Key Strategies · A WalkThrus-style reference

Thirteen moves, explained clearly.

One strategy per card. Each one follows the same structure: why it works, when to use it, what to watch for, the core move in one sentence, five steps to actually do it, a sample script, and variations. Inspired by Sherrington and Caviglioli's WalkThrus — designed for scanning on a prep period and printing for the fridge.

Contents — jump to any strategy

Sorted roughly from foundational to advanced
01Warm-CallingFoundational 02Quick-Write → Turn-and-TalkFoundational 03Think-Pair-ShareFoundational 04GLAD Sentence StemsFoundational 05Exit TicketsFoundational 06See · Think · WonderFoundational 07Trios with RolesIntermediate 08Chalkboard SplashIntermediate 09FishbowlIntermediate 10Structured Academic ControversyAdvanced 11Socratic SeminarAdvanced 12MicrolabAdvanced 13I Used to Think… Now I Think…Intermediate
01

Warm-Calling

Cold-calling done warmly, so it builds voice instead of anxiety.

Foundational
Why
Without being called on by name, the same handful of students will always speak. Cold-calling does work — but only when every student has rehearsed and the framing is invitational.
When
Every whole-class discussion, after students have written or paired. Never as a cold first move.
Watch-outs
Naming before asking (others check out). No wait time. Punitive tone. Calling repeatedly on the same confident voices.
Core move
Question first. Pause. Then name — warmly.
At a glance
01 Ask Whole class engaged. 02 Pause 5–10 silent seconds. 03 Name One student, warmly invited. 04 Honor Pass? Phone a friend.
The five-step walkthru
01
Frame
On day one, tell students you call by name because you want to hear from everyone. Promise thinking time. Promise no penalty for being wrong.
02
Ask first
Pose the question to the whole class before naming anyone. This keeps every brain engaged.
03
Pause
Count 5–10 silent seconds. Uncomfortable, but research-backed. Students need the time.
04
Name
Invite a student in warmly: “Mia, what do you want to add?” Tone matters as much as wording.
05
Honor the pass
If they pass, offer a phone-a-friend, then circle back with a paraphrase task. No one stays off the hook, but no one gets punished either.
Sample teacher script
Take a minute to think about this one. [pauses, scans the room] … Jordan — what part of Toussaint's letter stood out to you?said while standing still, not pacing
Variations
  • No-hands-up classroom (whole-year norm)
  • Phone-a-friend when stuck
  • Warm-call specifically after Turn-and-Talk: “What did your partner say?”
  • Equity sticks / name cards to distribute calls
02

Quick-Write → Turn-and-Talk

Every student has something to say before anyone speaks publicly.

Foundational
Why
The workhorse of every discussion-based classroom. Writing first lowers anxiety, generates ideas, and makes the partner talk substantive instead of performative.
When
Daily opener. Before any whole-class share. As a mid-class reset after a heavy text.
Watch-outs
Skipping the write when time gets tight (worst move). Prompts that have a single right answer. Letting pairs chat instead of rehearse.
Core move
Write first. Then talk. Then share.
At a glance
01 Write 3 min silent. Visible timer. 02 Pair A B A speaks 60s → B paraphrases, adds → switch. 03 Share 2–3 pairs warm-called. "What did your partner say?"
The five-step walkthru
01
Post
A prompt that invites a stance, a prediction, or a connection. Not a recall question.
02
Write
Three minutes of silent writing. Visible timer. No talking, no hands, no exceptions.
03
Pair
Two minutes. Partner A speaks 60s, B paraphrases and adds. Switch. Use a timer.
04
Sample
Warm-call 2–3 pairs. Ask them what their partner said that was interesting.
05
Thread
Stitch what students said back into the arc of the lesson. Don't let their ideas drop on the floor.
Sample teacher script
On the prompt on the board: three minutes of silent writing. Then two with a partner. Ready? Go.timer visible, teacher writes too (models)
Variations
  • Write-Pair-Square: two pairs merge to compare
  • Silent gallery walk with written responses
  • Write-Pair-Swap: pairs exchange papers, annotate each other's
  • Quick-draw variant for visual learners
03

Think-Pair-Share

The most-studied protocol in K-12. The trick is the Share.

Foundational
Why
Raises participation, lowers anxiety. Cooper et al. (2021) flagged that the “Share” phase is where most teachers revert to the same confident voices — the accountability move fixes that.
When
Any moment you would have asked “Does anyone want to share?” Replace that habit with this protocol.
Watch-outs
The killer question: “Who wants to share?” Replace it. Also: pair-talk that drifts into socializing.
Core move
Ask for your partner's thinking, not your own.
At a glance
01 Think Silent. Ideally with a written anchor. 02 Pair & paraphrase A B Paraphrase Each partner restates the other before adding their own. 03 Share "What did your partner say?"

