Materials
Gather these before class.
- Anticipation guide handout with 6-8 statements
- Two different colored pens or pencils
- Source materials for the lesson
Ready-to-use classroom activity
Anticipation Guide
Students agree or disagree with statements before learning, then revisit their responses after instruction to see how thinking changed.
Grade range
3rd Grade – 12th Grade
Works across
ScienceMathematicsEnglishHistoryForeign Language
Activity style
IndividualAnalyticalWriting
Classroom walkthrough
See it in practice
One concrete example you can borrow, adapt, or teach as written.
Example lesson context
The American Revolution (History - 5th Grade)
Preparation
What to have ready before students begin.
Create 6-8 statements mixing facts, common misconceptions, and debatable claims. Include statements that challenge assumptions. Format with Before/After columns and space for reasoning.
Run the activity
A classroom-ready sequence from launch to follow-up.
1
Distribute anticipation guides before any instruction on the topic.
2
Read each statement aloud. Students mark Agree or Disagree in the 'Before' column using first colored pen.
3
For each response, students briefly write WHY they agree or disagree.
4
Collect initial responses or have students set guides aside - no peeking during the lesson!
5
Conduct your lesson on the American Revolution.
6
Return to anticipation guides. Using second colored pen, students mark Agree/Disagree in 'After' column.
7
Students write new reasoning, especially noting what changed their thinking.
8
Discuss: Which statements did most people change their minds about? What evidence was most convincing?
Differentiate
Adjust the activity without losing its core purpose.
Reduce number of statements for struggling readers. Provide text-to-speech for ELLs. For advanced students, have them write their own anticipation guide statements for peers.
Look for learning
Use these signals to assess understanding.
Look for thoughtful justifications in the 'after' column. Note which misconceptions were corrected. Use statements with persistent disagreement as discussion points.