ideas for starting class, I also want to find more ideas about what to do before class starts. One professor plays music, another has Grad Students hand out things at the start of class to students as they enter.
“how about four questions from yesterday? …Make them doable. This is not the midterm exam. If the students were here yesterday and were paying attention, they can start answering those questions or doing those problems.
…Some teachers use journal writing or silent reading. Others put word games or mind benders on the board. I remember one teacher who had a student read to the class from a library book while he took roll. …
Finally, Bell Work should not saddle you with an extra stack of papers to grade.
…teachers get off to a quick start with a political opinion survey or questionnaire….
You also might consider handing out 3-by-5 cards as you greet students at the door. On the blank side of the card is a seat number. All the desks have numbers taped to them. Greet the student and say: “This is your seat number. Find your seat, and then turn the card over and fill it out according to the instructions on the chalkboard.” On the board is a picture showing students how to fill out the card — name, birthday, home address, home phone, parents work phone, and so on.”
https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/jones/jones020.shtml
- I put up a photo and asked students “what do you notice? what do you wonder?”
*in 212 was a photo of the roof of NLM in DC, after we had done work with PubMed.
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Write the definition of __________. Use complete sentences.
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Describe this object. Try to use at least 5 adjectives. Use complete sentences.
- review terms, have students lead it
- Analyze photos: Have students view a different picture each day and make 3 observations, 3 inferences, and 3 predictions.
- Science Journal Prompts: Have students answer a question each day in their science journal.
Example: Science Bell Ringer Journal for MS/HS - Respond to Science Quotes. Show science quote – from current times or from history, and have students respond to it.
- Switch it up. Have students complete a different activity each day of the week. For example, the bell ringers link to below have students learn a science term on Monday, have a discussion on Tuesday, respond to a video clip on Wednesday, analyze a quote on Thursday, and explain the science behind a science joke on Fridays.
Example: Science Warm Up Bell Ringers for Earth, Physical, & Life Science