Card
Hot Potato
The Hot Potato strategy is an interactive, quick-paced activity that encourages participants to reflect on and discuss various topics or strategies. Participants pass a ball. Whoever has or is nearest to the ball when time runs out must answer the posed question. By incorporating an element of unpredictability, Hot Potato encourages spontaneous reflection and provides an opportunity for every participant to contribute to the discussion.
Hot Potato
Summary
This strategy fosters engagement, inclusivity, and critical thinking. Participants sit or stand in a circle or arranged group and pass a ball (or another object) around the room while a facilitator plays music or counts down from a determined number. When the music stops or the count ends, the participant holding or nearest to the ball responds to a predetermined question. This process continues until all questions have been addressed or the desired time has elapsed.
Procedure
Provide a ball or another lightweight object that can be easily passed around.
Prepare a list of questions related to the topic under discussion. (E.g., "How would you use magnetic statements in the classroom?").
Arrange participants in a circle or open space where they can pass the ball easily.
Announce the question aloud to the group.
Begin passing the ball around the circle. For each person who has the ball, count down aloud from three (or another chosen number). Alternatively, you can play music. When the countdown ends or when you stop the music, the person holding or nearest to the ball must respond to the question. If the person is unsure, they may “pass” once, and the next nearest person will answer instead.
Pose the next question and repeat the whole passing and answering process. Continue until all questions have been answered or the activity time has concluded.
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Placement In Lesson
- Engage
- Engage/Opening
- Evaluate/Assessment
- Explain/Closing
- Explore/Learning Activity
- Extend/Additional Learning Activity
Intention/Purpose
- Activate Prior Knowledge
- Brainstorming
- Conversation Starter
- Elaborate
- Evaluate
- Reason
- Reflection
- Review
- Self-assessment
- Speak & Listen
- Summarize
- Synthesize
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