These techniques can be used to supplement a variety of lessons and adapted to different age groups. They don't require extra materials, just a little extra effort. At the beginning of class: Ask three students to name one thing they learned yesterday. Announce what the lesson is about today and ask students to tell you what they already know about the topic. Write their statements on the board. On small pieces of paper, write down the concepts in the lesson. Then let students draw the paper from a hat, bowl or bag. Those who draw pieces with the concepts on them are required to give an example when that concept is explained in the lesson. To review the lesson: Play 20 questions. Write an answer from the lesson on a slip of paper with students taking turns asking the question. You can divide the class into teams or award points per individual. Try playing String Along. This is similar to the alphabet game. The first student names something from the lesson studied that begins with the letter "A." The next student repeats that "A" word and adds another one with "B." If students are preparing for a quiz or test, ask them what questions they think should be on the quiz or test. Together, create a flowchart on the board, describing the steps to solve the math problem, the rise and fall of action in a story, events in a history lesson or the directions for the homework assignment. There are dozens of books and websites with creative ideas to expand on these techniques. Additional ideas are available in the section Knowing and Motivating Your Students. You might also check with colleagues to see what they use to keep students involved with the material they are studying. In addition, there are also some great lesson plans for you to adapt and have on hand. You can easily access them by linking to www.teachinflorida.com/teachertoolkit/LessonPlans.asp