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Lesson Closure with Examples

or 40 Ways to Leave a Lesson

CLOSURE - what the instructor does to facilitate wrap-up at the end of the lesson - it is a
quick review, to remind students what it was that they have learned (or should have
learned) and allows you to see where the students are to assist you in planning for the next
lesson.

The intellectual work should be done by the students – not the instructor summarizing for
the students and telling them what they learned.

Closure allows students to summarize main ideas, evaluate class processes, answer
questions posed at the beginning of the lesson, and link to both the past and the future.

Closure is an opportunity for formative assessment and helps the instructor decide:

1. if additional practice is needed

2. whether you need to re-teach
3. whether you can move on to the next part of the lesson

Closure comes in the form of information from students about what they learned during
the class; for example, a restatement of the instructional purpose. This information then
provides a knowledge of the results for the teacher, i.e., did you teach what you intended to
teach and have the students learned what you intended to have them learn?

Lesson Closing in a nutshell – can be one or some combination of

the purposes below. It should be a meaningful
meaningfu end to the lesson.

• Reviewing the key points of the lesson.

• Giving students opportunities to draw conclusions from the lesson.

• Describing when the students can use this new information.

• Previewing future lessons.

• Demonstrating student’s problem-solving process.

• Exhibiting student learning.

• Creating a smooth transition from one lesson to the next lesson.

Assembled by Ann Sipe ∞ Grandview School District, Grandview WA

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Title Synopsis
Notes can be used in a variety of ways. Completing the summary,
1. Cornell Notes checking with a partner for completeness, comparing to teacher’s
idea of what the key ideas were.
http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html

Each day students write about 2 things they learned (use of a

2. Journal Entry
journal could incorporate most of these other closure examples)
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3583

Student must answer in writing questions or reflect in some way

about the learning before being allowed to leave the room.
3. Exit Pass
Math example – work a question from the material covered during
the lesson, use as formative assessment for the following day, sort
into piles: got it/ didn’t get it or minor errors / conceptual errors

☺ I really understood this idea…

 I have a few questions about… before I can say I understand

 I don’t even know where to start on …

! I am excited about…

Examples : I’d like to learn more about…

? a questions I have is…

This point is really clear

One thing that squares with things I already know is…
An idea that is still going around in my head is…

This is a variation of the exit pass and great for a 90-30 second gap
before dismissal. Depending on time, have students discuss the
4. You’re stuck day’s vocabulary and then they have to define one word in their
here until… own words, to you, before they go out the door. If they are having
difficulty, have them step to the side and listen to several other
students and then try again. This should be framed in good humor,
not in a punitive way.

Students quickly and verbally share one thing they learned in the
class today. You can have them toss a ball from one to another or
5. Whip Around just have volunteers. (Caveat – you have to have a safe trusting
environment. I have seen this done where kids chose others based
on their perception that the student won’t have anything to say.)

Assembled by Ann Sipe ∞ Grandview School District, Grandview WA

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6. 3-2-1 3 things they learned, 2 things they have a question about, 1 thing
they want the instructor to know – post-its, index cards, whatever

Student writes one question they have about the topic of this
lesson. This can be something for which they know the answer or
7. Fishbowl for which they want an answer. Form an inner and outer circle.
Share question with the person in front of you see if they know the
answer, switch who is asking question, if time rotate to a new
partner
8. Summary
Paragraph What was learned today – be specific with examples!

9. Explain a
Procedure Write to an absent student and explain how to ……..

Students write a detailed explanation of a procedure - with an

example to demonstrate their understanding of the concept. They
10. Here’s How…
then give their partner the un-worked example and the detailed
instructions and have the partner work the example from the
directions. Then they peer edit the procedures for clarity.

11. Cliff Notes, Jr. Students prepare a “cheat sheet” that would be useful for having
during a quiz over the day’s topic.

Students discuss or write

• What did we learn today ?
12. Three W’s • So What ?(relevancy, importance, usefulness)
• Now What? (how does this fit into what we are
learning, does it affect our thinking, can we predict
where we are going)

Tell the person next to you 2 (3,4,5,…) things you have learned
13. Pair / Share today, then the groups report out.
Variation is to have students Think/Write/Pair/ Share

Students create graphic representations of their learning and post

14. Gallery Walk them. Students can either share out the posters or students can
move from station to station – writing questions or comments,
noting similarities and differences, reflect on what they might do
differently if they were to repeat the process.
15. Choose from
Student choose two questions from a generic list to respond to
the Daily Dozen
about the day’s lesson.

