Week 3-Hooks Part 1

Using Hooks Disclaimer

Burgess asks the readers to use the hooks as a resource...to keep them in mind as you reflect on a unit you have to teach or are reviewing upcoming content.  He also suggests to work with a partner or team when going though this section of the book.  Remember, if you are not used to thinking like this, it will be difficult at first.  The more you do it the easier it will be to think outside of the box.  Finally, he wants everyone to simply have fun with the process and remember that the flash of light has to be worked for.

I Like to Move It, Move It

These hooks bring in movement to the lesson.  "The brain and body work best when receiving the flow of oxygen and blood; that doesn't happen when students spend their days sitting at a desk." (87)

The Kinesthetic Hook

• How can I incorporate movement into this lesson?
• Can we throw something, roll something, or catch something inside or outside of class?
• Can we get up and act something out?
• Can I change the structure of the lesson from a seated activity to a walk around activity?
• Can we incorporate gestures and motions that students could do from their desks?
• Can I use a game that incorporates movement and action to enhance this lesson?
• How can I guarantee that every student is up and out of their desk at least once during the lesson?

People Prop Hook

• Can I use my students as props, inanimate objects, or concepts?
• Can we create a human graph, chart, map, or equation?
• Can students be assigned a specific step in a process or an event and then have to order themselves sequentially?
• Can some students be props and others prop movers?

Safari Hook

• How can I get my class outside of my four walls?
• Where would be the best places on campus to deliver this content?
• Is there an area of the school that serves as the perfect backdrop for this lesson?
• Can I plant key items outside for us to "discover"?

Long Live the Arts

Music and the arts are another way to engage our students in our lessons.  I think back to seeing Messiah on the stage at the end of the year with the band from Curtin and how talented he was on the drums.  Could that have been a "hook" for him at Stevens?

Picasso Hook

• How can I incorporate art into this lesson?
• What can my students draw or make that would help them understand and retain the information?
• Can they make some kind of non-linguistic representation of the material?
• Can they create visuals of key information as a way to review for the upcoming test?
• Can they design word pictures in which the way the word it written reveals its definition?
• Can I create an art-based option that students could choose instead of another assignment?

The Mozart Hook

• How can I use music to aid my presentation?
• What would be the perfect song or type of music to create the right mood and proper atmosphere?
• What songs have lyrics that relate to this lesson?
• If I don't know, can I ask my students to find examples of music that relate to this topic?
• Can I use music to transition from one activity to another?
• How can I most effectively use music as they enter the room?
• What should we listen to while students are working independently or collaboratively?
• How can I use music to wrap up my lesson and send them out into the world in a positive and upbeat mood?
• Can students change the lyrics of a song to better reflect the content they are learning?
• Can students create raps/songs that demonstrate their understanding of the content or standard?
• Can I offer an alternative project that would allow my students with musical talents to be creative?

Dance and Drama Hook

• Can I provide the opportunity for my students to do skits or appear in videos related to what we are learning?
• Can they learn and perform a relevant dance?
• Can some students teach a dance to the class?
• Can they impersonate key people from history in a panel discussion or interview format?
• Can the reenact historical events?
• Can they write a script and create a video to play for the class?

The Craft Store Hook

• How can I incorporate a craft into this lesson?
• What can my students make that relates to this material?
• Can I provide some basic supplies such as craft sticks, pipe cleaners, and duct tape, give them an open-ended creative project, and turn them loose?
• Could there be craft skills my students already possess that could enhance my curriculum and simultaneously allow them the chance to be an expert for a day?

What's In It for Me?

This goes back to that super important question "Why."  Why are we learning this?  What am I going to get out of this lesson/topic?  How will learning this material make me better?

The Student Hobby Hook

• How can I incorporate the hobbies and outside interests of my students into this material?
• Do I even know the hobbies and outside interests of my students and, if not, how can I find out?
• How can I harness the power of connecting my content to what students are already interested in?

The Real World Application Hook

• How can I show my students why learning this content is important in the real world?
• How will they possible apply this in their life?
• Can we increase motivation and engagement by offering reasons to learn that go beyond - because it's on the test?
• Can they create something real that will be more than a classroom project but actually allow them to interact with the world in an authentic way?

The Life Changing Lesson Hook

• How can I use this lesson to deliver an inspirational message?
• What type of life-changing lesson can be incorporated into the content?
• What type of essential questions can I ask that allow students the opportunity for personal reflection and growth?

The Student Directed Hook

• How can I provide opportunities for autonomy and choice in this unit/lesson?
• Can I allow students interest to dictate our direction and learning while still covering what we need to address?
• How can I release some of my control and provide students the chance to be the experts and directors of this subject?

The Opportunistic Hook

• What current events are related to this lesson?
• Is there a hot topic in the news or on campus that I can use to capture student interest?
• What aspect of current pop culture can I tie into this material?
• In what ways can I incorporate currently popular trends, fads, TV shows, and movies in order to make this relevant and engaging for my class?
• Can I put intriguing images of current events on the walls with QR codes underneath that link to more information?

Discussion Questions

• Choose two hooks that you have put in place or have seen put in place.  If you can't identify two, think about two that you would want to put into your lessons.

Don't forget to respond to at least one one other person's comment.