[Rob Plevin]

Hi,

Use this thread to share your tried and tested attention-grabbing starters... I have included some below from one of our other forums to get things started.

Helen
Jan 3, 2009 - 11:41AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
Using "Odd one out" activities where they pupils have to identify the obvious odd one but then go on to find reasons why any of the others may be odd. eg 2,4,6,8,15 the obvious answer is 15 either because it is odd or because it is the only one larger than 10. However 4 might be the odd one as it is the only square number, or 2 might be the odd one because it is the only prime number and so on. The joy of this is that it is accessible at many levels and can easily be adapted for other subjects.


Sarah
Jan 3, 2009 - 1:48PM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
A really quick easy one is how many words can students make out a key word or phrase eg Medieval Castles. It gets very competitive, particularly among boys I find. You can increase the challenge for more able students by stipulating words must contain four or five letters or more.



Dan
Jan 3, 2009 - 1:50PM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
Word riddles, picture riddles and simple/fun math problems.



Ina
Jan 8, 2009 - 6:49AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
1. find the deliberate mistakes in a list of words , some words might be left spelled correctly.
2. flashcards' games - guess which one a pupil took out of the pile ,do not show it to class untill guessed
3. musical chairs , use flashcards with new words instead chairs , they need to say the word on their flascard.



Elfreda
Jan 8, 2009 - 2:50PM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
In my subjects music dominoes goes down well with all the vocab and pictures for Y9 and Y10. Student feedback
was very positive saying that it was enjoyable and they
learnt lots from the group activity.



Iana
Feb 11, 2009 - 5:24AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
Changing the architecture of the room; a mystery object placed prominently in the room; the teacher wearing an intriguing prop (mask/ glasses/ tiara etc) gets the kids guessing/ thinking from the outset and eagerly expecting the continuation.




sabine
Feb 16, 2009 - 3:55AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters

i know that this idea is very maths lesson based but thought i'd share it anyway (so, if it bores you, i am sorry). At the beginning of the lesson, i get the children to draw 10 lines in the back of their books and write 0 and 100 at the front and back. Then i call out random numbers and the children have to decide where to place it on their 'number line'. If they are unable to place a number in the correct order, they are out.
This idea can be varied to decimals and percentages, including negative numbers




Elfreda
Feb 20, 2009 - 3:23AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
Just wondering if this would get students going. I going to try it in my music class as the school has language status and the project for this 2nd part of term is world music. There is a download you can buy for 9 dollars called "tune in to Espanol" and it consists of songs in Spanish to help language students. You get lyrics and recorded music mps with it. There is a really good song called "Rico Chico" It begins "Atencion, Las
muchachas los muchachos, por favor" has a really catchy chorus and ends with ""Rico Chico....hasta la vista baby!"
I've certainly had fun singing it and learnt a few Spanish words. They also supply translations. Thought i would share this resource info with you. I'll let you know how the kids take to it!


Hazel
Feb 25, 2009 - 2:31PM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
When I had to cover a teacher for Literacy, I placed a Lemon Sherbert sweet on each desk, before the children came to class.I Met them at the line and told them they had a sweet, but not to touch it. After registration I asked them to list at the back of their Literacy books, how it felt to see the sweet but not able to eat it. Then I asked them to hold the sweet and list as many words as possible to describe the feel, the noise of the wrapper. Next they could unwrap it and describe what the sweet felt like. Afterwards they could suck it and describe the taste, the smell, the sensation on the tongue.Then they get to crunch it, and describe the noise, second taste, comparing the two tastes and of course how it feels to be able to eat a sweet in lesson time.
Students now have a great word bank of descrptive words and terms to use as the lesson leads onto story writting.



Ann
Mar 7, 2009 - 7:05AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
Guess the number (person who is "it" thinks of a number and the rest of the class have a limited number of questions, with only yes / no answer, to help them to guess it) - this leads to thoughtful questions for example is it greater than, a multiple of, etc (and my class are all SEN) but also the "it" person always tries to think of a number to win with (could be a whole number or not, depending on ability) so they work themselves hard by choosing hard and then answering questions.
Round the world - a game that can go into most subjects enough cards for one per child each card has an answer and a question on it. Person 1 asks question person who has answer then asks theirs and so on until person who asked first question has last answer to finish game.


Elfreda
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:16PM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
A support teacher showed me a starter that got students thinking about their subject. One students begins with the name of a composer or it could be a name associated with the subject being taught and the next student has to think a
of another name using the last letter of the previous composer suggested or the next letter in the alphabet. Well, there are lots of variations on it. I expect you all know this one anyway. Nothing too unique about it but it seems quite a fun beginner that can build up some pace and focus.


Julie
Nov 29, 2009 - 2:08AM
Re: Module 5 Attention-grabbing starters
Around the holidays, I use a covered object that hides another object in it (such as a drummer boy with a Christmas eraser inside) and start off the day by having the students guess what is in the object (drummer boy). I have the students ask me questions, and the student who tells me the correct answer gets what's inside the object (Christmas eraser). This encourages students to do complex thinking, which is what the school wants students to do. After the first day, I continue to do the same thing (but change the objects) every day until the holiday (or break in the case of Christmas) comes. The students look forward to the holidays when they get to guess and get what's inside the object. I try not to have the same student win more than once.

[jaygee]

Can Ina and Eljfreda explain what a flashcard game, a flashcard (musical) chairs, and a musical dominoes game are more explicitly? Thanks.