The gold loops at step 02 are the whole point — paraphrase before adding is what separates TPS from partner-chatting.

The five-step walkthru
01
Think
1–3 minutes of silent thinking, ideally with a written anchor. No anchor = lighter version.
02
Pair
Each partner speaks for 60 seconds. Use a visible timer. Switch.
03
Paraphrase
Before adding their own, each partner restates what the other said. Installs listening.
04
Share
Warm-call asking for the partner's thinking: “What did Kai say that made you think?”
05
Bridge
Use one student's move — a good question, an evidence move — to set up the next part of the lesson.
Sample teacher script
In pairs — what did your partner notice that surprised them? You have two minutes, then I'll call on a few of you.emphasis on “your partner”
Variations
  • Think-Pair-Square (2 pairs merge)
  • Pair-Off-Pair-On (rotate partners twice)
  • Silent TPS: written exchange, no speaking
  • Appointment pairs: pre-assigned partners rotated across the week
04

GLAD Sentence Stems

Post them. Model them. Require them. The discourse moves become learnable.

Foundational
Why
Zwiers' five conversation skills (build, clarify, evidence, challenge, paraphrase) become teachable rather than mysterious. GLAD research shows frames benefit all students, not only multilingual learners.
When
Any paired, small-group, or whole-class discussion. Start with two frames. Add two more after two weeks.
Watch-outs
Introducing five at once. Posting without modeling. Never referring to them again. Treating them as babyish — they're academic moves.
Core move
Post. Model. Require. Praise.
At a glance
Large. Visible. Permanent. On the wall — not in a disappearing slide. Build “I want to build on what Maya said …” Disagree “I see it differently because …” Evidence “The text shows this when it says …” Paraphrase “So what you're saying is …?” Clarify “Can you say more about what you mean?”

Five frames, color-coded by discourse function. Start with Build + Disagree — add the rest over the quarter.

The five-step walkthru
01
Choose
Start with two. Best openers: “I want to build on…” and “I see it differently because…”
02
Post
Large, visible, permanent. On the wall, not on a slide that disappears. Make them part of the room.
03
Model
You use them when responding to students. “I want to build on what Maya said. What if…”
04
Require
One activity per week where students must use each target frame twice. Tally uses.
05
Rotate
After two weeks, add two more. Build to five over the quarter: build, disagree, evidence, paraphrase, clarify.
Sample teacher script
In this next pair talk, I want to hear at least one “build on” and one “I see it differently” from each of you. I'll be listening.post-it tally on the back wall
Variations
  • Frame-of-the-week focus with tracked use
  • Table-card versions for every seat
  • Spanish/English bilingual frame cards
  • Student-generated frames added alongside the canonical ones
05

Exit Tickets

A 3-minute snapshot. Only worth doing if you actually read them.

Foundational
Why
Black & Wiliam's research on formative feedback is clear: frequent low-stakes checks are one of the highest-effect moves in teaching. But only if the data comes back into your planning.
When
Last 3–4 minutes of every class. Non-negotiable at the start of the year.
Watch-outs
Collecting without reading (worst sin). Pure-recall prompts. Skipping them when time's tight. Not opening the next day with what you saw.
Core move
One question. Read tonight. Open tomorrow with what you found.
At a glance
Today, last 4 min Tonight Tomorrow, opener 01 Write 02 Sort Got it Partial Miss 03 Plan Tomorrow's opener 04 Open "Several of you …"

Three piles turn a stack of tickets into a plan. Without the sort, the ticket is just paper.

The five-step walkthru
01
Craft
A prompt that invites stance, application, or connection — not recall. One sentence, not five.
02
Protect
Hold 3–4 minutes at class close. Don't teach over it. This is sacred time.
03
Collect
Silent, individual. Sticky, card, or digital form. Students leave them as they exit.
04
Sort
Read the same evening. Three piles: got it / partial / misconception. Takes less time than you think.
05
Open
Start the next class by naming what you saw. “Several of you were wondering whether…”
Sample teacher script
Before you leave: in one sentence, argue whether Jackson's Indian Removal was democratic or tyrannical. Use one piece of evidence.prompt visible on the board for the last 4 minutes
Variations
  • 3-2-1: three things learned, two connections, one question
  • Anonymous wall of responses (read by the class)
  • “Stick and shift”: what stuck, what shifted your thinking
  • Student-generated question as the ticket
06

See · Think · Wonder

Observation before interpretation. The habit at the heart of historical thinking.

