Ask students to take a stance for or against what other students wrote on the board. Take the words or statements and pose them back at the students. Don’t just move on after the activity is completed. Summarize and clarify what was written on the board.Chalk talk can be a great way to follow up bell work at the beginning of class. Allow the students some time to think about the answers.

This is a great way to get students attention and interest at the beginning of class. Freestyle Brainstorming: Suggest a topic and just have students write words or phrases that come to mind in connection with that topic. Label each circle and have students write similarities and differences within the circles.Ĥ. Venn Diagram: Draw two intersecting circles on the board. (You an really use any you can use any kind of graphic organizer)ģ. Then, at the end of the lesson, have students complete the L (What I Learned) section. Have students silently fill out the K (Know) portion at the beginning of class and then the W (Want to Know) section immediately after that. KWL Chart: Create a KWL chart on the board. Have students write supporting details or answers in bubbles around the center topic.Ģ. Mind Map: Write a topic or a question in the middle of the board and circle it. Consider these ways to use chalk talk in your classroom:ġ. What you put on the board as a teacher is of central importance. It is like a silent form of class discussion. Once everyone in the class has come to the board students can go up a second time if they wish. When they finish, they give the chalk (markers) to another student to add more answers or supporting details. Various students are given chalk (markers) to come to the board and write answers to a question or supporting details based on a certain a topic. I can’t help but think that the reason I like it so much is the fact that it gets the students thinking rather than talking out. One of my favorite teaching strategies is chalk talk.