RECAP
1 PICTURES, CARTOON or
OBJECT
Use to relate to last lesson’s learning
and stimulate discussion and recap
2 ANNOTATION OF A
DIAGRAM
Label or annotate a diagram based
upon last lesson’s work. Can be
completed as a whole class or pair
work activity,
3 WRITE AN ACROSTIC
In pairs, take a new important term,
and make each letter of the term
begin a new line. Write a short
‘poem’ using the letters, and
reflecting the qualities of the concept.
Have examples from previous years,
4 CONCEPT MAP
Blu-tack key terms/ideas from last
lesson to the board. Ask students to
establish and explain the links
between the terms
5 SPOT ANACHRONISMS
Show a picture with things out of
place with the time period. Pupils
identify the anachronisms and then
explain their reasoning.
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6 GROUPS OF FOUR
Divide class into pairs or fours. Put up
4 statements on the OHP from last
lesson’s learning, numbered 1-4, which
individuals must explain to the group
7 REMEMBER THE PICTURE
Pupils are given a copy of a picture to
study for 2 minutes and try to
remember details. They then turn the
picture over and give feedback about
the details they can remember. Good
for focusing attention on detailed
pictorial sources.
8 MINDMAP
Write the theme of the last lesson in the
centre of the board, with stems as
appropriate. Pupils identify what to
write on the mindmap to show what
they have learned.
9 INTERPRET DIAGRAMS
Interpret simple sequential diagrams
from an OHT and suggest captions for
each diagram
10 ROGUE DATA
Illustrate data, containing some rogue
figures, relating to a topic studied.
Working in pairs, pupils work out which
figures are most likely to be incorrect
and justify their choice.
 KEY WORDS
WORD CARDS /
11 DEFINITIONS
Match word cards and definition cards.
Can be done as a paired card sort, or
class activity on OHP
13 BINGO
Pupils are given 15 words related to a
topic. They select 8 and write them on
a bingo card. Teacher calls out names
in his/her order of importance and
pupils explain significance of terms
15 PICTIONARY
Teacher or pupil draws an object or
feature studied in the last half term
without speaking or writing. Others
must guess the term in time allowed
and write it down. No calling out!
17 WHO/WHAT/WHERE AM I?
A pupil is blindfolded and the rest of
the class/group given an identity, place
or object. Blindfolded pupil has 2
minutes to ask Yes/No questions of the
other players to discover the answer.
19 ODD-ONE OUT
Sets of four words are put on display
and pupils say which is the odd one
out and why. The reasoning given is
the most important part of the activity
21 VERBAL TENNIS
The class is divided into two groups
who take it in turns to say a word
related to the current topic. No word
can be repeated. Scored as tennis.
23 CATEGORISING TERMS
In pairs, pupils discuss and sort a bank
of words into related groups and
devise a name or heading for each
group of words.
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12 FIRST LETTERS
Put first letters from key words studied
last lesson on board. Pupils identify the
terms and define them eg. meanders:
RC, RB, C, OBL
14 DOMINOES
Match symbols/ definitions/key words.
Can be done as a paired activity or as
an OHP class activity, with all pupils
having one domino
16 COUNTDOWN
Give pupils 30 or 60 seconds to
unscramble a new key word.
18 WORDSEARCH
Wordsearch containing key words or
information can use clues/definitions to
activate previous knowledge. Also
crosswords. Useful site:
www.puzzlemaker.com
20 TABOO
Pupils work in pairs/small groups using
cards with about four taboo words.
One pupil has to talk about the main
word for one minute without pausing
and using any of the taboo words
22 HEADLINES ~ MISSING
WORDS
As in TV programme ‘Have I got news
for you?’, headlines are shown, but
with key words concealed. Pupils
guess the keywords. Leeway for
humour needed!
24 60 SECOND CHALLENGE
Pupils are given one minute to write
down all the key words they can think
of to do with a topic
 NEW TOPIC
25 MYSTERY OBJECT
Show the class a mystery object. Ask
them to come up with predictions on
what it is, and/pr five ‘W’ questions
(what, who, where, when, why)
27 CONCEPT CARTOON
Discuss the speech bubble opinions of
four different characters who are
considering an issue or topic. Use as
the basis for identifying pupils’ own
views. Can also be used as a plenary.