Foundational
Why
Students jump to interpretation before observation. Project Zero's routine separates the two and teaches the habit history demands: read the source before you explain it.
When
Any day with a compelling image, artifact, map, or political cartoon. Especially powerful in Social Studies.
Watch-outs
Rushing the See step. Letting interpretation sneak into observation. Boring images — pick ones with real visual stakes.
Core move
Tell me what's there before you tell me what it means.
At a glance
Source One compelling image, 60s of silence. 01 See What's literally there — flags, smoke, posture, angle. 02 Think Interpretation — grounded in what you saw. 03 Wonder Questions the source can't answer.

The widest channel is observation. Interpretation narrows. Questions narrow further — but they open the inquiry.

The five-step walkthru
01
Project
One compelling image, in silence, for 60 full seconds. No narration.
02
See
List only what's literally visible. “I see a woman. I see smoke. I see three flags.” Discipline the observation.
03
Think
Interpret, but only grounded in what was seen. “The flags suggest…” “The smoke might mean…”
04
Wonder
Generate questions the source can't fully answer. This is where inquiry starts.
05
Bridge
Use the Wonders to transition into the day's content. Student questions are the hook.
Sample teacher script
For the next minute, I don't want interpretation. I want observation only. What's literally there?teacher stands silently, lets students look
Variations
  • ZoomIn: reveal one quadrant of the image at a time
  • STW on a primary source excerpt (“see” becomes “notice”)
  • Paired image comparison (two related sources)
  • Student-led STW: one student picks the image
07

Trios with Roles

Three students, three jobs, one shared artifact. Nowhere to hide.

Intermediate
Why
Elizabeth Cohen's Complex Instruction showed that assigned roles — and rotating them — distribute participation. Trios beat quads in middle school. One student short means one fewer place to disappear.
When
Document analysis, source corroboration, or any task with three legitimate subtasks. At least once per week.
Watch-outs
Roles that ossify into identities. Groups that silently divide work instead of discussing. Uneven subtasks (one role easier than others).
Core move
Three roles. One shared artifact. Rotate every time.
At a glance
Shared organizer S Sourcer — E Evidencer claims + quotes C Connector links across sources who / when / why Rotate next session

Roles rotate every session — nobody stays Sourcer, nobody stays silent.

The five-step walkthru
01
Form
Trios assigned by you. Not student-chosen. Balance ability, language, voice.
02
Assign
Sourcer (who/when/why), Evidencer (claims and quotes), Connector (how it fits with other sources).
03
Analyze
Each student reads all sources but analyzes through their role's lens. Individual thinking, then shared.
04
Build
Produce a single shared graphic organizer. No one leaves until all three perspectives are on the page.
05
Debrief
Each trio reports out what they learned from a groupmate's role — not their own. Forces listening.
Sample teacher script
Connectors — your job is to find the thread between Garrison and Grimké. Sourcers, check their context against each other. Evidencers, pull the strongest quote from each.roles rotate next session — no permanent Sourcers
Variations
  • Numbered-Heads: teacher calls a random number to present
  • Role cards handed out face-down for reveal
  • Four-role quads when content genuinely needs four angles
  • Expert-Group Jigsaw: same roles, different content per trio
08

Chalkboard Splash

100% of student thinking visible — without anyone speaking first.

Intermediate
Why
A signature Himmele Total Participation Technique. Converts whole-class assessment into shared evidence everyone can read — without putting anyone on the spot.
When
Reviewing prior content, surfacing prior knowledge, processing a documentary clip or reading. Strong mid-unit.
Watch-outs
Generic prompts (“what did you learn?” — useless). Rushing the silent circulation. Skipping the “what did you notice” debrief.
Core move
Everyone writes. Everyone posts. Everyone reads. Then we talk.
At a glance
The board All students write, then post silently. Patterns in the clusters become the discussion's evidence.

Clusters on the board become the starting evidence: "What do you notice?"

