Time+to+Learn

=Time to Learn=
 * Prime Time and Down Time**
 * When teaching a lesson, there is a time factor that is extremely important to consider. In simplest terms, we remember the stuff at the beginning best, the stuff at the end second best, and the stuff that’s left over the worst.
 * Many teachers use the first portion of class time for secretarial matters such as taking role and collecting permission slips. This is, in fact, the worst use of this time period, which just happens to be a student’s best learning time. This is called Prime Time 1 and should be used to present new information.
 * Following Prime Time 1 is a period called Down Time in which a student is least likely to remember new information. In a 40-minute class period there are approximately 10 minutes of Down Time. This is a good time for students to practice what they have learned or work on an activity to explore new concepts more thoroughly.
 * The end of the learning block offers the second best retention time, which is called Prime Time 2. This is the time where students should revisit the new information and attempt to demonstrate mastery. This is often called Closure. An appropriate use of this time would be an **exit ticket** activity in which students show their understanding. This can be as formal as having students write down an important fact they have learned or as informal as doing a thumbs-up, thumbs-down activity.


 * For the Classroom**
 * You can have students hold up one, two, or three fingers in front of them to indicate an answer.
 * Here’s a great example of a //written// exit ticket that you can download: http://www.scribd.com/doc/4663033/Exit-Ticket-Template
 * **Science is great because** it has a built-in //"coolness factor"// in early middle school that lends itself to extending Prime-Time and reducing Down-Time. But don't rely on that //"coolness factor"// to carry through the whole lesson. Students need time to process information if you want that learned information to go from short term to long term.


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