Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

CALLING CARDS

Process

Give each pupil a set of three cards, red, amber and green. In response to questions
from the teacher pupils hold up one of the cards to indicate either ‘I’m confident
about the answer’ (green), ‘I don’t know the answer’ (red) or ‘I’m not sure whether I
know the answer or not’ (amber).

Example: Useful for any situations where teachers want to assess pupils’
understanding/factual knowledge.

Variation Can be used in MFL – pupils indicate whether or not they have
understood instructions in the target language.

AFL Enables the teacher to diagnose more accurately where pupils are having
problems, and which pupils are having them. Useful to use part way
through a unit in order to assess where to focus the teaching.

VAK Approximate duration of Activity

K 10 minutes

Considerations

- Need to make and laminate set of red, green, amber cards (A5 or A6 size). Can of
course be reused.
- Prepare a set of questions, increasing in difficulty, for pupils to respond to.
- Make sure the questions match the objectives of the lesson.
- Would it be useful for the pupils to know the questions at the beginning of the
term?
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

CONCEPT CARTOONS

Process
Pupils are shown a cartoon that exemplifies a concept or process. On the cartoon are
a number of explanations that explain the concept or process. The clever part of this
plenary is that some of the explanations are based upon popular pupil misconceptions.
This allows the teacher, through questioning, to engage directly with pupil
understanding and to justify the answer to the question “Why?” and “Why not?”

Variation

Pupils could produce their own cartoons and share with the class. This is especially
useful if you want pupils to think about their own and the class’s thinking – to
recognise common mistakes and misunderstandings.

AFL

A direct engagement with pupil understanding and misconceptions. Allows, through

questioning, to tease out the reasons why misconceptions can be held.

VAK TIME

V
15 minutes

Considerations

- Have you prepared the cartoon?

- Can you display it to the class?
- Are the options that pupils can choose “reasonable”?
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

CONSCIENCE ALLEYS

Process

A kinaesthetic way to help decision making that requires whole class involvement!

Take one child who has to make a decision – either A or B. The pupil then has to
walk through a tunnel made of two ranks of classmates. As the person walks through
the tunnel they have to listen to alternate arguments put forward by their classmates.
At the end of the tunnel the person has to decide with which argument they will agree
with.

A B

? ?
Example: History: Should William the Conqueror invade England?
Geography: Where shall we build the power stations?

AFL

What arguments are different pupils putting forward – how valid are they? Does the
decision maker arrive at a “valid” decision?

VAK TIME

K 10 minutes

Considerations

- How will the classroom be laid out? Is there ample space for comfortable
listening?
- Can there be more than one alley at a time?
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

DOMINOES

Process

The teacher prepares a set of cards with questions on one half and answers on the
other; however the question and answer don’t match. The cards are distributed to
individuals or pairs, and one person reads out a question. The owner(s) of the card
with the corresponding answer reads out the answer and the class indicate whether
this is the correct response. If it is, the owner(s) of the card asks their question. If
there is a halt in proceedings the teacher should ask for suggestions from the whole
class.

Example: Questions and answer in a foreign language; or vocabulary items in

MFL.
Definitions in RE, DT.

Variation

Could be played in groups rather than as a whole class. Could be used to check and
develop procedural knowledge or sequencing a skill.

AFL

A useful way of checking prior knowledge at the beginning of a topic, or assessing

progress part way through.

VAK TIME
AK 10 minutes

Considerations

Cards need to be prepared with questions and answers.

Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

FREEZE FRAME

Process

The teacher puts the class into groups. They then, based upon the lesson objectives,
have to move into a tableau that illustrates a point that has been learnt. It could be
useful for the groups to demonstrate their “freeze frame” to the rest of the class who
have to guess what the point is. The teacher can check for accuracy and
understanding.

Example: In the FS video ‘Starters’ a drama teacher gives the pupils some photos
that were taken on Omaha beach on D Day, June 6th 1944. Pupils then
arrange themselves in position to reproduce the pictures.

