Close your notebook. What can you explain from yesterday’s lesson?
That simple prompt is an example of retrieval practice. Students bring something to mind from memory, then check what they recalled and correct any errors. In a science class, that could mean sketching a food chain before looking at the textbook. In maths, it might mean deciding which strategy to use before seeing a worked example.
The activities below take only a few minutes and work with material you’ve already taught. Use them at the start of class, as a mid-lesson pause, or as an exit ticket. The sequence is simple: recall first, check second, and revisit later.
| Activity | Good for | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
| Brain dump | Finding out what students remember about a topic | 3–5 minutes |
| Low-stakes quiz | Checking specific concepts and skills | 5–8 minutes |
| Retrieval grid | Revisiting content from several lessons | 5–10 minutes |
| Two-minute recall | Reviewing one idea at the start or end of class | 2 minutes, plus feedback |
| Sketch from memory | Reconstructing a process, model, or diagram | 4–6 minutes |
| Explain it to a partner | Recalling an explanation aloud | 4–6 minutes |
| Rebuild the example | Recalling when and how to use a strategy | 5–8 minutes |
| Yesterday, last week, last month | Bringing older content back into regular review | 5–7 minutes |
1. Brain Dump
Give students a topic and ask them to write, sketch, or list everything they can remember about it for two or three minutes. Then have them open their notes and add one missing idea or correct one detail in a different colour.
Classroom example: After a unit on habitats, ask students to recall how a pond provides what animals need to survive. They might remember food and water but leave out shelter. After checking their notes, they could add a specific example, such as how plants along the pond’s edge provide cover.
Teaching tip: Narrow the topic when students need a starting point. “What can you remember about how animals stay warm in winter?” gives them a clearer task than “Write everything you know about animals.”
2. Low-Stakes Quiz
Ask three to five questions about previously taught material. Give everyone time to respond independently, then share answers and discuss one item that caused difficulty. You can use mini whiteboards, paper, or a digital form. I’d keep these quizzes ungraded so students can focus on what they remember and what they need to revisit.
Classroom example: After a lesson on fractions, ask students to compare two unit fractions, sketch a model, and explain why a larger denominator gives smaller pieces when the wholes are the same size. The explanation helps you see whether students can recall the reasoning behind the answer.
Teaching tip: Include a short-answer item before showing multiple-choice options. For instance, ask students to name the process first. Then show several examples and ask them which one illustrates it.
3. Retrieval Grid
Create a grid with prompts from different points in the term. Ask students to answer a few cells without their notes, including at least one from an older lesson. Build in time for them to check their answers.
Classroom example: Here’s a small grid for an English language arts class. The time labels refer to when the material was taught.
| Yesterday | Last week | Earlier in the unit |
|---|---|---|
| What makes a claim arguable? | How can you tell who a text’s intended audience might be? | What is the difference between a summary and a paraphrase? |
| Write a claim about a school issue. | Name one clue you could use to infer a writer’s purpose. | What information would you include when introducing a quotation? |
Teaching tip: Choose three cells for everyone to answer, or let students choose one from each column. Either way, older content gets a turn.
Related: Classroom Essentials for Teachers
4. Two-Minute Recall
Put one focused prompt on the board and give students two minutes to respond from memory. Then take a moment to confirm the answer or clear up a common error. This works well while students settle in or just before they leave.
Classroom example: At the beginning of a science lesson, ask, “What two things did we keep the same in yesterday’s experiment, and why?” Students recall both the procedure and the reason for it. If several can name the controls but struggle to explain their purpose, you have a clear place to start the lesson.
5. Sketch From Memory
Ask students to redraw a model, diagram, or sequence they’ve already studied. Have them label the parts that matter, then compare their sketches with the original.
Classroom example: Students sketch the water cycle and use arrows to show where water moves. After checking their sketches, ask them to explain one correction, such as changing an arrow’s direction or adding a missing process. A rough sketch is enough when the learning goal is to explain how the parts relate.
6. Explain It to a Partner
Give students a prompt and a brief moment to recall their own answer. Then have one partner explain it from memory while the other listens and asks a follow-up question. Switch roles with a related prompt and verify both answers at the end.
Classroom example: In social studies, one partner explains the difference between a primary and a secondary source. The other explains how a newspaper article written at the time of an event could be used to study it. The individual thinking time gives both students a chance to retrieve an answer before hearing someone else’s.
7. Rebuild the Example
Give students a fresh problem that calls for a strategy they’ve already practised. Ask them to choose the strategy and reconstruct the steps from memory. Show a worked solution afterward so they can compare approaches.
Classroom example: In maths, give students a new recipe that needs to be scaled from four servings to ten. Ask them to identify the quantities they need, decide how to scale them, and explain why their method works. If students remember the arithmetic but choose the wrong quantities, you know which part of the strategy needs attention.
8. Yesterday, Last Week, Last Month
Start class with three short prompts. One draws on the previous lesson, one on last week’s work, and one on something taught earlier in the term. Bring back concepts students will need for upcoming lessons.
Classroom example: In a world languages class, students recall a phrase from yesterday, write a sentence using a verb form from last week, and reconstruct a short greeting from an earlier unit. They check their answers before using one of them in a brief conversation.
How to Build Retrieval Practice Into Your Week
Start with one activity that fits a routine you already have. If you use warm-ups, try two-minute recall. If you use exit tickets, ask students to recall and explain one idea before checking their notes. You can also invite students to answer orally or with a sketch when that format suits the learning goal.
The part I’d protect is the time to check. A student who recalls a process out of order should see the correct sequence and have a chance to repair their answer. If many students miss the same idea, revisit it briefly and ask them to recall it again in a later lesson. Their responses can help you decide what needs another example, what needs more practice, and what the class is ready to build on.