The five-step walkthru
01
Pose
Single open-ended prompt. “One sentence: what was the strongest argument for the Removal Act?”
02
Write
2 minutes on a sticky or quarter-sheet. One sentence, not a paragraph.
03
Post
Students silently walk to the board or wall and stick their response. No speaking.
04
Circulate
Students read in silence, looking for patterns, surprises, disagreements. 3–4 minutes.
05
Notice
Open the floor: “What did you notice?” Now there's evidence to anchor discussion.
Sample teacher script
In silence — write one sentence, post it, read others' sentences. Then come back and we'll see what the board is telling us.teacher posts their own response too
Variations
  • Digital splash: Padlet, Jamboard, or shared slides
  • Partner splash: read in pairs, flag two favorites
  • Sorted splash: post under teacher-labeled categories
  • Anonymous splash: no names (for risky topics)
09

Fishbowl

A small inner circle talks. A larger outer circle observes — with a job.

Intermediate
Why
Facing History's core protocol. Lowers the social stakes of whole-class discussion by making the audience the majority. Models discussion behavior for students still learning it.
When
A contested question with real multiple perspectives. Especially valuable before asking students to do a full SAC or Socratic Seminar.
Watch-outs
Outer circle with no job (drift). Inner circle that talks only to the teacher. Teacher who over-intervenes.
Core move
Inner circle talks. Outer circle observes — with specific jobs.
At a glance
Inner ring 6–8 speakers They do the talking. Outer ring Everyone else Paired with a speaker — observing specific moves. Teacher Outside, silent, still.

Dashed lines: observer-speaker pairings for the debrief. The teacher is never at the center.

The five-step walkthru
01
Set up
6–8 chairs in an inner circle. Rest of class forms the outer ring. Question posted visibly.
02
Partner
Each outer-circle student is paired with one inner-circle person they'll observe. Name their job.
03
Run
10–12 minutes of inner discussion. Teacher steps physically back. Silences are okay.
04
Swap
New inner group. Continue the question or deepen it. Everyone gets a turn in the circle.
05
Debrief
Observer partners share what they noticed — moves made, evidence cited, questions asked.
Sample teacher script
Your job in the outer circle is to notice every time your partner cites evidence, builds on someone, or asks a question. I want specifics.teacher stands outside the whole time
Variations
  • Tap-in Fishbowl: outer students physically swap in when ready
  • 4-Chair: only four chairs, talking only there
  • Silent fishbowl: written-only exchange in the circle
  • Fishbowl with a written debrief instead of verbal
10

Structured Academic Controversy

Argue one side. Argue the other. Drop both. Find consensus.

Advanced
Why
The Johnsons' protocol, refined by Walter Parker at UW for 30 years. The switch-sides move is what separates SAC from debate — and where the real learning happens.
When
Contested historical or civic questions with legitimate evidence on both sides. Not false-balance issues.
Watch-outs
Skipping the switch (makes it a debate). Picking morally-indefensible opposing sides. Consensus pressure that flattens real disagreement.
Core move
Argue one side. Then argue the other. Drop both. Find consensus.
At a glance
01 Prep Read + pick sides. A · Pro B · Pro C · Con D · Con 02 Present Each side, uninterrupted. A · Pro B · Pro C · Con D · Con 03 Switch Argue the other side. A · now Con B · now Con C · now Pro D · now Pro swap 04 Consensus Drop sides. Build one view. A · B · C · D — shared position 05 Reflect Individually, in writing. A B C D

The color flip at step 03 is the protocol's structural signature. Skip it and it's just a debate.

The five-step walkthru
01
Prep
Binary question + two source packets. Groups of 4, paired A-B / C-D. Each pair preps one side.
02
Present
A-B presents Side A. C-D paraphrases A-B's argument to A-B's satisfaction before presenting Side B.
03
Switch
A-B now argues Side B using C-D's evidence. Vice versa. The critical move.
04
Consensus
Drop positions. All four students craft a refined shared position that accounts for both sides' strongest evidence.
05
Reflect
Where did your own thinking shift? What was the strongest argument you hadn't considered?
Sample teacher script
When you switch, your job is to use your opponent's strongest evidence — not your own. That's the whole point.teacher circulates, coaches the paraphrase step
Variations
  • Whole-class SAC (one question, staged publicly)
  • Digital source packets in shared slides
  • Cross-classroom SAC with another teacher's students
  • Policy-SAC: consensus must be a written recommendation
11

Socratic Seminar

Student-led inquiry around a shared text. Teacher silent. Text anchors.

