Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Metacognitive Cards

K20 Center | Published: September 16th, 2020 by K20 Center

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Metacognitive Cards

This strategy helps students reflect on the procedures, practices, methods, and/or strategies they use as they engage in tasks.

Metacognitive Cards

Summary

Students review procedures, practices, methods, and/or strategies as a whole class before engaging individually in an assigned task using some of the techniques they reviewed. Mid-task, students are asked to identify the technique(s) they are using to complete their assignment and then to pair up with a classmate who is using a different approach. Together, they complete the task and identify theĀ procedures, practices, methods, and/or strategies they used to do so.

Procedure

  1. Discuss a number of procedures, practices, methods, or strategies with students that may be used when engaged in particular types of tasks. Have students write each of the suggested procedures, practices, methods, or strategies on its own index card.

  2. Give students an appropriate task that will engage them in using one or more of the procedures, practices, methods, or strategies identified.

  3. After students have been working for several minutes, ask them to pause their work and hold up the card or cards that represent the procedures, practices, methods, or strategies they have been using.

  4. Direct students to find a partner who is using a different strategy and have them complete the task with that partner.

  5. At the end of the task, have each pair explain how they completed the task and which of their methods they decided to use to complete the task.