Write the Room in the High School Chemistry Classroom

Sep 23

High school chemistry can be challenging for students. As such, we need to provide learning opportunities that are engaging and interactive. One strategy that I implement in my classroom is a “Write the Room” activity. While this activity was originally designed for elementary classrooms, I have found that is has been effective in my high school chemistry classroom. In this blog post, I will describe how incorporating Write the Room activities can add to an exciting and dynamic learning environment for the high school chemistry classroom.

What is Write the Room?

Write the room is an active learning strategy where students are encouraged to move around the classroom to locate and respond to prompts or questions that are posted at various stations around the room. It offers a hands-on approach to learning that allows for practice that is not another worksheet. Not only does this method keep students physically active, but allows for collaboration and communication about chemistry concepts.

How to Implement Write the Room for High School Chemistry.

Choose a topic. Select a specific chemistry topic or concept that you want to reinforce (or introduce). I would recommend concepts that students can practice in a shorter amount of time (10-15 minutes). Much longer, and the tasks may become more station-like instead.
Create station prompts. Prepare a set of questions, challenges or tasks related to the topic. These prompts should be designed to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. But you don’t want them to take a ton of time. For example, I made a write the room activity for AP Chemistry students to identify elements using a photoelectron spectra. Students interpret the spectra to identify the element. I recommend no more than 10 prompts total.
Set up your prompts around the room. Place the prompts around the classroom. Make sure they are visible and easily accessible to students. If you need materials at a station, make sure you provide those materials that are necessary to complete the task (molecular models, etc.).
Divide students. You can let students pick or strategically pair students to mix abilities and strengths. I recommend pairs, so that students participate more fully in the learning and discussions taking place.
Rotate. You could have students move from prompt to prompt based on a timer. Personally, I just have pairs move randomly from station to station as they go. They don’t have to go in order, they just have to get all 10 prompts completed. This has worked pretty well in my classroom, and the students do a decent job of spreading themselves out.
Check their work. As students walk around the room, they should be writing down their work or answers for each prompt. You could provide students with an answer page to write down their work as they go. They could then check their work with a key or you could have them turn it in to you. My students prefer to write their work on whiteboards. It’s a flat and sturdy surface (as my prompts are hung on hooks on the wall) that they can carry with them. Then I project the key once most groups are done to allow them to check their answers.

Benefits of Write the Room in High School Chemistry.

Active Learning. Write the Room activities get students out of their seats and actively engaged in the learning process. Movement can help break the monotony of class, especially if you teach of a block schedule, and can keep students focused and attentive.
Collaboration and Communication. Working with a partner fosters collaboration and communication. They can discuss ideas, compare answers, and provide peer support, which can enhance their understanding of the material.
Differentiation. You cam tailor the prompts to accommodate different learning styles and abilities. Some prompts could be more challenging, while others could provide extra guidance for struggling students.

Chemistry Topic Ideas for Write the Room.

Reading measurements on glassware.
Identifying types of reactions.
Identifying elements based on a prompt.
- electron configurations
- mass spectra
- Bohr models
- photoelectron spectra
Identifying shape and bond angle from Lewis structures.
Predict the products of a nuclear decay reaction or a chemical reaction.

These are just a few ideas of the topics that could be used in a Write the Room activity. Can you think of more?

Incorporating Write the Room activities into the high school chemistry classroom is a creative way to make learning more interactive and enjoyable for students. It encourages movement, collaboration, and deeper understanding of the chemistry concept being targeted. This method allows for educators to create a dynamic learning environment that fosters student engagement and success in the study of chemistry. Next time you need a fun and engaging strategy for your chemistry classroom, consider taking your students on a Write the Room adventure.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you do something similar in your classroom on Instagram (@unbroken_bond) by sending me a DM or tagging me in your posts. Pin the image below to revisit this post later. Happy teaching!