One minute paper

Students get one minute to answer a question, carry out an assignment or indicate what they have learned during class.
  • Individual
  • Pairs
  • <5 minutes
  • 5-10 minutes
  • Activating prior knowledge
  • Assessment
  • Practicing academic skills
  • Remember
  • Understand
  • Create

When to use it?

  • When you want to identify how well the students have grasped the topic in question.
  • When you want students to reflect on their own learning process.
  • When you want to hold students' attention when you notice it's starting to wane.

Activity instructions

Preparation

  • Choose a task for the students. What question do they need to answer, what assignment do they need to carry out or how do they need to indicate what they have learned during class?

Activity steps

  1. Make groups
    Divide the students into pairs (or let them work individually).
  2. Give the assignment
    Provide the students with the question that they need to answer or the assignment that they need to make.
  3. One minute
    Set a timer for one minute and let the students write down their answers.
  4. Discuss
    Ask a few students to read their answers aloud, let students read each other's answers or provide feedback on their answers.

Tips for implementation & variation

  • Online teaching: Students can share their answers in the chat of a video lecture tool, in Brightspace or in FeedbackFruits.
  • You can use this teaching format at the beginning, middle, or end of your class.

Supporting tools