Good morning, all!
Wrapping up week 1 of state testing here in Arizona and I am shifting my focus back to pedagogy. I have had some recent success using the Question Formulation Technique from the Right Question Institute. I have found this be a unique way to hook students.
I start with a compelling image related to the course content. After giving students a few moments to view the image, I share the rules: The first two steps are for students while I create an editable Google doc for steps 3 and 4.
- Ask as many questions as you can. (students)
- Do not stop to discuss, judge, or answer the questions. (students)
- Write down every question exactly as it is stated. (teacher)
- Change any statement into a question. (teacher)
As the student-generated questions start to trickle to a stop, students are instructed to answer any questions they think they know the answer to and also to follow-up on any of the other answers.
I have found this to be an effective way to activate student background knowledge and generate interest in the topic before any instruction is given.
Any other good ideas for hooks?
