Closure to Differentiate Classroom
Closure Activities within the Differentiated Classroom
Providing Closure or Exit Activities
Choose a closure or exit activity to end each class with a metacognitive, motivating experience so students yearn to return for the next class lesson. Use a variety of activities such as reflective journal entries, sharing the lesson highlights with a partner or small group, adding a comment to a bulletin board, placing information gained on an exit note or using important facts in cheers and celebrations.
Importance of Closure Activities in the Classroom
Journal Entry
Get-Out-Of-Class Exit Ticket
Quiz
Here are some Closure Activities...
3-2-1 – Students write down on a note card 3 things they learned from today’s lesson, 2 questions they have about the topic and 1 thing want the teacher to know from today’s lesson.
Postcards – Have students write a post card to an absent student explaining the key ideas presented in the day’s lesson.
Pair/Share – “Tell the person next to you . . .” Have students verbally summarize main ideas, answer questions posed at the beginning of a lesson, and link both past and future lessons.
Doodles – Students can sketch or draw 3 concepts they learned from the lesson using words or images.
Gallery Walk – Students create a graphic organizer or infographic to represent their learning. Students then post them on the wall for students to get up and view different visual representations of understanding.
What’s Inside – This can be done individually, with a partner or in small groups. Students get a sealed envelope that contains a slip of paper with a topic, vocabulary word or problem written on it. Students then have to explain, describe, or solve the contents of the envelope.
Remember, the closure of a lesson should be meaningful. The purpose of closure is to review the key points of the lesson, give students the opportunity to draw conclusions and show what they know.Recency Effect...otherwise known as a last impression
Closure activities help define both your teaching agenda and the intended learning progression, weaving today's lesson with yesterday's while providing a look ahead at what tomorrow's will bring. As a deliberate part of your planning process, these activities summarize the current lesson, provide it context, and build anticipation for the next. Properly implemented, they will help you establish and maintain course momentum. Here are some example closure questions to ask:
•What one thing did you learn today?
•How does today's lesson impact your understanding?
•How would you summarize today's lesson for someone who wasn't here?
•What was the most significant learning from today?
•What "a-ha" did you have today?
References / Resources
https://theteachingfactor.wordpress.com. "Beyond the Exit Slip: Closure Activities for Classroom Instruction". March 18, 2012.
http://d11differentiatedinstruction2012.wikispaces.com. "Differentiated Instruction: Ten Common Questions and Answers" by Carolyn Chapman and Rita King.
http://teaching.colostate.edu. "Closure Activities: Making That Last Impression" by Rod Lucero.