Variation

Pupils could mime a process or action rather than just forming a freeze frame.

AFL

How do the pupils demonstrate what is important?

What mistakes or misconceptions do they have?

VAK TIME

VK 10 – 15 minutes

Considerations

- Is there enough space in the classroom?

- What visual material would you use?
- Could pupils choose an illustration that represents a key learning points; could the
rest of the class guess what it is?
- How will you group the pupils?
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

GOLDEN RULES

Process

This is another way of getting pupils to determine what is most important and
significant in a lesson. At the end of a lesson, working in groups, they have to decide
on up to 5 “Golden Rules” that would always have to be obeyed if they encountered
this situation again.

Example:

History 5 Golden Rules for examining source material

Geography 5 Golden Rules mooted in decision-making

Art 5 Golden Rules for approaching painting

AFL

How legitimate is pupil choice?

How are they going to remember it?
What misconceptions are shown?
How will you intervene to shift pupil thinking?

VAK TIME

V 10 minutes

Considerations

- How will pupils feedback to the class?

- Could you display a “class” set of Golden Rules?
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

Guess Who (Or What?)

Process

Pupils sit in groups of four at a table. Each group has a set of cards placed face down
on the table. Upon each card are names of people / ideas / key items etc. Pupils take
it in turn to pick a card, making sure that the others in the group can’t see it. The
others have to find out what is on the card by asking questions which can only be
answered by ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The number of questions can be limited as can the time.

Example:

Music: instruments in the orchestra

History: famous people in the reign of Henry VIII
Science: different elements compounds or mixtures
Geography: coastal features and processes
D&T: different types of structures such as types of bridge, forces in use

Variation

Can be done as a whole class with pupils asking questions of one volunteer at the
front.

AFL

Listening to the questions as well as the answers gives the teacher a perception of
pupils’ grasp of an issue. The group should correct pupils’ misconceptions if they’ve
given the wrong answers to a question!

VAK TIME
A 10 – 15 minutes

Considerations

Cards need to be prepared. Pupils need to be sitting in groups of four, with

implications for construction to groups.
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

HIERARCHY

Process

Pupils have a triangle that has been split into five horizontal bands.

Pupils are tasked to place what they consider to be the

5 most important learning points of the lesson into the 5
bands. They report their views back to the teacher.

Variation

- This can be done by individuals, pairs and groups which can provide support and
provoke useful discussion.
- Pupils could rank order what they have learnt in terms of security of
understanding, starting with what they are most ‘happy’ with and working to the
least.
- This can be done on prepared whiteboards, paper, OHTs.
- This activity can be repeated over a series of lessons. Pupils need to have 5
learning points, but can discard points that they have internalised and no longer
worry about.

AFL

A good way for teachers to see what pupils are more or less confident with – are there
recurring themes?

VAK TIME

V 5 – 10 minutes
including questioning
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

HOT SEATING
Process

Teacher comes in role and pupils ask questions, e.g. teacher is a Catholic priest during
Edward VI’s reign, a hotel owner on a holiday island, a Hindu woman, technology
materials.

Variation

One pupil is placed in the ‘hot seat’ at the front of the class, who then ask questions
about the lesson. Teachers may wish to signal this plenary at the beginning of the
lesson and invite pupils to be thinking about questions they can ask.

Inflatable ‘hot seats’ (some complete with flames!) are available, and add another
dimension to the lesson.

AFL

A way of checking understanding and knowledge at the end of any unit or

module of work. The questions asked can be as revealing as the answers.

VAK TIME

A
Props make the role more
10 minutes
plausible, and have visual
impact.

Considerations

Have a special seat of some sort available.

Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

HYPOTHESIS TESTING

Process

Pupils are given a statement which puts forward an explanation or interpretation of an

event, concept or process. Pupils are required, usually in groups, to analyse the
statement to see whether they agree with it or not. More skilful pupils might see if
there are parts of the statement they agree or disagree with and they might determine
what aspects of the statement could be changed to make it acceptable.

