Let me paint a picture: you teach an awesome lesson that your students rock. They work super hard and perform at a high level of mastery as evident by an exit ticket you facilitate. Fast forward a few days, weeks, or months and you ask them to recall that same information that they had previously “mastered.” Your students look at you like they have no idea what you are talking about. We have ALL been there!

Introducing: Retrieval Practice!

Retrieval practice is a strategy in which bringing information to mind enhances and boosts learning. The purpose of Retrieval Practice is to help ensure important information is stored in memory for years to come. I use this practice in my classroom 3-4 days a week as a warm up for our math block. The directions are simple. 

I ask students to take out individual whiteboards, markers, and erasers. They have (5) minutes to solve (3) problems. The first problem is something we typically learned at the beginning of the year. The second problem is something we learned in the last 4-6 weeks. The third problem is something we learned yesterday. These problems (many of which are included in this resource) are important 4th grade standards that I know students will need to recall in the future. When students finish working on a problem they rate their level of retrieval on a scale of check (100% confidence), question mark (50% confidence), and a X (0% confidence). At the end of the silent, independent (5) minutes, I use sticks to randomly call (3) students up to the board. These students show us their work while the rest of the class checks their work. Hands then go up if students have questions, concerns, or do not understand how we got to the answer. 

Routinely engaging in retrieval practice has dramatically changed what it looks like for my students to retain important grade level standards. This resource is applicable to all students, regardless of their age, and is a 7-10 minute strategy that can revitalize the work you are doing in your classroom with students.