Minds in Motion:

Four Corners
Instructional Strategy
Purpose of Four Corners
This interactive teaching and learning strategy is extremely beneficial as it promotes whole-class participation,
movement, decision-making, and communication skills.. It is directed toward upper elementary to secondary
grades (3-12). It can be useful to assess students learning, re-energize lethargic learners, and discuss multiple
reasonings behind debatable subjects. Students will not only develop answers to teacher-guided questions, but
they will be required to select an answer and provide reasons through peer discussion for their answer
choices. This instructional method allows learning to move from lower-level to higher-level thinking strategies
while moving around the learning environment.

How Four Corners Works

This strategy is as simple as it sounds! Students will migrate to a
particular labeled answer or corner of the room based on their
answer choice.
Preparation:
1. To begin, select an area within your school that has room
for students to move around freely. This could be the
gym, classroom, playground basketball court, etc.
2. Next, label each corner appropriately using labels that are
big enough for students to easily see. If you are indoors,
use poster board or large font on computer paper to
designate each corner. If you are on the basketball court
outside, you could use chalk or place a chair with a label
in each corner of the court. These labels may vary
depending on your objectives, but some labels may
include (but are not limited to) the following:
a. Strongly agree, Agree, Strongly disagree, Disagree
b. A, B, C, D
c. 1, 2, 3, 4
Presentation:
1. Present the whole class with one question at a time based
on your learning objectives.
2. Students will answer each question by gathering in the
corner of the room that corresponds to their choice.
a. Based on your location, you may modify students
level of activity by playing music and allowing
students to run to their answer choice.
3. Once students have moved, give students about 1-2 min.
to discuss reasons for their choice within groups.
4. After group discussion, call on students at random to
present their reasoning behind their decision. Invite
others to share and provide additional viewpoints of
others answers.
5. Once all answers have been heard and the answer has
been revealed, repeat steps 1-4 with further questions.

When to Use Four Corners

This strategy can be used across a wide
variety of disciplines for many types of
objectives.
1. Before Learning: Ask questions to
guide learning for the upcoming
content and develop an idea of
what students already know or
have experienced.
2. During Learning: Give students an
opportunity to process information
through multiple choice questions
for further discussion and
solidification of key points.
3. Re-energize: Provide students with
the opportunity to get moving
while stimulating their brains.
4. After Learning: Secure key
concepts by using this activity as a
simple, fun closure.
5. Formative Assessment: Check
students learning by simply
observing students movement and
discussion during small and wholegroup time.

For further information or to see a video of Four

Corners, use your device to obtain this code.

References
Alexander, Bill. (2015). How to involve all students by using the corners teaching
strategy. Retrieved from: http://www.classroom-managementsuccess.org/corners-teaching-strategy.html.
Bradley, Cara and Eric Green. (May 9, 2011). Four corners teaching strategy. [PDF
document]. Retrieved from Educational Resources Website:
cburton3.weebly.com/uploads/5/2/2/1/5221143/four_corners.docx.
Facing History and Ourselves. (2015). Four Corners. Retrieved from:
https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teachingstrategies/four-corners.
Region 13 Education Service Center. (n.d.). Four corners. Retrieved from:
http://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/four-corners.