The FS video shows a history lesson at Fulford School where pupils are evaluating
the reasons for the Americans dropping the Atom Bomb on Hiroshima.

Variations

- This is a high challenge task. This level of challenge can be varied by making the
statement more or less complex and ambiguous.
- This plenary is particularly useful when pupils are drawing together information
from a number of lessons. It is not likely that this can be used after a single
lesson.

AFL

A good way to gauge understanding and identify pupil misconceptions

VAK TIME

V 10 – 20 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

Know already, want to learn, have now learnt

Process

This needs to be done in stages. The first part may be the ‘starter’ of a lesson or unit.
Working in pairs with a sheet of paper divided into three columns pupils identify what
they already know about a topic, and what they would like to know. Examples of this
are shared with the rest of the class. At the end of the lesson or unit pupils return to
these sheets to make a note of what they have now learned, and the teacher asks some
pairs to share their thoughts on this with the rest of the class.

Example: MFL: brainstorm vocabulary for a particular situation, adjectives for

description.

Variation
Can be done as a whole class with the teacher scribing on an OHT. Pupils are given
thinking time in pairs, and the no-hands rule is applied.

AFL

The first stage, K, is useful for assessing prior knowledge. W helps give pupils
ownership of what they are going to learn and L gives pupils an opportunity to
articulate and check what they have learned, as well as providing the teacher with
insights into what pupils think they now know.

VAK TIME

V 5 – 10 minutes at the
beginning of the process.
5 – 10 minutes at the end.

Considerations

Might save time if the teacher has paper divided vertically into 3 columns.
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

LEARNING LEAVES
Process

This is best done over a sequence of lessons. Each lesson pupils are given 5 leaves.
They have to record something that they have learnt on each leaf and stick them on a
classroom display of a tree. The power of this is twofold. Firstly, pupils have to sift
through their learning identifying its key parts. Secondly over time it helps pupils
build up a “big picture” of understanding. Therefore at the beginning of a unit the
teacher needs to have the ‘big picture’ themselves and structure the tree accordingly.

Example: If pupils were following an investigation on Elizabeth I then it might

look like this:

Glo
ria
n a
ia ge
arr
M
rm

E
E
S
A
M

rlo
a
e
.O
Q

hn
a
p
d
a

x
s
is
S
a

f
ry

Pa
rli
a
m
en

ion
th
Ie
b
a
liz

ss
t

ce
Su c

‘Where’ to go? Pupils could add their leaves and divide the branches to twigs.

Variations

- Have a “learning to learn” tree that might look like this…..

En
qu
iry
n
ati o
f o rm
In

Ev
a
W
rw
d
lo
e
te
a
hfo
n
o
d
re
g
a
k

lu
at
W
e
sA
a
n
ly

C
e
h
d
e
c
k

ion

on
to
rn
a
e
L

as
Re

AFL

This helps the teacher build up a ‘picture of understanding’ of what the class has or
has not learnt. How does the distribution of leaves look?

VAK TIME

V 5 – 10 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

LEARNING MATS
(As advocated by Alistair Smith)

Process

The idea of this plenary is that pupils build up a set of key information over time that
they can use to help them. The mat itself should be A3 sized and laminated. It should
be divided up like an empty Monopoly board.

During lessons pupils should put exercise books on the square in the middle. On the
outside of the board they should write or sketch key learning points generated through
plenaries, and then use them from lesson to lesson as an aide memoir.

AFL - Check for accuracy and that pupils use them.

VAK TIME

V 10 minutes

Considerations

Storage
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

MAKING SENTENCES

Process

Pupils have cards with key words on. Their task is to make as many sentences as
possible using at least 3 (or 4, or 5) of the words in each sentence. They scribe the
sentences on a piece of sugar paper, and give examples during a feedback session.

Example: Science – element, compound, gas, sand, liquid, measure,

dissolve filtration, saturation

Variation

See if pupils can make one sentence with all the words in. Works well as a starter to
assess where pupils are.

