Whiteboard Walls I encourage the students to share their ideas visually and verbally with the use of the whiteboard walls of the classroom. I think it's important to students to feel at the center of the discussion to maximize engagement and authentic learning.	Power Post Its This is a snapshot of one activity students completed in a group, wherein they needed to discuss the power dynamics in Of Mice and Men. Students were given post it notes (and a coloured-coded legend for each character) to determine how much power each character had within the story. Not only does this create a great visual, it made for some very interesting conversations about social, economic and physical power.	Socratic Seminar This snapshot is a look at the inner circle discussion about who should be blamed for a character's death. While it requires a bit of front-loading with prep notes and review of discussion (not debate) techniques, it is well worth the planning to see students share ideas, evidence, connections, counterarguments, and questions with no teacher involvement. I sit in the outer circle with students who are focused on their inner circle partner to take notes and offer feedback after the discussion.
Speed Geeking Here is a snapshot of my AP Human Geography students re-teaching each other concepts that required reviewing after a test. I compiled a list of topics that proved difficult on a unit test and the students chose one to review so that the knowledge is closer to being solidified before the end of the semester. This type of one-on-one activity is low-risk, increases understanding and ensures 100% engagement.	Kagan Structures After a weekend of Kagan workshops, I found that the structures (like Quiz, Quiz, Trade) are an excellent way to have students move around the room while coaching one another. This is particularly useful when students are practicing new concepts and vocabulary, or reviewing before a summative.	Grammar Olympics I place a strong emphasis on building a class community by creating well-organized, hands-on, team-building activities. In February 2014, I held the Grammar Olympics, a two-week event where teams of students answered grammar-related questions about the Sochi Olympics using mini white boards and buzzers.