Starters & Plenaries

What is the point of a starter?

What is the point of a plenary?

A few ideas…

1. Write down a few answers (names, places, key terms) – pupils work out what the questions could be.

2. True or false statements.

3. Crosswords and anagrams.

4. At the end of the lesson – can pupils work out, and write down, the key lesson objectives?

5. Write down a few key words/phrases relating to a recent or current topic, and pupils explain the significance of these to each other and/or write this down.

6. Post-its – what questions do pupils have about a topic?

7. Question and answer game.

8. Post-it race.

9. Photographs, graphs, pictures or puzzles.

10. Prediction activities.

11. Start with a statement or a wide question

‘London was the most important reason why the Roundheads won the Civil War’ or

‘Tennessee Williams expects us to side with Stella in the play and not Blanche.’

12. Missing words

13. Ask pupils to summarise what they have learned using a particular number of words – they must not exceed the number you give them. Share these words with the rest of the class – which is the best word? What has been left out?

14. Ask pupils to tell you or write down, three things they have learnt in the lesson and two things they want to know next.

15. Pupils hold up mini whiteboards to answer questions about the topic. It helps to assess whole class feedback.

From ‘Captivating your Class: Effective Teaching Skills.’ Joanne Philpott

‘They enjoy games and activities which deviated from the normal classroom practice, the lessons they enjoyed engaged them and consequently they felt that they learned more. The challenge comes through the complexity or surprise within the game itself….Sixth form should be a place of learning but surely we want them to enjoy their learning experience and injecting some fun or competition into lessons should add to and enhance their learning experience.’

This is not to suggest that our classrooms should become ‘entertainment zones’ or ‘party games’ but we can use games to ‘keep students challenged, captivated and a little bit nervous about what will happen next.’

The USA: Are the following statements true or false?

1. Independence Day on 4 July commemorates the abolition of slavery in America.

2. The Southern States won the American Civil War.

3. The Civil War was fought over the issue of slavery.

4. President Abraham Lincoln was a Democrat.

5. The Wall Street Crash happened in 1930.

6. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865.

7. In the 1920s there was a constitutional ban on the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcoholic drinks in America.

8. The first Civil Rights Act was passed in 1866.

9. The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 freed all slaves in America.

10. After the Civil War in 1865, where African Americans had the vote, they were more likely to vote Republican rather than Democrat.

Here are the answers…what could the questions be?

• Louis XVI.

• The ancien regime.

• Approximately 85% of the population were members of the third estate.

• The gabelle.

• The nobility.

Can you briefly explain the following…?

• Sans-culottes

• The Jacobins

• The Cordeliers

• The ‘Austrian Committee’

• The Paris Commune