MFL

Give pupils a set of words, including verbs, connectives, time experiences, and see
how many simple and compound sentences they can build.

AFL

Shows the teacher pupils’ level of understanding. Helps to identify any

misconceptions.

VAK TIME

KA 10 minutes

Considerations

Set of word cards, laminated if possible.

Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

MIND MAP

Process

Pupils work in pairs to map ideas onto a piece of paper, showing how various
concepts and/or issues interrelate. They can use colour and symbols as aide-memoirs.

Example: History: The courses of the First World War

RE: Key messages / features of Buddhism

Variation

Maps from memory. Teacher produces a mind map and pupils work in teams to
reproduce it, going up one at a time from each team to look at the map for 30 seconds
then reporting back to the rest of the team. It is essential, so that pupils are simply not
copying information, that pupils are required to translate, interpret or correct the
original map.

AFL

This helps the teacher to assess understanding across a complicated topic.

VAK TIME

V 10 – 15 minutes

Considerations

It is imperative that the teacher has modelled the mind mapping process with the
class. Have paper ready.
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

MNEMONICS
Process

Pupils work in pairs to come up with a phrase, or word whose initial letters relate to
learning points from the lesson.

Example: PE: BEEF

– when shooting a set shot in basketball, remember
Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow-through.

Variations

• Pupils create a rhyme or picture to help remember a point.

• Pupils devise gestures or mimes to help, for example, remember words in other
languages
• Calligrams: pupils write words in a way which reflects their meaning

AFL

The process clarifies and helps embed the concept/sequence/spelling in pupils’ minds.
Misconceptions will be ironed out as pupils work through this.

VAK TIME
A
5 – 10 minutes
V K in Variations

Considerations

Think of an example to model.

Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

ODD ONE OUT

Process

Pupils are introduced to sets of words – normally between three and five in number –
and have to decide which is the odd one out. Pupils can write or say which they
consider to be the odd one out and justify their answer.

Example: For a Year 7 history lesson on the Crusades –

“Pilgrimage, Knight, Trade”
D&T – beech, oak, ash, pine

Variation

- Increase or decrease the level of challenge by varying the number of words and/or
the degree of ambiguity between them, and the possibility of more than one
answer.
- Use pictures or actions instead of words.
- Ask pupils to construct sets to use with other pupils

AFL

If you are using more than 1 set in a lesson how do pupils respond to easier/more
challenging connections? What misconceptions do pupils articulate – i.e. what
connections are “wrong”? How do pupils respond to progressively more challenging
combinations?

VAK TIME

VW 5 – 10 minutes including
questions
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

PASS THE BUCK

Process

Pupils work in pairs to start drafting an answer to a problem. They need to

name/number their paper in some way. After a designated time, say five minutes,
they pass their work to another pair and receive the work of two other pupils. They
then have another 5 minutes to amend, redraft, extend the first pair’s work. Pupils
continue to exchange papers for as long as the teacher deems necessary (tell them at
the start how many exchanges there will be) and then retrieve their original paper so
that they can work on a final version which will incorporate everyone’s contributions.

Examples: MFL
- Writing an account from pictures, writing a response to a letter
Maths
– Working out the answer to a written problem
DT
– Working out designs from a specification

Variation

Pairs start with different questions or tasks, and therefore the class works on a variety
of material.

AFL

The process of correcting and redrafting one another’s work, sharpens pupil’s own
thinking, helps generate ideas and develops pupil's awareness of the criteria required
by the task.

VAK TIME

V 20 minutes onwards
depending on the size of the
task.
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

READY, STEADY, TEACH

Process

This is a nice activity, especially for kinaesthetic learners. The idea is to give pupils a
set of materials eg. card, glue, scissors, pen, paper, pencil, cocktail sticks, plasticine,
etc., and ask them to produce a model, under timed conditions, that represents a key
learning point of the lesson. An example would be to supply craft materials to groups
and ask them to produce a model or demonstration on coastal erosion. They should,
show these to the rest of the class.

