• Ticket slips posted by door or on desks
• Pencils available at entry
• Collection bin
• Timer visible to students

Create brief tickets reviewing yesterday's content or previewing today's prerequisite skills. Post by door or place on desks before students arrive. Set timer for completion.

1. As students enter, they pick up their Ticket to Enter from the door or find it on their desk.
2. Display timer showing 3-4 minutes for completion.
3. Today's ticket (reviewing place value for decimal lesson): 'Write the value of the underlined digit: 45.67, 123.04, 8.90'
4. Students complete ticket silently and independently - this is individual think time.
5. When timer sounds, students place tickets in collection bin and take seats.
6. Quick scan tickets while students begin bell work or opener activity.
7. Use results to adjust lesson: pull small group if many struggled, or move faster if all succeeded.
8. Occasionally share exemplary tickets (anonymously) to model expectations.

Provide multiple ticket versions at different levels. Include visual supports for ELLs. For students needing more time, allow completion during first activity while you circulate.

Quick scan of tickets reveals who has prerequisite knowledge. Group students based on ticket performance for differentiated instruction. Track patterns over time.