for organizing and beginning a piece of writing. These are visual
tools that help students to organize their thoughts and ideas.