Variation

- In science give pupils some equipment, either literally or on card, and ask them to
design an experiment.
- In technology give pupils some materials and quickly ask them for what purposes
they could use the material.
- History – pupils use materials to illustrate features of castle design.
- MFL – use materials to make a training aid to illustrate differences with adjectival
agreements.

AFL

Check for accuracy and understanding. This is a good opportunity for peer
assessment as pupils evaluate each other’s teaching.

VAK TIME

K 15 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

RUN AROUND
(cockney accents not necessary)

Process

The teacher has placed 4 answers to as yet unspecified questions in the 4 corners of a
classroom. Then using either a representative group, or the class as a whole, the
teacher asks a series of questions and the pupils’ move to the corner that they think
contains the correct answer. Through questioning the teacher should seek elaboration
and justification of their choice.

Variation and Examples

- Science - 4 answers to the question “What colour would a acid turn a piece of
Universal Indicator paper to? Blue, Red, Green, Pink.

AFL

Check for correct answers. Can some of the answers be plausible but wrong – can
you check for pupil misconceptions?

VAK TIME

K 10 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

SEQUENCING

Process

All knowledge and procedures have order. Sometimes that order is chronological or
procedural. To enable pupils to clarify the big picture we can ask them to sequence
an action. Therefore, for this activity, pupils are given information on card. The
information could be presented visually or by words. Pupils have to place this
information in the correct sequence. The level of challenge could be increased by
giving pupils ‘red herring’ cards that do not fit the sequence.

Examples:

- History – sequence the year in the life of medieval peasant.

- Food Technology – what is the process in making a cheesecake?
- Science – what is the sequence in an experiment on extracting salt from brine?
- Geography – sequencing the formations of an oxbow lake!!!

AFL

Check to see if the sequence is right. With the ‘red herring’ cards, can pupils identify
them and give reasons why they are wrong? You could include cards which might
lead to plausible, but incorrect, reasons for their selection. This allows you to check
for misconceptions.

VAK TIME

VA 10 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

SILENT SENTENCES

Process

Pupils sit round tables in groups of four. The teacher gives each group a set of four
envelopes. Each envelope contains parts of sentences, but no one envelope contains
the necessary part to make a correct sentence. In order to do this pupils need to give
each other words from their own envelopes. They are not allowed to talk (hence the
title!), or to signal that they would like a particular word. Set a time limit, and then
get pupils to volunteer sentences so others can decide whether or not they are correct.

Examples:

• Grammatical sentences in English, French, German, Spanish etc. They may

feature verbal agreements, adjectives, word order or any other point of grammar.

• Music : Pupils have parts of a tune rather than a sentence.

Variation

Pupils can be asked to make one sentence each, or more than one sentence each. Parts
of speech could be on different coloured card to help students see the grammar.

AFL

This activity provides good opportunities for the teacher to circulate among the
groups, identifying any common misconceptions or misunderstandings.

VAK TIME

VK 15 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

STEPPING STONES
Process

Teacher and pupils sit in a large circle with large sheets of paper in the centre. The
pieces of paper are numbered to represent the different stages in a process or
sequence. The teacher may wish to add key words as prompts too.

Individual pupils are invited to make their way right across the stepping-stones,
explaining each ‘stone’ in detail as they stand on it. If they make a mistake they are
deemed to have fallen into the water and should return to their seat. Other pupils
listen carefully to check that explanations are correct.

Example: Science – the process of digestion

RE – the stages of a ceremony
Food technology – the stages in making a recipe

Variation

MFL – Stepping-stones represent different vocabulary items to be translated (not

necessarily nouns!) or different words in a whole sentence. Can be used as a
starter to assess prior knowledge.

AFL

An opportunity to assess individuals understanding, and see if there are common areas
of difficulty.

VAK TIME
K 10 -15 minutes + 5 minutes
to set up the space if this
can’t be done beforehand.

