Yes! You can use task cards at the secondary level! Interestingly, I was using “task cards” in my class before I knew they were called that – and way before they looked so cute! If I needed to guide a particular group on a topic or break up the assignment, I would often just grab some colored index cards and a sharpie and beginning assigning the tasks, differentiating, or reviewing! Now with the wonderful world of technology 🙂 and access to tons of programs, task cards can come in any form or fashion. Here are 5 ways and reasons to use the task cards strategy at the middle and high school level.
#1) Differentiation and Scaffolding
–You
choose who gets which card.
choose who gets which card.
–One
directive per card helps students focus.
directive per card helps students focus.
–If
students or groups of students are working through a set of cards, they set
their own pacing.
students or groups of students are working through a set of cards, they set
their own pacing.
–Some
cards can have suggested answers or clues, while others are more open-ended.
cards can have suggested answers or clues, while others are more open-ended.
–Some
students or groups can do one or more depending on their needs.
students or groups can do one or more depending on their needs.
– Task cards just by their nature allow for individualized instruction and scaffolding because they allow for effective chunking of material.
#2) Interpersonally with Discussion
& Collaboration
& Collaboration
–Students
prepare individually first before small or whole group discussion.
prepare individually first before small or whole group discussion.
–Guides
whole group discussion.
whole group discussion.
–Can
require students to produce a larger product together.
require students to produce a larger product together.
#3) Games and Review
–Play
traditional games (board games, card games, beach ball toss, etc.) with task
cards for your subject.
traditional games (board games, card games, beach ball toss, etc.) with task
cards for your subject.
– Give each group a set of task cards,
and in order to take a
turn, each student had to
answer a question on one of the cards. The rest of the group had to agree
with the answer before they could move on.
and in order to take a
turn, each student had to
answer a question on one of the cards. The rest of the group had to agree
with the answer before they could move on.
–Groups
or students could also have a recording sheet that they turn in or use as a study guide.
or students could also have a recording sheet that they turn in or use as a study guide.
#4) Kinesthetically with Gallery
Walks, Scavenger Hunts, Quests
Walks, Scavenger Hunts, Quests
–Cards
are posted around the room/hall.
are posted around the room/hall.
–Assign
students certain numbers to complete, or do them all.
students certain numbers to complete, or do them all.
–Set
time limits.
time limits.
–Students
record answers on sheets.
record answers on sheets.
#5) Interactive Notebooks
–Paste
down one and work with it.
down one and work with it.
–Paste
a sequence.
a sequence.
–Paste
matching items or pairs.
matching items or pairs.
**Bonus: Going green with task cards
•1:1
schools
schools
•BYOD
option
option
•via
Google Docs in the lab, group device, or on their own devices
Google Docs in the lab, group device, or on their own devices
•Nearpod student led or in
homework mode.
homework mode.
•Classflow with student
response systems or on their own devices
response systems or on their own devices
•Kahoot for whole class
review
•Single iPad used via Apple TV to
share task card work.
share task card work.
The grammar task cards featured in the above picture came from Kimberly Dana’s TpT store! She is a fellow TN teacher!
See my newest bundle of task cards for ELA/English Teachers!
Comment below to share how you use task cards!
I really enjoyed your powerpoint! It's interesting to see that I use task cards, but I do not call them task cards. I would love to hear more about how electronic task cards work. I work at a 1:1 school, and my principal is challenging us to go paperless! I think I am probably the only teacher crazy enough to take the challenge! lol Great post!
Hi Ashley –
When I started using "task cards" I didn't call them that either, actually! I didn't know what to call them, so I love how they've evolved. How cool you are at a 1:1 school. One way I used virtual task cards was through Google Drive. I just uploaded my task cards (saved as a pdf full-page size) to my drive, and got a shareable ilnk to give to my students. If you use Nearpod, Kahoot, Classflow, etc. any of those would be really neat and fun ways to use task cards virtually! Good luck, and I'd love to hear what creative things you come up with!
~Julie
I actually began to get into task cards by using your products. My students loved it so much that I began making my own. One way I used them electronically was by posting them to Edmodo. Using the jigsaw method, I put students into home and expert groups, and they had to complete the various assignments on their particular task cards. They LOVED it! Thanks so much for sharing this!
Lit with Lyns
Lyndsey,
That is actually really cool – I love how TPT fosters such amazing teaching experiences. Really cool idea with the jig saw method and Edmodo.
~Julie