5 E's: Engagement

This is one of my reflections from my class, Classroom Strategies for Inquiry-Based Learning.

Engaging students right away and keeping their interest throughout the lesson is incredibly important in order to motivate students. I start some of my lessons with engaging "hooks," but not every lesson. After completing this module, I understand more thoroughly the importance of engaging students at the beginning of every class. I am going to be more deliberate about including an engaging hook at the beginning of each and every class period.

Here are some ideas that I have for types of engaging hooks that I could include:

• Short video (as a class, or EdPuzzle)
• Thought-provoking question
• Share your opinion
• Riddle/brain-teaser
• Image - What is happening in the image? What do you see?
• Historical quote
• Mini-simulation
• Game (content-related, possibly a review game)
• Perspective - imagine yourself in another person's shoes
• Connect to students' prior knowledge
• Connect to students' personal experiences
• Connect to pop culture
• Show a clip from a historical movie - How accurate is the clip?
• Pictionary (could draw, use Play-Doh, or Legos)
• Charades
• Math problem (in a Social Studies context)