Considerations

Pupils sit in a large circle with the required number of sheets of flipchart paper in the
middle on the floor. Sheets of flipchart paper need to be numbered and possibly key
words added. Laminated card??
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

VENN DIAGRAMS
Process

Pupils have a set of information which they have to categorise by Venn diagram. This
is useful to see if pupils can classify information or concepts – can they see ambiguity
in information or concepts? As always the emphasis here is on feedback and
discussion of how and why they have placed items where they have. The Venn
diagrams image can be put onto card and laminated so that it can be re-used.

In the FS training video the teacher asks pupils to categorise tools that pupils would
find in a workshop depending upon the material with which they would be used.

Wood Metal

Plastic

Variation

- Sort pictures rather than words.

- Ask pupils to reflect by putting KWL on the diagram and ask them to do the
activity this way.

AFL

Can the pupils sort the information? Are there common mistakes?

VAK TIME

V 10 – 15 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT?

Process

An important feature of the plenary is the way that it forces children to distinguish
between key learning points and supporting detail. The following suggestions are all
mechanisms by which pupils have to sort information deciding what is important, and
providing key summaries. Pupils use their own language and decide on importance.
Whole-class questioning could help decide upon class priorities, but care is needed to
avoid pupils feeling that there is a “correct” answer or that they simply restate
objectives from the beginning of the lesson without engaging in any deep thinking.
They should be encouraged to use their own words.

Example: Take the theme of magnetism in science

Epitaph -
After a magnet has been laid to rest what will be on its tombstone?

Coat of Arms -
A shield with 4 segments – what devices best represent magnetism?

Headlines -
A magnet in town – banner headline please!

Acrostics -
Magnet – what characteristics can you see?

Ingredients -
How do you make a magnet – describe the process as if it were in a recipe
book – ie “take one iron bar and clean it thoroughly”.

VAK TIME

VA 10 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

WHO AM I?

Process

Pupils work in pairs. Each pair is given a blank envelope and four or five pieces of
blank card. Pupils have five minutes to choose a person that they have been studying,
and then write key words or concepts associated with that person on the cards. They
put the cards in the envelope and pass this on to the next pair, who then have a limited
time to work out who the mystery person is. Allow another minute for pupils to
check their answers, and then sample one or two.

Variations

• ‘What am I?’ - artefacts, tools, techniques, geographical features, instruments.

• The teacher prepares a set of cards with names of characters/objects. One pupil
picks a card and talks about the person or object without mentioning the actual
name. The rest see how quickly they can guess what’s on the card.

AFL

Do pupils identify the desired key ideas and concepts? Are there any recurring
misunderstandings?

VAK TIME

V 10 15 minutes
Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

WORD ASSOCIATIONS

Process

The teacher invites pupils to play ‘Word Associations’, and explains that she will say
a word and pupils should respond with a linked word that comes to their mind. The
game should flow quickly. The teacher notes down one or two of the associations and
at the end asks pupils to say why words are linked in their minds. The teacher may
want to give pupils, or pairs, twenty seconds to write the associations on a whiteboard
to increase participation.

At the end of an RE unit on Buddhism:

- Bodhi
- Anatta
- Meditation
- Mara
- Dukkha
- Sangha
- Suffering
- Dhammapada

AFL

Enables the teacher to check pupils’ understanding, particularly when they are asked
to justify their choices. Articulating connections helps pupils to clarify their
understanding in their own minds.

VAK TIME

A 5 minutes

Considerations

Have list of appropriate words ready.

Business Studies AFL- Meaningful Plenary

INDEX

VAK
Calling Cards K
Concept Cartoons V
Conscience Alleys K
Dominoes AK
Freeze Frame VK
Guess Who A
Golden Rules V
Hierarchy V
Hot-seating A
Hypothesis Testing V
KWL V
Learning Leaves V
Learning Mats V
Making Sentences KA
Mind Map V
Mnemonics A (V, K in variations)
Odd One Out
Pass The Buck V (by word)
Run Around K
Ready, Steady, Teach
Sequencing K
Silent Sentences VA
Stepping Stones VK
Venn Diagrams K
What have you learned
Who am I? V
Word Associations VA
V
A