Advanced
Why
The culmination of a discussion-based classroom. Students run the seminar. Teacher sits outside the circle. Growth in self-awareness, peer connectedness, and text analysis is well-documented.
When
After months of foundational work. With a rich, ambiguous text. Never as a first try — scaffold relentlessly.
Watch-outs
Teacher talking. Underprepared students (hold the line — no prep = no participation). Too-large a circle (break into two smaller ones).
Core move
Teacher silent. Students facilitate. Text anchors everything.
At a glance
The text One ring Students facilitate. Every comment cites the text. Teacher Outside. Silent. Tallies, but does not speak. Outside

Unlike Fishbowl's two rings, Socratic has one — around the text. The text, not the teacher, is the center.

The five-step walkthru
01
Prep
Students annotate the text and bring 2–3 open questions. Come prepared or don't participate — hold this line.
02
Circle
Chairs in a circle. Teacher outside. Norms posted: cite the text, build on others, invite quiet voices.
03
Open
One genuinely open question. Then silence. Middle schoolers will fill it if you don't.
04
Observe
Tally participation, watch norms, redirect only when they slip. Say almost nothing.
05
Reflect
Written reflection after: my contributions, my listening, one goal for next time. Reflection matters as much as the seminar.
Sample teacher script
Where does Douglass's argument become impossible to ignore? … That's my only question today.teacher then does not speak again for 40 minutes
Variations
  • Two parallel seminars of 12–15 (walk between them)
  • Inside-outside: half circle, half observing assigned peers
  • Student-generated opening questions
  • Text-rendering variant: start by reading meaningful lines aloud
12

Microlab

Ninety seconds each, uninterrupted. Silence-while-listening is the discipline.

Advanced
Why
An NSRF protocol originally used in teacher PD. Gives every student equal airtime and builds listening as a discipline — not just a polite gesture.
When
End of a heavy-content or emotionally-weighty day (Middle Passage, Indian Removal, Douglass). Closes class with dignity.
Watch-outs
Cutting the silence. Groups that start interrupting. Running it on a trivial prompt (wastes the structure).
Core move
Ninety seconds each. Interrupt no one. Listen hard.
At a glance
1 Speaking 2 Listening no sounds, no notes 3 Listening no sounds, no notes 90s × 3 + 10 held seconds between rounds

Three equal segments. The listener's silence is the discipline — no nodding, no notes, no sounds.

The five-step walkthru
01
Form
Trios only. Quads break the timing. One prompt — weighty but open.
02
Speak
Person 1 speaks for 90 seconds uninterrupted. Others silent — no nodding, no sounds, no notes.
03
Pause
10 seconds of held silence after each person. Discomfort is the point.
04
Rotate
Person 2, then 3. Same rules. Protect the timing; interruptions kill it.
05
Open
2 minutes of free discussion within the trio. No whole-class share unless a student volunteers.
Sample teacher script
For ninety seconds, your only job is to listen. Not respond, not plan what you'll say — just listen.teacher sets a visible timer and does not speak
Variations
  • Microlab + writing (write 90s before speaking)
  • Two rounds with a shifted prompt
  • Microlab in pairs (60 seconds each)
  • Post-Microlab: one word each to the whole class
13

I Used to Think… Now I Think…

Name the before. Name the after. Name what changed it.

Intermediate
Why
Another Project Zero Visible Thinking routine, designed for conceptual change. Especially powerful in Social Studies where students arrive with partial or distorted priors.
When
End of a lesson or unit that meaningfully challenged a prior conception. Not after a recall-heavy lesson — there's nothing to shift.
Watch-outs
Generic reflection (“I used to think history was boring…”). Students who didn't actually shift — honor that: “I still think X, but now I see why others think Y.”
Core move
Name the before. Name the after. Name what changed it.
At a glance
Before I used to think … Jefferson was a champion of Shift Now Now I think … … but he also held people enslaved. What changed it Hemings letters · the DOI passage · Amos's question

Three named things: before, after, and the specific thing that moved the needle.

The five-step walkthru
01
Prompt
Name the specific prior understanding students likely had. “Before this unit, what did you think about Jefferson?”
02
Write
Three sentences: “I used to think ___. Now I think ___. What changed my mind was ___.”
03
Pair
Optional: brief share with a partner. Sometimes what students wrote becomes clearer when spoken.
04
Collect
Use for next-day opener, or post anonymously as a wall of shifts. Student voices become the hook.
05
Revisit
At unit's end, revisit: has your thinking shifted again? The routine compounds when repeated.
Sample teacher script
Before you leave: what did you used to think about Jefferson? What do you think now — and what specifically changed it?collected and projected anonymously tomorrow
Variations
  • Class wall of shifts (posted all quarter)
  • Pre/post journal entries around a unit
  • Colored chart showing clusters of similar shifts
  • Paired routine with Connect-Extend-Challenge