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Instructional Strategy

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Gallery Walk

Grade:

K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Type:

Discuss & Collaborate
/ Summarize & Synthesize
30-40

Minutes

When:

Before and after reading

Materials:

Poster board (or chart paper), preselected prompts, sticky notes, whiteboard (or display), and writing utensil
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Description

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The Gallery Walk is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work in small groups to explore teacher-displayed prompts in the classroom. The strategy actively engages students in peer discussion and analysis, developing their critical thinking and communication skills while they share diverse perspectives with classmates. This dynamic approach enhances student interaction and engagement. Gallery walks are beneficial to activate thinking and prior knowledge, or as a follow-up activity to review and synthesize information.
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Procedure

1
Begin by explaining to students that they will participate in a gallery walk activity to further explore and analyze the information presented in a preselected prompt.
2
Tell students that during the gallery walk they will work in small groups to rotate through different stations set up in the classroom. At each station, students will reflect on, discuss, and answer the questions or prompts provided on poster board or chart paper.
3
Assign students to work in groups of three to five.
4
Explain to students that they will have several minutes at each station to discuss and exchange ideas. Note that the allotted time at each station depends on student numbers, class length, and number of stations.
5
Introduce the different stations, and inform each group where they should start.
6
Provide each student with sticky notes to write ideas at their stations, and clearly explain how these notes should be used (e.g., one idea per note, brief bullet points).
7
Circulate around the classroom to monitor progress, answer questions, and facilitate discussions as needed.
8
Signal when time is up at each station. Before students rotate to the next station, ask them to attach their sticky notes to the poster board or chart paper at the current station.
9
As students visit new stations, encourage them to build on each other’s ideas and try to avoid repetition of the content written on the existing sticky notes.
10
Provide a two-minute warning before the end of the activity, after students have rotated through all the stations.
11
Regroup the class to debrief. Consider asking students to share key insights or surprises from their discussions.
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Differentiation

Visual Aids: Provide a variety of visual aids to support students’ understanding of the prompts presented. This approach benefits visual learners and helps all students better grasp complex concepts, enhancing overall comprehension and engagement.
Guided Gallery Walk: For additional targeted support, offer the opportunity to complete the gallery walk individually or in smaller groups guided by a teacher, tutor, or peer leader. This personalized approach promotes inclusive learning and ensures that students who need extra help can fully participate and benefit from the activity.
Scaffolded Questions: Offer a variety of scaffolded prompts to help students evaluate the discussion topics in a more supported, guided manner. This ensures that the discussion remains focused and enriching. By providing different levels of questioning, this strategy allows students to engage with the material at their appropriate level, promoting deeper understanding and critical thinking skills.
Essay Writing: At the conclusion of the gallery walk, provide students a written essay prompt based on the class topic(s) covered. First, provide students with time to walk around the classroom to synthesize the information presented. Then give students time to brainstorm, write outlines, and begin working on their essays. This extension activity encourages students to synthesize and apply the knowledge gained during the gallery walk, reinforcing learning and developing higher-order thinking skills.
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Variations

Digital Stations: Instead of using poster board or chart paper, consider using tablets or computers. To prepare the stations, use preapproved digital design tools with multimedia resources to enrich students’ gallery walk experience. This tech-enhanced version of the gallery walk caters to digital natives, allowing for more interactive and dynamic content presentation, which can increase engagement and accommodate different learning styles.
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