Energize Students with Quick Activity: Critical Thinking & Movement for Engagement

Revitalize your classroom dynamics with an interactive activity that boosts student engagement and fosters critical thinking. Discover how positioning students based on their opinions on controversial topics like myths and relationships not only energizes them but also prompts insightful discussions on peer influence and the Socratic method. Suitable for grades seven and up. Share your experiences!

If you’re looking for a quick method to energize your students, particularly if they appear sluggish or disinterested at the beginning or end of a class, set aside three to four minutes for this activity. Initially, they might groan, but then you present them with a scenario. 

 

You’ll ask a question and instruct students to position themselves in the classroom based on their response: those with an emphatic “yes” to one side, an emphatic “no” to the opposite side, and the undecided or “wishy-washy” in the middle. The closer a student stands to either side, the stronger their feelings about the topic. 

 

For instance, you could pose a question like, “Was Narcissus right to reject Echo’s love?” or “Does this myth accurately represent aspects of romantic relationships or unrequited love?” The more controversial or thought-provoking the question, the more engaged the students will become. As they move around the room, they not only physically activate but also engage in critical thinking, determining their stance on the issue. 

 

Observing students who are indecisive, watching where their friends go, and then following, provides an opportunity to address the influence of peer pressure in a gentle manner. This activity is not only a fun way to get students moving but also fosters critical thinking and encourages a Socratic method of engagement. 

I have implemented this strategy with students as young as seventh grade and with high schoolers. Have you tried this approach before? I’m eager to hear your thoughts and experiences.

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Unleashing Creativity: Crafting Engaging Digital Content for Humanities Education

Dive into the world of digital content creation for middle and high school humanities education. Discover how public domain resources are transformed into engaging and fun learning materials.

As a passionate educator, I've dedicated countless hours to crafting engaging digital content for middle and high school humanities teachers. The intricate process involves dozens of steps and takes up to six hours per listing. But the result? A treasure trove of resources that bring depth and engagement to the classroom.

My journey begins with sourcing public domain content from libraries such as the New York Public Library digital collections and public domain content I find on Google Books and from the Library of Congress. These timeless resources serve as the foundation upon which I build. I then add my original lesson plans, question banks, exit tickets, writing prompts, and activities. The aim? To create content that not only educates but also captivates.

Sometimes, the raw materials need a little sprucing up. An illustration from a nineteenth-century book might be old and dingy, or text from a public domain source might be outdated. That's where Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator come into play, helping me breathe new life into these resources. 

Revitalizing history: the top image showcases my restoration of a 19th-century lithograph, significantly enhancing its clarity compared to the original below. Retrieved from the NYPL digital collection.

My favorites? Mythology resources and philosophy activities. There's something incredibly rewarding about bringing these age-old disciplines to life for today's students. It's a labor of love, and I'm always excited about dreaming up what I should create next. Join me on this journey of making learning more engaging and fun, one digital resource at a time.

I partner with TpT to provide educational content for Humanities and English language arts teachers.

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