A hook is not only fun and engaging, but it prepares and motivates students for learning. Using a hook helps to:

• Focus student attention on the lesson 
• Set a purpose for learning 
• Activate prior knowledge 
• Check for student understanding 
• Build curiosity, anticipation, and interest 

Let’s look at an example:

An Anticipation-Reaction Guide (AR Guide) contains a series of short statements about the topic or concept you plan to teach. Some of the statements are true and some are false. Before interacting with the content, students read the statements and decide if they agree or disagree with the statement. Students record their prediction, an “A” for agree or “D” for disagree, in the left hand column. Students can answer the statements on their own or collaborate in pairs or small groups. Oftentimes, discussion can help students to activate prior knowledge and make connections with past experiences.

Once predictions have been made, it is time to present the content. This can be the text you are about to read, a video, a series of photographs – whatever tool you plan to use for instruction. Once students have had an opportunity to engage with the content, they revisit the anticipation-reaction guide to verify their predictions. Students record their final answers in the right column.

The focus is not about whether the student’s prediction is right or wrong. The goal is to revisit the statements with a critical eye to build understanding of the concept or skill. The discussion surrounding why statements are true or false helps to reinforce key concepts and build lasting comprehension.

Here is an example from my classroom. (You can download this, and the other printables shown in this post, for free here.) In 3rd grade, our first ELA unit is about Fables. In order to develop a solid understanding of what a fable is, I present my students with the anticipation-reaction guide shown below. I encourage students to work in pairs to discuss the statements and use their prior knowledge to make predictions.
I then show students a short video, such as The Tortoise and the Hare or The Dog and His Reflection. Once the video is complete, students revisit the A-R guide to verify their original ideas and we pause for discussion. What did we learn about the characteristics of a fable? What statements do we still need to answer? If needed, we can watch another short video to explore unanswered questions. We can also record remaining questions on an anchor chart and search for the answers as we read throughout the unit.

Using the AR guide, students are actively engaged in learning. Instead of passively receiving information, students are empowered to build meaningful, long-term understanding.

While the Anticipation-Reaction Guide is traditionally used in ELA, I’ve found that it can be easily used and adapted to other content areas as well. Here is an example from my 4th grade math class. When we began our exploration into polygons, I began with the AR guide below.


After completing the left hand column, I introduced the content, using examples and non-examples. I've included a copy of the activity for your reference.

With the AR statements in mind, we explored the examples and non-examples. Students were so excited to use the images to confirm, clarify, and update their first predictions. We revisited the AR guide throughout the lesson as we gained new insights and information. Again, the emphasis was not on whether we were right or wrong, but the content and quality of our discussion. Students had to think critically to justify their ideas, support them with evidence, communicate their reasoning to peers, and critique the rationale of others.

Using the AR guide and the visual examples, students were able to craft a clear and accurate definition: “A polygon is a plane shape that has 3 or more straight sides and angles.” The definition was much more meaningful and had a longer-lasting impact because my students were invested in creating it themselves.

Are you ready to create your own Anticipation Guide? Let's Do It! Here is a blank, editable template to help you get started:

Identify the key concepts or skills you want students to learn. What do students really need to know in order to understand this concept or skill?  Write 4-6 declarative statements about the concept, making some statements true and others false.


Options for Differentiation:

• Present it orally. Read the statements out loud. This can be a great option for younger students and less proficient readers.

• Add a "WHY" column to the chart. Students can use this area to justify their conclusions.

• In lieu of 4-6 statements, offer one open-ended question. (ex: what is a polygon?) This strategy will help to activate prior knowledge and provide you with insight into what the students already know.

What else do you need to make Anticipation Guides work well for you and your students? What other "hooks" would you like to learn more about? Let me know; I'd love to help!

download here

download here

Instead of using task cards as seat work, I post them around the room. My students love the opportunity to get up and get moving. They travel with an answer sheet and record their work along the way.



Not only is this fun, but the novelty and movement provided are brain-friendly teaching tools that promote successful comprehension. I've also found that this movement leads to positive collaboration among my kiddos. They are eager to share strategies and ask questions sparking terrific discussion and learning.


Are you wondering about the pom pom balls on her head? I'll explain later in the post - promise! :-)

2. Make Your Own! 

 Once my students have demonstrated mastery solving the cards, I often ask them to create their own. Below you'll see one of my students writing a word problem for multiplying and dividing fractions. In order to write and solve her own task card, she needed to thoroughly clarify the content and analyze the language of word problems. This helped her to understand the content in a deeper, more meaningful way.



Once student cards are created, we use them in centers, as anchor activities, and/or enrichment. My students love solving the problems their friends create – almost as much as they like watching their friends tackle the card they designed! This twist has been so successful in my room that I've started including blank task cards in all of my new resources to facilitate this process. You can see an example of that here.

3. Use task cards in Journals and Interactive Notebooks: 

I like to print out the cards in black and white or gray-scale to save ink. Students glue the task card into their journal or interactive notebook and solve on the paper below. This is a great way to create a "yearbook" of student learning.





4. Make it a Game! 

Like I promised, here's the description of the pom pom headband! My 5th graders invented this super fun idea! Using a sentence strip, each student made a hat/headband to wear. (And yes, my "too-cool-for-school" 5th graders actually wore them - in my classroom AND the main hallway where some of the task cards were posted!! LOVE IT.)



Each time they completed a task card correctly, they earned a pom pom ball, which they affixed to their "hat." This game was low prep and low budget, but my students loved it! They were highly motivated by this learning activity because it was a game they invented.



