Hey there, Joyful Journey Makers! Today, let’s talk about a simple but effective tool that can get your students engaged and ready to learn from the moment they walk into the classroom—starter tickets. These quick, structured activities help activate prior knowledge, get students focused, and give you valuable insight into their learning. Think of starter tickets as the perfect way to check in on what students remember from previous lessons and set the stage for new content.
Let’s dive into what starter tickets are, why they’re effective, and how to use them as a formative assessment. Plus, I’ll share some hot tips for incorporating them into your routine and introduce my 3-2-1 Starter Tickets, available in both English and Spanish, that you can use to kick off your lessons in an engaging way!
Why Are Starter Tickets Effective?
What Is Formative Assessment?
Formative assessment is any activity or tool that provides ongoing feedback on student learning. Unlike summative assessments (like final exams), formative assessments occur during the lesson or unit. They give you and your students a real-time snapshot of how well they’re grasping the material, allowing for timely interventions when needed.
Starter tickets are a fantastic formative assessment tool because they allow you to quickly see what students remember and where they might need more support before diving into the day’s lesson.
Hot Tips for Using Starter Tickets in the Classroom
- Make It Routine: Start each class with a 3-5 minute starter ticket. Whether it’s in-person or online, making starter tickets part of your daily routine helps create consistency and gets students into a learning mindset right away.
- Use It to Bridge Lessons: Starter tickets are especially helpful for linking lessons. You can ask students to recall what they learned yesterday or reflect on how a previous lesson connects to today’s topic.
- Incorporate Pair Work: If you have English Language Learners (ELLs) or students who might need extra support, consider having them complete the starter tickets in pairs. This gives them the opportunity to discuss their answers and collaborate on their learning.
- Differentiate Your Questions: Modify the starter ticket based on student needs. You can ask advanced students to write more detailed reflections or encourage struggling students to focus on key takeaways.
- Use the Data: Starter tickets aren’t just for students—they’re for you too! Pay attention to common themes in the answers. If multiple students seem confused about a particular concept, take a few minutes to review it before diving into new material.
Get Your Resource: Spanish 3-2-1 Starter Tickets
Now that you’re ready to implement starter tickets in your classroom, let me introduce you to my 3-2-1 Starter Tickets, available in both English and Spanish! These tickets are designed to get students thinking about what they’ve learned, keep them engaged, and give you valuable insight into their progress.
What’s Included:
- 3-2-1 Format: Students write down three things they remember from the last lesson, two interesting facts they learned, and one question they still have. This format encourages reflection and helps students take ownership of their learning.
- English and Spanish Versions: Perfect for bilingual classrooms or Spanish-language learners, these starter tickets provide an easy way to engage students in both languages.
How to Use These Starter Tickets in Your Classroom
- Daily Warm-Up: Use the 3-2-1 starter tickets as a warm-up activity at the beginning of class. Have students spend a few minutes reflecting on what they remember from yesterday’s lesson, then share their answers with a partner or the class.
- Pre-Lesson Review: Use the tickets at the start of class to assess what students remember from a previous unit. This helps refresh their memory and prepares them for the new material you’re about to introduce.
- Pair Up for Reflection: For students who might need extra support, pair them up to complete the starter tickets. They can discuss their answers and help each other recall key points from previous lessons.
The Gist of it All
Starter tickets are a powerful, low-pressure way to get students thinking, reflecting, and engaged right from the start of class. With my 3-2-1 Starter Tickets, available in both English and Spanish, you can easily add this formative assessment tool to your daily routine and see your students thrive.
Resources
Balanced, S. (2021). Formative Strategy Entrance Ticket. Tools for teachers – smarter balanced. https://smartertoolsforteachers.org/resource/18
George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2015, June 23). Gaining understanding of what your students know. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/practice/exit-tickets-checking-understanding/
University, C. M. (n.d.). Formative vs summative assessment – eberly center – carnegie Mellon University. Formative vs Summative Assessment – Eberly Center – Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html