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1. Active strategies from the book Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year by Esmé Raji Codell.

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1. Active strategies from the book Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year by Esmé Raji Codell.

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Read-Aloud Theatre
Definition: This strategy involves students reading parts of a script or literary text aloud, often with a theatrical or dramatic flair. Codell uses this approach to make reading interactive and encourage students to connect emotionally with characters and storylines.

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Mock Trials
Definition: Mock trials are simulated court cases where students role-play as prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and jury members to examine evidence and argue different sides of a case. This strategy is used by Codell to teach critical thinking, persuasive writing, and public speaking.

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Interactive Read-Alouds with Discussion
Definition: This strategy combines a teacher-led read-aloud with pauses for student discussions, questions, or predictions. Codell uses interactive read-aloud to engage students in active listening and critical thinking, making reading a participatory experience.

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Simulation Games

Definition: Simulation games are activities where students participate in a structured role-play or reenactment to explore complex topics or historical events. Codell uses this strategy to make abstract or distant events more relatable and memorable, deepening understanding through immersion.

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Journaling
Definition: This reflective practice allows students to write down thoughts, ideas, or responses to prompts, often in response to classroom discussions or lessons. Codell encourages journaling to help students articulate their learning and explore their thoughts privately, promoting self-expression and critical thinking.

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Story Mapping
Definition: Story mapping involves creating a visual representation of the elements in a story, such as plot, setting, and characters. Codell used this technique to help students visually organize and retain information from texts, promoting comprehension and analysis skills.

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Role-Playing
Definition: In role-playing, students act out scenarios or assume roles to explore perspectives on a topic. Codell uses this to teach empathy and understanding, helping students understand historical figures, literary characters, or different points of view in social situations.

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Peer Teaching
Definition: Peer teaching is a collaborative strategy where students take on teaching roles and instruct classmates on a particular topic. Codell finds this effective for reinforcing knowledge, as teaching a concept requires students to fully understand it first.

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Learning Centers
Definition: Learning centers are designated areas in the classroom where students work independently or in small groups on specific tasks or activities related to a subject. Codell uses centers to allow students to rotate through different learning experiences, which helped reinforce concepts in a hands-on, varied way.

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2. Active Learning Strategies from Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers by Kathleen Cushman and Laura Rogers.

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2. Active Learning Strategies from Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers by Kathleen Cushman and Laura Rogers.

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Group Discussions and Socratic Seminars
Definition: Structured discussions where students ask questions and build on each other’s responses in a respectful, open forum. The book highlights that students feel engaged when they can share opinions and debate ideas, which fosters deeper understanding through peer interactions.

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Student-Led Presentations
Definition: Opportunities for students to teach or present a topic to their classmates. Students in the book mention that presenting helps them to master the material because explaining something to others requires a deep understanding of the topic.

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Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Definition: Long-term projects that focus on solving real-world problems or answering complex questions. Middle schoolers in the book enjoy project-based assignments, as they allow them to dive deeply into a topic and produce a tangible outcome they can be proud of.

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Choice-Driven Assignments
Definition: Assignments where students choose topics, formats, or project types. The book mentions that students feel more motivated when they have a say in their work, as it allows them to explore subjects they’re passionate about and take ownership of their learning.

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Use of Technology and Interactive Media
Definition: Incorporating educational software, online research, or interactive apps in lessons. The book points out that students appreciate the opportunity to use technology in the classroom, as it makes learning more dynamic and engaging.

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Hands-On Projects
Definition: Projects that require students to physically manipulate or create something related to lesson content. This can include experiments, model building, or art projects. Students in the book note that hands-on learning makes information more tangible and easier to remember.

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Collaborative Group Work
Definition: This strategy involves students working in small groups to solve problems, discuss topics, or complete projects together. Middle schoolers in the book express that they learn better when they can exchange ideas and learn from each other, which encourages teamwork and peer learning.

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Visual Learning with Graphic Organizers
Definition: Using graphic organizers such as mind maps, Venn diagrams, and timelines to structure information visually. The book indicates that students find this strategy useful for organizing and retaining information, especially when they can create their own diagrams.

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3. Active Learning Strategies from Active Learning in the Middle Grades Classroom by Susan Edwards. 

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3. Active Learning Strategies from Active Learning in the Middle Grades Classroom by Susan Edwards. 

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Think-Pair-Share
Definition: This strategy has students first think about a question or problem individually, then discuss their thoughts with a partner, and finally share their ideas with the class. It encourages individual reflection, collaboration, and verbal communication.

