Closure activities help instructors check for understanding and inform subsequent instruction, correct misunderstandings, and emphasize key information.  

Closure activities help learners summarize, review, and demonstrate their understanding of major points; link lesson ideas to a conceptual framework and/or previously learned knowledge; and consolidate and internalize key information. 

Oral Review

Use the last five minutes of class to ask, “What have you learned today?” Have a quick thumbs-up/thumbs-down/thumbs-sideways show of hands on various points touched on: “I understand and could teach this to other”; “I understand but couldn’t explain it”; “I do not understand this concept.” 

Whip Around

Learners quickly and verbally share one thing they learned in class today. Have them toss a ball from one to another as they take turns, or just have volunteers share what they learned. 

3-2-1

Learners write down on a note card 3 things they learned from today’s lesson, 2 questions they have about the topic, and 1 thing they want the instructor to know from today’s lesson. 

Email/Discussion Post Summaries

Have each learner write a brief email/discussion post summarizing what was learned, things that are still unclear, new questions that arose, etc. 

Three W’s

Learners discuss or write: 

 -What did we learn today? 

-So What? (Relevancy, importance, usefulness) 

-Now What? (How does this fit into what we are learning? Does it affect our thinking? Can we predict where we are going?)