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Stations: A Tool for Background Knowledge

I love using stations to provide background knowledge and breaking large readings into smaller ones. If done well, it is a powerful tool. Here's what I have found to help my stations be successful:


    1. Don't allow more than three students at a station. It increases the likelihood of off-task behavior and visibility issues for the students.
    2. Set a timer: on the board, have a timer running. Students will move to their next station when they hear it go off.
    3. Have an extra station. By this, I mean that you should have questions or an activity a student can work on no matter where they are. Some stations will go quickly, and some will take the whole time. Consider using something that would summarize the learning from all the stations or allow for creative thinking about an issue related to the learning materials.

I have been creating some stations in my Teachers Pay Teachers store that involve a brief reading and a check-for-understanding question at the end. The answer to the question tells them which station to visit next. 



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