I have a couple of ideas that I have acquired via grading the Kansas Performance Assessment for new teachers. I haven't actually tried them in class so I can't verify the value of either suggestion...but they sound feasible! (I teach Honors classes, so I don't have any trouble getting kids involved in discussions!!!) One idea involved using popsicle sticks--one for each student with their name on it. Place them in a beaker and pull one out with every question you ask....then it is that student's turn to respond. This seems a little "elementary-ish" to me...but it may generate some participation. I suppose you could even assign points to it somehow. The second idea was to throw a ball (a soft one) around the room...kind of like "popcorn reading". The student with the ball speaks and then chooses someone else in the room to toss the ball to. I have a "lone pear" in my room that I thought I might try to use instead of a ball. Good luck! Angela Stockam Chemistry Instructor USD 266 Maize High School 11600 W. 45th St. N. Maize, Kansas 67101 316.722.0441 ext. 2253 ________________________________ From: kact-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:kact-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kelly Deters Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 8:39 AM To: KACT Subject: [KACT] Getting students to participate I'm teaching freshman for the first time ever and it's an "empirical science" course (pre-chemistry content) that focuses on deriving understanding from lab experiences and class discussions. My problem is they don't discuss! I ask a question and the room is dead silent! I have an incredible wait time and they still don't answer! I'm so used to my upper-classmen that jump in all the time and I never have to push. I know they'll loosen up eventually, but any tips? Kelly kellymdeters@xxxxxxxxx