This document provides several techniques for making class discussions more engaging and getting students more involved: 1) Front loading lessons with familiar examples can spark student interest and relevance. 2) Turn and talk partner activities allow less risky sharing of answers with peers. 3) Team activities using materials like EPR strips to assess prior knowledge and have small group discussions followed by whole class answers. 4) Dividing students into corners by viewpoint and having spokespeople summarize for the class can consolidate differing opinions on issues. 5) Concentric circle activities with review questions moving between inner and outer circles promotes peer feedback. 6) Captivating activities like the Energy Stick or surprising facts can grab student interest in

1. Are Your Class Discussions on Life Support?
Joyce Kohfeldt
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2. How can we get students more involved in class discussions?
1) Front loading with a more familiar life-time example
2) Turn and talk partner activities
3) Team EPR activities to assess prior knowledge & review
4) Corners to consolidate point of view with spokes person
5) Concentric circles for review activity
6) WOW activity to capture their interest
7) Hot Seating
FRONT LOADING WITH A MORE FAMILIAR LIFE-TIME EXAMPLE
Apathy in class may result from students thinking the topic or
example has no relevance to their life. Introducing the unit with a
related, short front loading of an example to which they can relate
may spark their interest and involvement in the topic.
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TURN AND TALK PARTNER ACTIVITIES
Many students will not risk raising their hand to make an individual
response in class because of the fear of being wrong. They will turn
to a neighbor and share answers because the threat is less. This is
an effective, short technique that can be used at the beginning of a
period to refocus attention and get participation on the subject of 3rd
period.
 Let’s review vocabulary with students providing
definitions or labeling parts on a diagram – artery, vein,
right atrium, right ventricle, aorta, septum etc.
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3. TEAM EPR ACTIVITIES TO ASSESS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND
REVIEW
Divide the class into groups of 3 with each group having an EPR
strip. Pose a question that can be answered by the responses on the
EPR strip. Have the team discuss their answer and have one student
pinch the answer on the EPR strip and hold it up. This technique
promotes small group discussion and total class answering each
question.
 Complete, Incomplete, Run-on Sentences
 Systems of the body
 Executive, Legislative, Judicial systems of government
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CORNERS TO CONSOLIDATE POINT OF VIEW WITH SPOKES-
PERSON TO SUMMARIZE
Select an issue about which students have strong opinions. Have
them group in corners representing the same point of view. After
several minutes of discussion, have one student share the group’s
thoughts with the whole class. After all corners have had time to
share, ask if anyone has altered their point of view after hearing what
other have said.
 Read or listen to the newspaper article from the Houston
Chronicle about school dress code and the
consequences for not meeting the code. Students have
definite opinions about this solution to a school problem.
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4. CONCENTRIC CIRCLES FOR REVIEW ACTIVITIES
Divide the class in half and make half the students form an inside
circle looking out. Make the remaining students form an outside
circle facing in. Write review questions on individual strips of paper.
Let each student in the inside circle randomly select a question.
As each student in the outside circle faces them, they will ask the
question and provide feedback if necessary. Answers are on the
back of the question papers.
 What states joined the Confederacy?
 Who was the general leading the Confederate troops?
 Why were they so ready to give their lives to defend their
way of life?
 Describe how the Underground Railroad worked.
 Who was Harriet Tugman?
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WOW ACTIVITY TO CAPTURE THEIR INTEREST
Sometimes a concrete activity brings life to a topic and sets the scene
for more in-depth learning. Other times a short article with amazing
facts sets them up for wanting to know more.
 The Energy Stick has lots of possibilities.
 Lifetimes provides new information even for adults.
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5. HOT SEATING
In this activity, one student sits in the hot seat and becomes a
character in the novel being read or in history chapter. The rest of the
class form groups and ask questions.
 President Lincoln, you have slaves yet you want us to
free ours. How is that fair?
 Why would you leave everything you have behind and
go off in the night toward a safe house?
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