How to create memorable learning experiences

The power of interactive lessons

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Oct 20, 2024

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve connected with some great minds on Substack, from whom I’m learning a lot about teaching. The questions their works invoke are fascinating me and giving me a newfound impetus to refresh my lesson plan ideas.

Kieran, writer of

SEMH Education

, has hooked me with some teaching strategies that he commonly sees in alternative education settings.

This week - you lucky things you - he has taken the time to contribute to ‘How to be a Teacher’ with a brilliant, practicable post all about how to apply one such strategy - interactive lessons - and how they can work in traditional education settings most of us are familiar with.

If you like what you read, subscribe to his page because he has a number of other lesson ideas that can enrich any classroom.

Enjoy!

When students walk into a classroom and are immediately captivated by an interactive “hook” to a lesson, the atmosphere changes. Learning becomes an experience, not just an expectation. This kind of lesson design is crucial for fostering curiosity and engagement, especially in today’s fast-paced educational landscape. Interactive lessons, where students immerse themselves in the topic from the moment they step into the room, can transform the way they view learning. Learning can be fun!

Imagine walking into a classroom filled with the scent of spices, the sight of an ancient letter or a mysterious scene marked with an outline of a body in tape. These initial cues are designed to pull students in, encouraging them to wonder, question, and explore.

But how can teachers effectively incorporate interactive “hooks” into their lessons, and what kind of outcomes can they expect?

🪝Why Interactive Hooks Work

Interactive hooks ignite curiosity. Instead of beginning a lesson with a typical PowerPoint slide with an image and a couple of questions, students are immediately engaged through sight, smell, touch, or sound. This multi-sensory approach taps into different learning styles and makes the content more accessible and intriguing. By experiencing an artefact or a situation that relates to the topic, students are more likely to remember and connect with the material on a deeper level.

For learners with Special Educational Needs, I find that these lessons are often the most accessible and the ones they benefit from the most. While they require some extra effort to set up, the rewards are well worth it for all students. I highly recommend incorporating these types of lessons at the beginning of a new topic to engage everyone from the start.

📜 Example 1: The Mystery of the Old Letter (History)

Hook: The classroom is dimly lit with an old letter lying on the floor, breakfast table or a student’s desk. The letter is yellowed with age, its edges frayed, and it smells faintly of ink and parchment. Written in elegant, old-fashioned script, it appears to be from the 1800s, discussing a pivotal moment in history. Alongside the letter, there is a map with certain locations highlighted.

The Letter: Age this by soaking a piece of paper in tea and then drying it with a hair dryer.

The Smell: Candles or diffusers are great for this. Especially if you know someone who can make candles! Just be mindful that it’s not too overpowering as learners with SEN needs can find this overstimulating.

Lesson:

This hook could be the introduction to a history lesson on a particular era, such as the Tudor period, or a page from Samuel Pepys's diary. The letter might be from a historical figure or a fictional person witnessing a key event of that time.

The students are tasked with deciphering the letter and piecing together clues from the writing. You could also add other items such as a map, and other artefacts in the room. They work in groups to hypothesise what event the letter is referring to, and then they research further to confirm their findings. If you’re lucky enough to have class iPads then you might get fed up with hearing “Hey google…”

Depending on time, you can leave the lesson there with the students writing down their hypothesis, ready for the big reveal in the next lesson! Or you could ask one member of each group to read out their hypothesis. Alternatively, you could ask your amazing teaching assistant or someone from the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to sit in the hot-seat as the character and let the students ask them questions. I always favour this approach and have the member of SLT answer with only yes or no questions. This way you end up with the children’s first assumptions and then their revised guesses! Bonus points if they dress up in period clothing too!

Outcome: Students leave the class with a stronger grasp of the time period because they’ve stepped into the shoes of someone from that era. They will have engaged in critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and research, all while being introduced to key historical facts. Instead of simply memorizing dates and events, they’ve lived through a piece of history, making the lesson far more impactful.

🧑‍⚕️Example 2: The Mysterious Body Outline (Science)

Hook: When students enter the room, they see a large body outline taped on the floor. Around it are various objects: a vial of red liquid, a bag of what looks like sugar, some herbs, and other unidentified substances. The lights are dimmed, and there is eerie background music playing.

Lesson: This setup could serve as the introduction to a biology lesson on the human body, even forensic science, or another key person from history. The body outline represents a mystery that students need to solve: What happened here? Was it an illness, a poisoning, or an injury and who was this person?

Students are provided with medical charts, reports, and data on various substances, and they must analyze the evidence to determine what caused the person’s death. This could be done as a case study on how the body reacts to certain chemicals, or as part of a forensic science unit where students learn about the biology of the human body.

Outcome: The students will be engaged in scientific analysis and reasoning, building their knowledge of human anatomy, chemistry, or biology. They will also develop their critical thinking and investigative skills, connecting theoretical concepts to real-world applications. By being placed in the role of investigators, they take ownership of their learning, making the scientific concepts far more memorable.

🕜Why These Lessons Have Lasting Impact

Interactive lessons succeed because they make abstract concepts tangible. Rather than simply hearing about history or biology, students get to experience a piece of it. By using all of their senses and engaging in active learning, they are more likely to retain information and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Key Outcomes of Interactive Lessons:

Increased Engagement: Students are immediately drawn into the lesson through curiosity.
Deeper Understanding: Interactive hooks connect theory to real-life situations, making abstract ideas more relatable and easier to comprehend.
Enhanced Collaboration: Group work and discussion are often natural byproducts of these lessons, promoting teamwork and communication skills.
Critical Thinking: Students must analyze clues, ask questions, and develop hypotheses, enhancing their problem-solving abilities.
Long-Term Retention: The multisensory experience creates stronger memories, helping students retain what they’ve learned for a longer period of time.

Final Thoughts

Interactive hooks and lessons aren’t just about making learning fun; they are powerful tools that help foster deeper connections with the material. By stepping into a moment in history, analyzing a mysterious scene, or investigating a science case, students become active participants in their own education. These experiences are the ones that students remember long after the lesson is over, and they can help cultivate a lifelong love for learning.

So next time you plan a lesson, consider how you can transform it from a traditional lecture into an immersive, interactive experience that will leave a lasting impact on your students.

Want to know more about interactive lessons and other dynamic teaching strategies? Just visit Kieran’s page at