BELL RINGER

/

EXIT TICKET

Britannica Education logo in blue square

BELL RINGER / EXIT TICKET

Topic Knowledge Check

Grade:

3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Uses:

Review of Content or Skill
/  Preview and Engage
Check for Understanding
/  Self-Assessment and Reflection

Materials:

Topic Knowledge Check (Pre or Post) handout, display, selected text excerpt, writing utensils
Chat bubble with list icon in green on white background

Description

Students complete a pre-assessment or post-assessment survey at the beginning or end of a lesson.

Preparation

Select a topic that previews or reviews content related to your lesson objective, theme, or unit of study.
Overlapping documents icon in light blue on white background

Implementation

Distribute a Topic Knowledge Check (Pre or Post) handout to each student. Tell students they should complete it to the best of their ability and that it will not be graded; rather, it is intended to help collect information on student understanding of the topic. After students have completed the handout, as a class discuss and explore their responses and ideas.

Teaching Tips

  • Have students revisit their surveys at the end of the unit using a pen of a different color to add new knowledge. This creates a visual record of students’ learning growth and builds metacognitive awareness.
  • Create a quick word cloud generated from student responses to visually identify knowledge gaps and interests, allowing you to target future instruction to student needs.
  • Select an article from Britannica School or Britannica Library or an image from ImageQuest to prompt or extend learning about the topic.

Supporting All Learners

For students needing support: Provide students with a word bank or key vocabulary list related to the topic.

For advanced learners: Invite students to create their own additional questions about the topic and to explain why these questions are important for understanding the key concepts.

For multilingual students: Provide bilingual glossaries or vocabulary lists with key terms in both English and students’ home languages.

Note: Provide accommodations and modifications based on your learners’ needs to ensure full participation.