In recent weeks I’ve found that my classes have been so caught up in the learning that we’ve not managed to complete plenary activities despite them always being present in my PowerPoints. Now I know they are not always needed but sometimes I’ve found that some pupils need the extra 5 minutes to finish off whilst others are packed away and ready to leave but I can’t change the slide because other are work. I usually just make something up on the spot like write down 5 key words from the lesson and show how they are linked or decide which LO you think you achieved today and explain why… but I’ve decided I want to get my pupils involved so have come up with the idea of an interactive plenary display.  Once a pupil has finished the main tasks of the lesson and providing it’s within the last 10 minutes of the lesson, they can head over to the display and choose their plenary task.

Originally I was thinking of creating plenary dice but realised that it would be some what difficult to store them on a notice board so came up with the idea of a plenary grid. After a quick search on Google I found it wasn’t an original idea and rather than create my own from scratch I decided to use an editable version of the original roll a plenary. A great time saver.

I decided to change a number of the plenary activities to suit my classes and the techniques I use regularly within my department. This is my version of @ASTsupportAAli & @tombrush1982 great work.

 

I’m going to print it onto A3 paper, laminate it and pin it to the board. Alongside I will store some dice in a pot and encourage the pupils to engage with the Roll a Plenary when they are finished. Other times as a class we’ll Roll a Plenary together and all carry out the chosen task. My plan is to have copies of exit tickets, jigsaw sheets, social media style print out etc. stored on the board in plastic wallets for easy access.

Once completed I will update this post with pictures of the display and copies of the plenary print outs.

How do you finish a lesson? Do you think a plenary is always needed?