Suggestions for Plenary Activities

8/10/2019 Suggestions for Plenary Activities

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Suggestions for Plenary Activities

As teachers, we are forever being told how important the plenary is. Sometimes though, thinkingof that short exercise to wind up a lesson successfully is difficult.

Bradford school have come up with a list of 51 ideas for plenaries

1. !ist three things you have learned today

". !ist three things your neighbour has learned today

#. $% second challenge & sum up

'. (rite the new words you have learned this lesson and what they mean in

)*+ also alternative meanings in other curriculum areas-5. (rite threefive top tips for/

$. +he answer is / what is the 0uestion

2. +ake one minute to compose two sentences in your head to explain whatwe have learnt and how we have learnt it, using the key words from thelesson

3. (here can you useapply this skill in other areas of )*+ or in othersub4ects

. )n pairs, answer this 0uestion on a post6itsheet, stick it on the board andreview. 7oes everyone agree

1%.Show your work to your neighbour, work in pairs to set targets

11. Self assessment & record what you8ve learnt, any difficulties you have hadand set your personal targets

1".9rediction 6 what do you think will happen next

1#.Show me boards to answer +rue:alse to statements given

1'.;igsaw feedback & groups work on different parts of task then reform toshare findings

15.


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The panel below illustrates some suggestions for involving pupils actively in the

nal

plenary.

To involve pupils in the plenary you could:

Igive a hint at the start of the lesson of how the plenary will go, e.g. tell two

pupils at the start of the lesson that they will be responsible for reporting back

at the end of the lesson on what was important about it other pupils can then

say whether they agree or disagree and why;

Iput the questions you are going to ask in the plenary on the board at the start

of the lesson;

Iselect pupils to present an aspect of their work to the class, but stop the

clock! at times to ask others in the class to re"ect on features which focus back

on the lesson ob#ective;

Iuse drama strategies, e.g.

put a pupil in a hot seat! as an e$pert or character, and invite the rest of the

class to ask questions;

ask a group of four pupils to create a still frame! to show a key idea from

the lesson;

Iask individuals to:

write down three facts they have learned in the lesson, then share these with

a partner and add to the list;

think of an important question to ask the rest of the class to test their

understanding;

write a sentence that summarises the lesson, then share with a partner;

write key words and denitions in a sub#ect dictionary;

use writing or talking frames designed for the plenary, such as %hat & found

di'cult or easy was (!, The most important part was (!, & need to


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improve on (!;

move as envoys! from their group to the ne$t to e$plain a key idea or

present some ndings;

Iask pupils in pairs or small groups to:

make a set of word cards drawing on the key vocabulary used in the lesson,

putting words on one card and denitions on another, then use the cards to

play )elmanism;

compose two sentences that describe the main ideas of the lesson;

identify three ways in which ideas in the lesson might be used in other

sub#ects;

design one page of a )ower)oint presentation, with a heading and three

bullet points summarising an aspect of the lesson;

Ifor homework, ask pupils to:

prepare a qui* on the theme of the lesson to try out on the rest of the class;

write a description of the lesson, what they most liked about it +and least,

what they found easiest about it, and what was most di'cult;

design an e$ercise for a te$tbook to follow up work done in the lesson;

design a web page to help remember one aspect of today!s lesson when

you review the homework, ask why they thought certain aspects were

important.

Documents

Suggestions for Plenary Activities