Ready-to-use classroom activity

Think-Pair-Share

Students think individually about a concept, pair with a classmate to discuss, then share their insights with the class.

Grade range

3rd Grade – 12th Grade

Works across

ScienceMathematicsEnglishHistoryForeign Language

Activity style

CollaborativeDiscussionAnalytical

Think-Pair-Share

Students think individually about a concept, pair with a classmate to discuss, then share their insights with the class.

Example lesson: Photosynthesis (Science - 5th Grade)

Materials

  • Sticky notes
  • Whiteboard or chart paper
  • Timer

Preparation

Prepare a focus question about photosynthesis, such as 'How do plants make their own food?'

Run the activity

  1. THINK (2-3 minutes): Display the question 'How do plants make their own food?' Ask students to write their individual thoughts on a sticky note. Remind them to consider what they already know about plants, sunlight, and energy.
  2. PAIR (3-4 minutes): Have students turn to an elbow partner and share their thoughts. Partners should discuss similarities and differences in their ideas and create a combined response.
  3. SHARE (5-7 minutes): Call on pairs to share their ideas with the whole class. Record main points on the whiteboard, creating a class concept map of photosynthesis.
  4. Follow-up: Introduce the formal definition and process of photosynthesis, connecting to student ideas and clarifying misconceptions.

Differentiation

For struggling students, provide sentence starters. For advanced students, ask them to include the chemical equation for photosynthesis.

Assessment

Listen for understanding during sharing. Note misconceptions to address in follow-up instruction.