High school science teacher Melissa Higgason recently shared a few tips and tricks for using one of her favorite Khanmigo tools, the Lesson Hook feature. Melissa says, “This tool has revolutionized how I prepare lessons and interact with my students.”
Free up time for meaningful interaction
We know how valuable your time is. Between lesson planning, grading, and classroom management, finding ways to engage students without adding hours to your workload can feel impossible. That’s where Khanmigo’s Lesson Hook comes in. This tool is designed to help you quickly create engaging, curiosity-piquing activities that draw your students into the lesson from the start.
Use Lesson Hook to spark interest in periodic trends
Melissa recently started a unit on periodic trends in her high school chemistry class and wanted a creative way to grab her students’ attention. See how she used Khanmigo’s Lesson Hook feature in this video:
With Khanmigo, she was able to do the following:
- Customize the activity: Since Melissa didn’t have access to certain materials in her classroom, she worked with Khanmigo to modify the activity. Melissa asked for a paper-pencil version of the activity in which students could draw circles representing atoms based on the atoms’ relative atomic radii.
- Explore available resources: Melissa navigated to the high school chemistry section in Khan Academy to find videos and practice exercises on atomic radii. While the resources were great, she wanted something more hands-on to spark curiosity.
- Access Lesson Hook: Melissa opened the Lesson Hook tool, which suggested an activity that demonstrated how atomic size varies across periods and down groups. It was exactly what she needed to get started.
Let Khanmigo do the heavy lifting
You can request specific details to make the activity manageable. For example, Melissa asked Khanmigo to do the following:
- Provide relative atomic radii for elements in periods 1 through 3.
- Use diameters compatible with standard rulers for easy measurements.
- Create a student-facing document with instructions and discussion questions.
In seconds, Khanmigo generated a comprehensive activity. It included the following:
- A clear list of elements and their atomic radii
- Easy-to-follow instructions for students to draw circles representing atomic sizes
- Thought-provoking discussion questions about patterns in atomic radii
The best part? Melissa didn’t have to create the document herself. She simply copied the content into a Google doc and uploaded it to her learning management system. Khanmigo also allows you to export the Lesson Hook to a Microsoft Word document or a PDF, and you can even share a link to your Lesson Hook with your colleagues. Check out Mrs. Higgason’s Lesson hook here.
Why Lesson Hook works
The Lesson Hook tool saves teachers time while ensuring students stay engaged. The activity not only captures students’ interest but also provides them with a solid foundation for understanding periodic trends. The built-in discussion questions further enriches classroom dialogue.
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Khanmigo’s Lesson Hook feature is a game-changer for busy teachers looking to inspire their students. Whether you teach chemistry, history, or any other subject, this tool can help you create engaging lesson starters with minimal effort. Explore Lesson Hook and other helpful features here.
The post Engaging Lesson Starters with Khanmigo’s Lesson Hook Feature appeared first on Khan Academy Blog.
High school science teacher Melissa Higgason recently shared a few tips and tricks for using one of her favorite Khanmigo tools, the Lesson Hook feature. Melissa says, “This tool has revolutionized how I prepare lessons and interact with my students.” Free up time for meaningful interaction We know how valuable your time is. Between lesson
The post Engaging Lesson Starters with Khanmigo’s Lesson Hook Feature appeared first on Khan Academy Blog. Educators, Khanmigo, News, Khanmigo for Teachers Khan Academy Blog
