Fluorescent Engagement on Lab Table Tops

Fluorescent Engagement on Lab Table Tops

I believe as long as there have been desktops there has been a constant battle to keep students from writing on the desk. 

But, what if there were a way to allow students to write on the desk in order to engage them in the learning process.

That is where fluorescent markers and black lab tables have found a happy marriage in my classroom.

In Environmental Science students use a practice called TABLE TOP GRAFFITI to Brainstorm key points and ideas from the semester. 

Using the Fluorescent markers students can write on their desktops to their hearts content, as long as they are working on chemistry. Students work in pairs to problem solve using the table top as their shared workspace.

Ideas For the Classroom 

• Pre-written PODs as students come into the classroom.
• Homework review.  Students share specific problems from their homework. 
• Students teach each other. To both assist others and to reinforce their own learning. 
• Students work through problem solving before transferring work into their notes.
• Brainstorming.
• Writing out lab procedures. 
• Recording data, before transferring it to their lab notebook. 
• Flow charts for work. 
• Recording discussion notes for sharing with class. 
• Museum walks of completed work. 
• Thought questions or quotes to prompt discussion.
• Whatever your mind can imagine.