Students leaving after class wrap up

Overview

The last five minutes of class are just as important as the first five. Class wrap up activities can be used to encourage students to reflect on the material they have learned during the class period. These activities are also useful for the instructor; even if they aren’t graded, they allow the instructor to check for understanding.

Strategies

The Minute Paper

The minute paper comes in many variations, but the simplest form asks these two questions:

  1. “What was the most important thing you learned today?”
  2. “What question still remains in your mind?”

These two simple questions require students to recall information they’ve learned during class and reflect on gaps in their knowledge.

Closing Connections

The final minutes of class are the perfect time to ask students to draw connections between what they’ve learned and how it can be applied in other settings. Rather than rushing to pack up their belongings, students can do activities such as creating a list of ways that the day’s material applies outside of class.

References

Related Resource Library Topics