29 SEQUENCING/PREDICTION
In pairs, pupils are given a number of
events/processes on cards. Pupils
discuss and put the cards into a logical
sequence, then justify choices orally
31 DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
Teacher proclaims an unpopular or
extreme viewpoint on an issue in order
to promote a discussion of alternative
views
33 PHILOSOPHICAL
QUESTION
Pairs discuss, then share ideas with
another pair on a question such as:
What would you be prepared to die
for? eg. to introduce a unit on Martin
Luther King in RS/PSHE
35 WORD ASSOCIATION
For introducing any topic, pupils can
be asked to write down 10 words that
come to mind when they hear the word
chosen by the teacher
37 HIGHLIGHTER
Pupils are given an information sheet,
on which they select and highlight or
underline the relevant information or
viewpoints as appropriate.
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26 PICTURE/PHOTO ANALYSIS
Show class a picture or photo related
to the new topic. Pupils to make
observations or ask questions, as
appropriate
28 MIND MOVIES
Pupils close eyes. Teacher reads part
of a story or a description to the class.
When teacher has finished, pupils
keep eyes closed and continue to ‘run
the movie’ in their minds. Then
feedback.
30 PREDICTION
What will happen is we …..? Why do
you think this is?
32 SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Pupils are given two pictures or maps
eg. of a village in 1900 and 2000, and
must spot differences between them
34 VIDEO CLIP
Class watches a short, engaging
extract, followed up by class
discussion (eg. what, where, why,
when, how?)
36 KWL GRID
Pupils fill in brief details on a KWL grid
outlining what they: Know already
(completed at start of topic) Want to
know (completed at start of topic)
Learned (completed at end of topic)
38 UNKNOWN WORDS
Provide pupils with a widely spaced
wordbank of words linked to the new
topic. Pupils use a system eg. traffic
light colours, to indicate words they
understand and do not understand
 QUESTIONS
39 CARD LOOPS
Cards are given to each pupil with an
unrelated question and answer on
each. A pupil starts the loop by
reading their question, and the person
with the answer responds and then
reads theirs
41 TRUE/FALSE
Teacher reads a series of statements
or shows them on the OHT. All Pupils
simultaneously hold up either a ‘True’
or a ‘False’ card for each statement.
43 WRITE THE QUESTION
An ‘answer’ or word is given by the
teacher. Pupils have to write what
question could have been asked to
generate this answer.
45 WHO WANTS TO BE A
MILLIONAIRE
‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’
questions answered in pairs. Which
pair becomes the richest?
47 BLOCKBUSTERS
Pupils travel across a grid containing
the initial letters to answers
49 RESPONSE GRID
Pupils have pre-prepared grids eg.
3x3, 4x3, into which are put words or
pictures. Teacher gives clues to one
term/picture at a time and pupils must
circle the correct grid
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40 REFRAIN FROM YES/NO
Two pupils are invited to the front of
the class. They are asked a quick
series of questions but must take it in
turn to respond, without saying ‘Yes’ or
‘No’.
42 HOT-SEATING
Students are put on the spot in the ‘hot
seat’ to speak to the rest of the class or
to answer questions in role.
44 MULTIPLE-CHOICE
A series of between 5-10 quick multiple
choice questions from the OHT. A
volunteer goes over the answers.
Class gives ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs
down’ in response.
46 BE THE TEACHER
A volunteer comes to the front and is
asked 5 questions by other pupils,
based on last lesson.
48 THREE IN A ROW
Divide class into two halves or boys v.
girls. Can each ‘half’ get three
questions in a row correct? Play
‘sudden death’ (as in The Weakest
Link) if there is a draw.
50 MYSTERY WORD
Teacher shows class a folded piece of
paper with a mystery word on it related
to the previous or future work. Each
pair of students can ask the teacher
one question, then all pupils write
down what they think the mystery term
is.