Plastic or paper table cloths can be bought in pound shops or online very cheaply and are so useful in lessons. Pupils love the idea of writing on a table cloth rather than in their books or on paper and it makes group work more interesting.
Ways to use table cloths in lessons:
- Mind mapping ideas from the lesson or as a revision task
- Planning essays (either collaboratively or individually all on one big table cloth)
- Having different coloured table cloths (see image below) for differentiated activities
- In a carousel type activity where different groups present a different part of the lesson content on their cloth and then the class circulate the room using the cloths to collect information
- Organising statements into different boxes that have been drawn onto the table cloth
- Annotating pieces of work that have been stuck onto the table cloth
- Pass the buck style essay writing – pupils move around the table cloth when the buzzer goes and they continue writing the essay of the person who’s seat they have taken
- Matching up or linking ideas by writing the key terms and definitions and drawing lines between them
