5 Reasons to Use a Good Hook
A hook is the first few moments of a lesson, the first activity, or the first interactions with students. A hook is not only a place to start a lesson; a hook provides an opportunity to start a lesson on the right foot and provide students with tools they need to be successful (and make your life easier). There are also several unexpected benefits of a solid hook.
Engage students: This is the most obvious one. If students are interested in the lesson, they’re more likely to listen to what you have to say and to push through when the content gets difficult or slow.
Developing relationships: The hook can give your students an opportunity to get to know you. What makes you laugh? What interests you? What movies do you like? It can also show you know them: do you know what their interests are?
Previewing the material: The hook provides an opportunity to let the students know what to expect in the lesson. By providing some real-life examples right off the bat, we can help students build a personal connection to the content and see where it fits in the unit.
Providing motivation: The hook also allows us to contextualize the content, or share the “why” at the beginning, rather than making students wait until the end of the lesson to learn the punch line. Showing the students why the material is important can create longer-lasting engagement than external motivators like grades.
Uncovering prior knowledge: The hook can start a discussion that allows students to share their preconceptions - and sometimes, misconceptions - before beginning the heart of the lesson. This allows us to incorporate students’ prior knowledge, creating opportunities for empowerment, and also address misconceptions before they spread.
What are your favorite hooks? Share with robin@stemsmartconsulting.com!
Sources:
https://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article/77/9/718/18826/Hooks-Lines-amp-Sinkers
https://ditchthattextbook.com/lesson-hooks/