All the World Is a Stage"I am the director, producer, stage manager, and lead actor for the one hundred eighty different performances that will take place in and around my room. It is my stage, and I honor and value it as such." (Burgess, 107)
INTERIOR DESIGN HOOK
- How can I transform my room to create the ultimate atmosphere for this lesson?
- Can I change the lighting for mood?
- Can I block out all light and just use accent lights to emphasize certain things?
- Can I cover or decorate the walls, the ceiling, or the floor?
- Can I change the entrance?
- How can I rearrange the desks for this lesson to be most effective?
- Can I create more space by removing desks?
- Can I add partitions to break the room into areas or to create maze-like corridors?
- If a theme park were opening up a new attraction based on my lesson, what would it include?
- What can I write on my board or have projected on my screen that will immediately spark curiosity and interest as the students enter my room?
- What type of message will create a buzz and provoke students to point it out and begin to talk to each other about it before the bell even rings?
- What can I write that will be intriguing and mysterious and compel students to approach me and ask questions before we get started?
- Can I just put a QR code on the board or screen and see what happens?
- Can I have an intriguing image projected that will eventually tie into my content?
THE COSTUME HOOK
- What can I wear as an outfit or costume for this lesson?
- Is there an existing character that I can impersonate?
- Can I create a character that is relevant to this lesson
- Can I invent a superhero or super villain for this subject?
- What accessory (something as small as a hat or glasses) can I wear to enhance my presentation?
THE PROPS HOOK
- What physical item can I bring in to add to my presentation?
- What image can I show?
- Instead of just talking about a book, can I bring it?
- Instead of just mentioning a person, can I show a picture?
- What can I bring that students could actually hold in their hands and pass up and down the aisles?
THE INVOLVED AUDIENCE HOOK
- How can I consistently keep the audience feeling involved?
- Can I cue them to make certain motions or sounds at key points?
- Can I incorporate call and response into this lesson?
- Can I, unknown to their classmates, cue certain students to play a pre-arranged role?
- Can I bring students to the front of the room as volunteers?
THE MYSTERY BAG HOOK
- How can I gain engagement by openly hiding something from the class?
- Can I have a closed box or a package on the front stand? (Mr. Luca's "BOX OF MYSTERY")
- How can I build up the suspense of the unveiling?
- Can I cut a hole into a box so that students reach inside and feel the contents but not see?
- Can I give hints and open the floor for guesses?
- What can I put into the mystery box or bag that would tie to my lesson?
- After displaying the item, how can I get students to try to figure our the relationship between it and the lesson?
Stand and Deliver
THE STORYTELLING HOOK
THE SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS HOOK
THE TABOO HOOK
THE MIME HOOK
THE TEASER HOOK
THE BACKWARDS HOOK
- What captivating story can I tell that would draw students into this lesson?
- Can I create a high-interest story to fit the lesson?
- What techniques of the master storytellers, such as dramatic build, can I use to enhance this presentation?
- How would speaking in character, using accents, changing intonations, and varying volume for effect (even whispering) have an impact on the class?
- How can I use facial expressions, dramatic pauses, and gestures to improve the power of my lecture?
THE SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS HOOK
- How can I enter the audience and break down the barrier between teacher and class?
- Can I participate in the activity?
- Can I storm up and down the rows and use the whole room as my platform?
- Can I enter the physical space of key areas in the room where attention is waning?
- Is there a different place, or multiple places, that I can present from for the sake of novelty?
THE TABOO HOOK
- How can I use the fact that students are fascinated by that which is taboo and forbidden?
- How can I position my topic so that it seems like a little-known script?
- How can I take advantage of the fact that students (and adults!) are intrigued by things they aren't supposed to hear?
- Can I position my topic as if it is illicit, even though it isn't?
THE MIME HOOK
- How can I use the mesmerizing power of silence to spark interest and engage?
- Can I use nothing but written messages to deliver my lesson or opening hook?
- Can I use mime techniques and gestures to get my point across?
- Can I incorporate charades and/pr Pictionary-type activities?
- Can students be asked to get their messages across without words, as well?
THE TEASER HOOK
- How can I spark interest in this lesson by promoting it ahead of time?
- What can I do to create a positive expectancy in advance?
- What aspect of this lesson can I tease beforehand to provoke curiosity?
- If I were creating a movie trailer or preview for this lesson, what would it include?
- If I were planning a marketing promotion for this lesson what would I do and when would I begin?
THE BACKWARDS HOOK
- How can I gain an advantage or increase interest by presenting this material out of sequence/
- Can I tell them the end of the story and let them figure out and discover the beginning and the middle?
- Can I show them an end product that will make them want to learn the skills to get there?
Advanced Tactics
THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE HOOK
THE REALITY TV HOOK
THE TECHNO WIZ
- How can I design my lesson so that students are trying to unravel and solve a mystery?
- How can I incorporate clues that can only be decoded by learning or researching the relevant subject? (Think Da Vinci Code or National Treasure)
- Can they be provided a treasure map or sent on a scavenger hunt through your content?
- What fictional character or role can they play?
- What crisis must they prevent?
- Can I change this from a standard assignment to a daring and impossible mission?
THE REALITY TV HOOK
- How can I design my lesson to take advantage of the popularity of reality TV?
- Can I create a Survivor-style challenge and divide the class into tribes?
