Curiosity can make a huge difference to how pupils engage with a lesson. It does not mean every lesson needs a dramatic experiment, elaborate starter or big reveal. Often curiosity comes from something much smaller: a question that does not quite make sense, a prediction pupils want to test, or a piece of information that makes them want to know more.
Here are 17 simple ways to build more curiosity into everyday lessons.
1. Start with something pupils want explained
Instead of opening with a long explanation of the lesson objective, begin with a question, image, problem or situation that needs explaining. Give pupils a reason to want the knowledge before you teach it.
2. Ask pupils to make a prediction
Before showing the answer, the result of an experiment or what happens next, ask pupils to commit to a prediction. Once they have chosen an answer, they have a much stronger reason to pay attention to what follows.
3. Show something that does not quite fit
Give pupils an example that appears to contradict what they already know. The tension between what they expected and what they can see gives you a natural way into the new learning.
4. Reveal a mystery one clue at a time
Give pupils several pieces of information gradually rather than all at once. Ask them to update their thinking each time a new clue appears.
5. Give the answer before the question
Put an answer such as “42”, “three minutes”, “because of gravity” or “1914” on the board and ask pupils what the question might have been. It is a simple way of making familiar knowledge feel less predictable.
6. Ask “What would happen if…?”
Change one part of a situation and ask pupils what they think would happen next. This works particularly well when pupils already know the basic idea and need to apply it in a different context.
7. Use an unexpected photograph or object
Place an image or object on the board without initially explaining why it is there. Ask pupils what they think it has to do with today’s lesson.
8. Ask pupils what they notice before you explain
When introducing a graph, source, diagram, quotation, map or set of results, avoid immediately telling pupils what it shows. Give them time to notice patterns and raise questions first.
9. Use a believable wrong answer
Show pupils a piece of work containing a mistake that could easily have been made by a real pupil. Ask them to identify exactly where the reasoning went wrong and how they would correct it.
10. Use an odd one out
Give pupils three or four examples and ask which one does not belong. Encourage more than one possible answer as long as pupils can justify their reasoning.
11. Make everyday things worth questioning
Some of the best curiosity comes from things pupils see all the time. Why does a mirror reverse left and right? Why are some countries richer than others? Why do certain adverts stick in your memory? Why do we dream? Everyday questions can provide excellent starting points for serious learning.
12. Give pupils incomplete information
Do not always provide everything needed at the start of a task. Give pupils enough to begin thinking, then ask them what additional information they would need in order to solve the problem properly.
13. Let pupils generate their own questions
After introducing a new topic, ask pupils what they would genuinely like to know about it. You do not have to answer every question, but using a few of their questions can give pupils a greater sense of ownership over the lesson.
14. Use surprising comparisons
Ask pupils to find a connection between two things that initially appear unrelated. A good comparison can make pupils look at familiar ideas in a completely different way.
15. Delay the answer
Teachers often ask an interesting question and then answer it themselves almost immediately. Give pupils time to think, discuss, test ideas and gather evidence before revealing the explanation.
16. End with a question that leads into the next lesson
You do not have to tie up every loose end. A carefully chosen unanswered question at the end of one lesson can create a natural reason for pupils to want to return to the topic next time.
17. Show pupils that questions are valued
Curiosity grows in classrooms where pupils feel comfortable saying “Why?”, “How do we know?” or “What if…?” Respond positively to thoughtful questions and occasionally allow an interesting question to take the lesson somewhere you had not originally planned.
Curiosity is most powerful when it leads somewhere. The aim is not simply to entertain pupils or keep them guessing, but to create a reason for them to want the knowledge you are about to teach. A small unanswered question at the right moment can sometimes do more for engagement than an elaborate activity.
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