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Jigsaw
Definition: In this cooperative learning strategy, students are divided into groups, with each group responsible for learning and becoming an expert on a different part of a larger topic. Afterward, students from each group come together to share their expertise, allowing everyone to learn from each other.

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Carousel Brainstorming
Definition: Carousel brainstorming involves students moving around the room to different stations or posters, each with a different topic or question. Students add ideas at each station, building on their peers' contributions. This encourages movement and collaborative brainstorming.

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Gallery Walk
Definition: In a gallery walk, students' work or research is displayed around the room, and students circulate to view and discuss each exhibit. This provides an interactive way for students to engage with peers' projects and encourages feedback and reflection.

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Concept Mapping
Definition: This visual strategy involves creating diagrams that show relationships between concepts. Students create maps that link ideas with lines and keywords, helping them organize and visually connect complex information.

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Four Corners
Definition: In this activity, each corner of the classroom is labeled with a different opinion or answer. Students move to the corner that aligns with their view on a question or topic, and they discuss their position with others. This strategy encourages active debate and allows students to express and defend their ideas.

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The K20 Center examines Four Corners, an instructional strategy that physically groups students by opinion then has them discuss their opinions with others who share their view before debating their stance with the other groups. Support active learning in your classroom with this series of videos on instructional strategies, their strengths, and their uses.

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fishbowl
Definition: In a fishbowl, a small group of students discusses a topic in the center of the room while the rest of the class observes from an outer circle. Afterward, the observing students can ask questions or comment. This approach develops listening skills and critical thinking in discussions.

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Exit Tickets
Definition: Exit tickets are brief prompts or questions given to students at the end of a lesson. They answer on slips of paper or online, providing feedback on their understanding and allowing the teacher to gauge comprehension and identify areas for review.

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4. Active Learning Strategies from Worksheets Don't Grow, Dendrites 20 Instructional Strategies that Engage the Brain by Marcia L. Tate

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4. Active Learning Strategies from Worksheets Don't Grow, Dendrites 20 Instructional Strategies that Engage the Brain by Marcia L. Tate

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Field Trips
Definition: Field trips take learning outside the classroom to offer real-world experiences that make content more memorable by engaging students in an authentic context.

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Games
Definition: Using educational games helps reinforce content in an interactive way, motivating students to participate actively and often adding a competitive element to learning.

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How do teachers use  Wayground (formerly Quizizz)?

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Humor
Definition: Incorporating humor in the classroom lightens the mood, reduces stress, and helps students feel more relaxed, making learning enjoyable and memorable.

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Metaphors, Analogies, and Similes
Definition: Using figurative language helps students understand new concepts by comparing them to known ideas, making abstract concepts easier to grasp.

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Music, Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap
Definition: Using music and rhythmic activities helps with memory retention and makes learning more enjoyable, especially useful for memorizing information.

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Hexagonal Thinking
Definition: Hexagonal thinking involves writing concepts, themes, or ideas on hexagon-shaped cards that students then link together to form a web of connections. Each hexagon must touch another based on shared or related ideas. This strategy encourages students to explore relationships between ideas and think critically about connections between different concepts in the curriculum.

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Active learning strategies I learned from veteran teachers within my school. 

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Active learning strategies I learned from veteran teachers within my school. 

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Silent Discussion
Definition: In silent discussions, students write their responses to a prompt on large pieces of paper or sticky notes, then move around the room, reading and responding to each other's written ideas instead of speaking. This method allows quieter students to participate fully, promotes critical thinking, and creates a record of student ideas for later discussion.

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Mystery Inquiry
Definition: Mystery inquiry gives students a scenario with incomplete information and challenges them to ask questions, research, and hypothesize to "solve" the mystery. It’s often used in social studies or science to encourage critical thinking, curiosity, and problem-solving. By investigating the unknown, students become active agents in their learning process.

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Edwards, S. (2016). Active Learning in the Middle Grades Classroom. Westerville, OH: Association of Middle Level Educators. ISBN: 978-1560902850.

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Cushman, K. & Rogers, L. (2008). Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers. New York: The New Press. ISBN: 978- 1-59558- 483-0 2.

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Codell, E. (2009). Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books. ISBN: 13:978-1-56512-935-1.

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Tate, M. L. (2010). Worksheets don’t grow dendrites: 20 instructional strategies that engage the brain (2nd ed.). Corwin Press.