The pom-pom hats then spun off into other games, like scavenger hunts, I Spy, and task card "snowball fights." One of the best parts for me was that my students LOVED choosing and preparing for the game. I almost felt guilty at times that they were organizing our classroom activities! (almost :-)

Those are some of my favorite task card alternatives. What are some of the ways you use task cards with your students? I'm always looking for new ideas and I'd love to hear from you!

Once students solve the riddle, they record their answer on one of the recording sheets pictured below.


They submit their answer to me as a "ticket" and we draw weekly (or bi-weekly depending on what kind of week it is :-) for a winner. The prize is usually something silly like a pencil or "partner pass," but my students love to be recognized - and recognize others - for their effort. Below is a sample Decimal detective clue sheet to get you started. You can download it for free here. It comes in color and black and white. (You will also find the recording sheets and answer key there, as well!)


If you and your students enjoy this, it comes from my Decimal Detectives Enrichment packet, which includes no-prep printables, task cards, and cooperative learning activities.

The next activity on the board is the game 24. If you have not played 24, I highly encourage it! It comes in a small, square box with a ton of cards. There are four numbers on each card. Students use each number once and only once along with the four basic operations to make 24. Trust me - it is addicting.



I used chart paper and die cut numbers to create a super-sized version for our interactive board. I get the numbers from the cards provided in the game. (Again, super low maintenance. You might be noticing a trend :-) Students record the answer on a sticky note or scrap paper and submit it for one of our weekly drawings. This activity is. a. favorite. I've had students who ask to eat lunch in the room with me so they can solve the puzzle or take it out to recess because they are determined to find the solution.

My daughter Caitlin (5), like the rest of the female world under the age of 10, loves Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and anything else Frozen. So, of course, her Valentine's Day cards HAD to match.





I am in NO way a Martha Stewart. Not. Even. Close. :-) But, I thought I would share these cards with my fellow teacher-moms, moms, and teachers in case you had a Frozen fan(atic) at home, too! You can download the template for free here.





To make, follow these 4 easy steps:

• Step #1: Print the cards on white card stock (or the color of your choice). 
• Step #2: Cut along the dotted line. 
• Step #3: Fold card in half 
• Step #4: Attach the card to the treat bag. (I used double sided tape, but staples would work well, too!)   

On the back, is a place to record "to" and "from."

The cards are formatted to fit standard size Ziplock sandwich bags. I chose bags with Valentine's Day designs for a little extra holiday spirit.





A BIG thanks to Miss Tina and Dorky Doodles for the awesome designs used on the cards!!





In the mood for another Valentine's Day freebie? You can download my "Very Venn Enrichment Pack" here. In this 11 page download, students use Venn diagrams to make forced associations. These no-prep printables are a fun way to promote critical and creative thinking in your elementary kiddos!






Thanks for checking in! Happy Teaching!

What would you be if you had wings to fly like a bird . . .

and walked slowly like a turtle?

A BiRdLe! 

download here for free

• alligator + gorilla = gorillagator
• lion + dinosaur = linosaur
• monkey + kangaroo = monkaroo
• puppy + hippopotamus = puppyotamus

Because the goal is to develop divergent thinking skills, I frequently remind students that there is more than one correct answer. For example, if you were part alligator and part octopus, you could be an allipus, an octigator, or a gatorpus. The possibilities are endless.

Then they draw a picture to illustrate their animal soup creation. Here are a few examples from one of my first grade nurturing lessons:









Oftentimes, I compile the student pictures and make it into a class book. Most times, the kids are too eager to take them home right away to share :-)

You can download the activity sheet and animal cards for FREE here.



To learn more about fun ways to nurture creative thinking in the classroom, check out two of my earlier posts: Let's Get Creative and Creativity in the Classroom. Thanks for checking in!

1. Accept and celebrate all of the ideas that students offer – even the ones that are wacky or off the wall! When brainstorming, the goal is quantity, not quality. Generating ideas is the first step in effective problem solving! Students can always revisit their ideas later and decide which ones are worth keeping.

2. Encourage “piggybacking” or building on the ideas of others. Creative thinking does not exist in a vacuum. People learn from and thrive on the inspiration and ideas of others. Encourage students – not to copy – but to build on, develop, and extend the ideas of their peers.

3. Model it! Creative thinking is a skill that can be learned! Just as we would provide instruction and support to help our students understand fractions or physics, we need to do the same for creative thinking. Our students have tremendous creative capacity and it is our job to help them identify and develop it. One of my favorite ways to model creative thought is described in tip #5; students often learn best from their peers.

4. Creativity takes time, so give students time to think, try out new ideas, and invent. Creativity can be integrated throughout the academic day with strategies like open-ended questions, project based learning, and student choice. I also like to specifically carve out time in our day to focus on creative thinking. Because the school day is so jam-packed, and much of our instructional time is mandated by others, I tend to use creative activities, like "Brain Food," as:

• Bell Ringers: My students can arrive anytime between 7:30 and 8:00. This 30 minutes can pose a challenge! While I want morning work activities to be worthwhile, I don’t want students who arrive at 8:00 to be “penalized” for missing this time. I love using creativity exercises as bell ringers because my students who are present are meaningfully engaged and developing essential skills, but it does not put other students “behind.” 
• Center Activities: I often have a “Creation Station” as one of my center rotations in both math and reading. Divergent thinking activities are perfect for this spot! Students can tackle the tasks with independence AND at their individual level of readiness. 
• Anchor Activities: Creative thinking activities are a great resource for my fast finishers! I give each student a “Brain Food” packet and if they finish early, they can pull it out and be actively engaged. 

There are other fun, meaningful ways to incorporate creative enrichment into the school day, but these are a few of my favorites.