Getting Students 'Hooked' to Learn

From www.tes.com

Ever heard of the expression "the first 10 seconds determines first impressions"?  Well, not only does this finding relate to first impressions of a person, but they also determine the amount of interest in a classroom.  I find that in order to maximize student interest, first impressions are paramount in keeping students engaged and motivated to learn your content.  Luckily, there are various ways to grasp your students' immediate attention and keep their attention for the rest of a lesson.  These 'ways' are called 'starter activities' or simply 'hooks'. 

There are tons of resources online that can help you find the right hook for each of your lessons, regardless of your content area.  I personally find that anything funny or that elicits some type of discussion, are the best.  Here are my top 5 starter activity ideas:

1.  Magnified picture:  Posting a relevant magnified image, on the board at the beginning of class as students enter the classroom, is a great way to have them start thinking about the day's lesson.  It is also a great way to generate prior knowledge.  Simply google 'magnified photo of' and your topic, in order to find a great image that fits. 

2.  Text your vote:  Posting a poll question where students answer one of two answers, is also a great way to encourage discussions.  The best questions are opinion based, as you can have students volunteer answers before the lesson begins.  This can stir some quite intense debates the classroom, which keeps students engaged.  Kahoot is one of many sites that offers poll options which are simple to create and use.

3.  Music videos:  Who knew you could start the lesson with a music video about your content?  Students generally love music and learning content through popular songs is a great way to catch their attention.  Sites that offer music videos include:  Songs for Teaching is a great social studies music site whereas Mr. Parr's Science songs is great for science. 

4.  Pass the parcel:  Kind of like musical chairs, students pass around a brown paper bag with question cards inside, related to the day's lesson.  As the music plays, students must pass this paper bag around.  When the music stops, the student holding the bag must pick a question card inside (without looking) and answer the question.  This can be used to review the previous lesson or to assess students' prior knowledge about the lesson to be taught that day.  This is a great way to engage all students and get them excited to learn. (Idea taken from Outstanding Lessons site).

5.  Gratitude journal:  Having students come to class and begin by writing in a personal journal, what they are grateful for, is a great way to keep students in the right frame of mind, the entire day.  According to Blogger Vicky Davis, this activity has been proven to even increase long-term well-being and happiness.  Although these journals are not content area specific, they can still be extremely beneficial for their being. 

What is your favorite starter activity?  Please share in the comments below.