Could be daily or intermittent. 2-4 questions to show what they

16. Quiz learned. Small individual whiteboards work well for a formative
assessment and reduces the paperwork. Don’t forget to ask
conceptual questions!

Assembled by Ann Sipe ∞ Grandview School District, Grandview WA

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17. Thumbs Up /
Pose some questions that can be answered thumbs up/down/
Thumbs down
sideways, ask for explanation of the decisions.

18. Quick doodles Doodle / draw two or three concepts presented in the lesson may
include words or numbers.
19. Key Ideas
Students list the key ideas from the lesson and why they were
important.
20. “What am I?”
(riddles for key Have students construct clues (riddles) about the key terms and
terms) quiz partners or the room

Teacher gives answer. Students create the question. This works

21. Jeopardy
well with dry erase boards.
http://www.hardin.k12.ky.us/res_techn/countyjeopardygames.htm

22. Be Alex Trebek Student poses answer/question to group about lesson –responses
should come from other students, not the teacher

Students present three key ideas they think everyone should have
23. Be the Teacher
learned. Could be done with a group or individually –responses can
be either oral or written.

24. The Five W’s Students explain the who, what, where, when, why and how of the
lesson.

Students are given an index card and required to state the lesson’s
25. Credit Cards
objective and if they feel that objective was met. Credit given for
participating.

26. Postcard Students are given an index card and they write a postcard to their
parents explaining the day’s lesson.

27. Pros and Cons Students list pros and cons of the issue discussed in class (might be
a challenge in a math class.)
28. So What’s Up
With ….? Students raise questions about something they either were unsure
about or need clarification. Can be done orally or written.

29. Quiz Master Students prepare a short quiz (+ 5 questions with answers) At least
2 of the questions must start How…? or Why…?

30. Journal Entry Each day students write about 2 things they learned (use of a
journal could incorporate most of these other closure examples.)

31. I Care Why? Students explain relevancy of the concept to their life or how they
might use it.

Students create a “time line “ of the concepts taught (sequence the

32. It Fits Where? concepts) or explain a connection to something else they know.

Assembled by Ann Sipe ∞ Grandview School District, Grandview WA

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33. Element of Students receive an envelope containing a card with a word or
Surprise phrase selected by the teacher. Students discuss the concept and
list the content-specific vocabulary necessary to discuss it.

Students in groups of up to five are numbered sequentially. As a

34. Numbered
group they create a list of 3-5 things learned in the lesson and then
Heads Together
the teacher calls one number from each group to report to the class
something they learned.

Students write open ended questions on index cards. Two students

are selected to come forward. The first student draws a question
35. We Learned
What? card and poses the question to the class. After the class discusses
the question and answers with their partner - the second student
draws a student name card to respond to the question. (These
questions could also be used to launch the next day’s lesson.)
36. We’re Going
Students predict the topic of tomorrow’s lesson – be sure to refer to
Where?
the predictions the next day as either an opener or in closure.
37. It Looks Like
An actual object or model that directly relates to the lesson is
This
shown and students explain how it connects to the day’s concept.
38. Sell It To Us
Write a jingle that explains the main idea of the lesson.

39. Commercial Students write a 1 – 2 minute commercial to use at home when

asked, “What happened in math class today?”

Synectics connect unrelated ideas through metaphor. Students

40. 4 box synectics have a sheet with four boxes. In each box is a stem. Solving
equations in like eating and orange because…” “Solving equations
is like driving a car because…”

Resources used
Kristine Lindeblad – Coach Extraordinaire
Terrific teachers at Grandview Middle and High Schools; Grandview, WA
OSPI Funded Math Coaches 2007-2009
About – Secondary Education Blog
www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Guide.shtml

Educators Reference Desk, How to write a lesson Plan

Winning Through Student Participation in Lesson Closure. Patricia Wolf and Viola Supon . EDRS (ERIC)

Assembled by Ann Sipe ∞ Grandview School District, Grandview WA