- Can this be configured as an Amazing Race partner lesson?
THE TECHNO WIZ
- How can I tap into the technological prowess of my students?
- Can I create a paperless lesson?
- How can technology help to connect my students to people from all over the world and help them gain a global perspective?
Around the Edges
THE CONTEST HOOK
THE MAGIC AND THE AMAZING HOOK
THE CHEF HOOK
(Consider allergy or dietary restrictions...)
THE MNEMONIC HOOK
THE EXTRA-CREDIT CHALLENGE HOOK
- How can I include a contest in this lesson to build excitement and motivation?
- What type of review game can I design to ramp up the entertainment level of my class?
- What kind of in-class challenge can I create that would take advantage of their competitive instinct?
- Can I be part of the challenge or contest?
THE MAGIC AND THE AMAZING HOOK
- What amazing principle can I demonstrate as part of this lesson?
- Is there a magical effect that could help to deliver this message?
- Can I teach my students an amazing skill that they will go home and show others?
THE CHEF HOOK
(Consider allergy or dietary restrictions...)
- How can I enhance this lesson by adding food or drinks?
- What type of food would be perfect for this lesson?
- How can I use food or drinks to demonstrate a point?
THE MNEMONIC HOOK
- Are there key bits of information I want my students to know cold?
- Is there a pattern to point out?
- Can the point of the lesson be tied to previous knowledge?
- Does a mnemonic exist for the material?
- Can I design my own mnemonic to help them remember this material?
- Can the students create their own mnemonic?
- How can I embed a mnemonic theme throughout my presentation to aid retention?
THE EXTRA-CREDIT CHALLENGE HOOK
- What high-interest and motivating challenges can I create that relate to this unit?
- What intriguing mission can I send students on to allow them to extend their learning in a unique way?
- How can I provide my students the opportunity for an experience that will create life-long memories? (Not required, by strictly extra-credit)
QUESTION #1 - Choose TWO (or more, if you like) of the HOOKS from above. How have used this HOOK or how do you plan to use a HOOK in the future to engage your students?
I have used mnemonic devices for fat soluble vitamins (ADEK), treatment of minor injures (RICE) and stages of death/grief (DABDA). Seems to work.
ReplyDeleteI have used mnemonic devices for fat soluble vitamins (ADEK), treatment of minor injures (RICE) and stages of death/grief (DABDA). Seems to work.
ReplyDeleteI use mnemonic devices too! I think they really help some students remember things. Creative students like coming up with their own. I still use ones a student gave me for Mexico and the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America. I also have one for irregular tú commands that I got from other teachers via the Internet.
DeleteMy role is a little different so the way I implement these hooks are too. I often use the mnemonic hook when memorizing list.
ReplyDeleteI use the contest hook. Generally they are competing against themselves, time or me. I do this to increase motivation.
I also use location in the room as a motivator. This would be a version of swimming with the sharks. I many times will use location to help start students working or keep students working.
I often use the board message hook to get class started. For example, I will have a list of things that students will examine whether its abnormal or have them define a "simple" concept that is not really so simple.
ReplyDeleteI also use the taboo hook. For instance, we recently talked about the cohort effect in Psychology class regarding different generations and their ideas of romance and the other gender. This allows them to discuss thoughts and ideas they might typically not be able to.
I use the taboo hook often when describing diseases and parts of the human body where I talk about actual people who have problems with these parts. I also like to bring in the concepts that the kids are talking about and apply them to science.
ReplyDeleteI also use the teaser hook by letting them know we are going to watch a film or do a lab later in the week and not tell them what it is about, but that they need to be here for it. Or I will tell them that the previous classes really enjoyed a certain day in the class.
I have used the backward hook in textiles class by showing samples of the projects they can choose from to complete. If they see the end result they better know what they are making.
ReplyDeleteA house model from Brian Weber starts the conversation for the parts of a house
The Chef Hook – I use vanilla wafers and colored frosting to teach the color wheel and how each color is created. They then work on each color scheme. The color frosted cookies can be moved around to create the patterns. The fun part is eating them when we are done.
Concerned that I am feeding them cookies and sugar someone has suggested coloring yogurt so next year I will at least try it.
In the extra challenge hook I have had students looking around the community for houses that are the styles they are learning in class. Chantel just suggested I use google earth to find the houses.
I use the storytelling hook. With many years of experience in business I use my ups and downs as what to do and what not to do. Students seem to relate since they are real and not always go as planned.
ReplyDeleteI used the swimming with the sharks and had students make an APP project and since they were the experts in this they were in charge. Went very well with my seniors.
I hear the Chef Hook is a good one. The students talk about the food they experience in your room. May need to try it!
ReplyDeleteYou are always doing exciting things to hook your students, Deb! I want to be in your class!
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I have used theChef Hook, tied to food units and study of gastronomy in Spanish-speaking countries, along with student research, preparation and presentation to class and sharing with others. Bringing together, food and cooking vocabulary, authentic recipes, commands, demonstration speeches or slide shows or videos, etc.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is great for this as well as other projects, in which students not only learn to use the technology or share their skills with others, as well as an opportunity to have creative control over their projects.
I also use Google Classroom to post assignments and share documents, and links to sites and videos they may need to complete the assignment. I sometimes use it for to post their comments or share their projects with their classmates. I also put things I think they might enjoy, like Spanish music videos, or other things that relate to the lessons,