Learning Area: Any

Estimated Time: 30 minutes (broken up throughout the lesson)

Grade Level: 2-8

Useful at various grade levels, KWL boards are a great way to learn how much students know about a topic, what they are curious to learn, and what they’re taking away at the end of the unit. KWL boards also allow students to reflect on how they take in new information. This example shows a lesson on owls. Although the sample lesson is geared toward younger children, KWL boards can be used to structure material that is much more complex. For middle or high school students, they’re especially useful for text-based lessons, where the “wonder” section can be expanded into a personal reflection writing exercise.

Materials:

• Post-it® Super Sticky Big Notes
• Marker
• Whiteboard or poster board

Instructions:

To set up the board, write out the topic and the headings “What We Know,” “What We Wonder,” and “What We Learned” in separate columns on Post-it® Super Sticky Big Notes.

Before digging into a new unit, have students write down everything they already know about owls on orange Post-it® Super Sticky Notes. This step isn’t about pointing out wrong answers; if students share incorrect information, that will be an important part of the learning process.

Write down everything students are wondering about the lesson on blue Post-it® Super Sticky Notes.

At the end of the unit, have students write down what they have learned on green Post-it® Super Sticky Notes. Together, go back and review the first two columns. Were all of their questions answered in the course of the unit?