Gist: Students stand in an area of the room desinated for their multiple choice answer.

 

Why Do It?  Students zone out and miss crucial instruction if they aren't engaged.  Getting students up, out of their desks, physically responding to your questions encourages participation and increases the fun of any lesson, and you can quickly see who's got it and who doesn't.

 

Materials:

-Signage to designate corncers, walls, or areas of your room A, B, C, and D

-Multiple choice questions

 

Set Up:

1.  Use sticky-tack or masking tape to hang signs (as simple or fancy as you'd like) to designate corners, walls, or areas of your room A, B, C, and D.

2.  Include multiple choice questions in your lecture or lesson.

 

To Play:

1.  Read or display a multipe choice question.  

2.  At your signal, students go stand in the area that corresponds with their answer choice.

3.  Go over the correct answer.

4.  Repeat.

 

Caution and Tips:

-Prior to using 4 Corners, discuss the expected way to get from one area to another.

-Some students will wait to see where the other students are going and just follow along.  That's OK.  Keep track of who lacks confidence or might need some remediation.

 

Variations:

-You can designate different modes of transportation, such as hopping on one foot, skipping, even crawling.

-You can have students stand in their area if they're confident with their answer and sit if they're uncertain.

-You can allow the students in one area to try to persuade the students in another area to join them.

-You can keep points per student for each correct answer.  If allowing persuasion, students who are right can get one point for every person who was right.  This adds incentive for them to make a good persuasive argument for their choice.