Here are 20 effective ways to close out a lesson:
1. Exit Ticket
- Students answer a specific question or summarize what they learned on a slip of paper before leaving.
2. Quick Write
- Ask students to spend 2-3 minutes writing about the most important thing they learned during the lesson.
3. Think-Pair-Share
- Students discuss what they learned with a partner and share their thoughts with the class.
4. One-Minute Summary
- Students summarize the day’s lesson in one minute to consolidate their understanding.
5. Reflective Question
- Pose a reflective question like, “What was the most challenging part of today’s lesson, and how did you overcome it?”
6. Countdown Review
- Ask students to share “3 things they learned, 2 questions they still have, and 1 thing they found interesting.”
7. Pop Quiz
- A short, informal quiz to assess understanding of the lesson’s key points.
8. Student-Generated Questions
- Have students create questions based on the lesson content to prepare for future discussions.
9. Traffic Light Cards
- Students use red, yellow, or green cards to show how well they understood the material.
10. Turn and Talk
- Pair students to discuss what they learned and identify any remaining questions.
11. “I Learned” Statements
- Students complete the sentence “I learned that…” to summarize their takeaways.
12. Review Game
- Play a quick review game like Kahoot, Jeopardy, or a class trivia contest.
13. Visual Representation
- Ask students to draw a diagram, chart, or illustration of what they learned.
14. Pair or Group Reflection
- Groups discuss the lesson’s objectives and how they met them.
15. Thumbs Up, Down, or Sideways
- Quick feedback where students show thumbs up for understanding, sideways for partial understanding, or down for confusion.
16. Challenge Question
- Pose a higher-order thinking question for students to ponder until the next class.
17. Classroom Poll
- Use a polling tool to gather real-time feedback on the lesson’s effectiveness.
18. Checklist Completion
- Students check off lesson objectives they feel they’ve mastered and identify areas for improvement.
19. Debrief Circle
- Gather students in a circle to share one thing they learned or enjoyed.
20. Preview Next Lesson
- Provide a teaser for the next class to build anticipation and connect today’s lesson to the upcoming material.
These strategies ensure that students leave the lesson with a clear understanding and closure.
