This post was originally written by Megan Diede and Kara Rigsby. Megan and Kara both currently teach primary at Prairie Wind Elementary in Gillette, Wyoming. They are also the founders of IntegratED LLC a framework that challenges teachers to find a new norm and their teaching. In the original post Megan and Kara shared 10 lesson hooks. We have since updated the list to 25.
“Tick, Toc, Tick, Toc…”
How many of you pictured the crocodile from Peter Pan? If you have seen Peter Pan this simple phrase brings you back to the scene where Captain Hook realizes he is not alone in the water. As the viewer you are immediately engaged. You have background knowledge of what could happen to Captain Hook, you are wondering why the crocodile sounds like a ticking clock, and you continue watching because you need more! This is not the time to pause the movie to get a snack. The movie has your complete attention and that was their goal. You have been hooked!
What is a hook?
A hook is when a teacher uses an engaging way to grab their students' attention before the lesson. Hooks can be used to connect background knowledge to the lesson, bring excitement into the students' learning, and/or provide objectives to the content. Hooks can be short around 2-5 minutes with a short video, photograph, sound clip or they can take some time by doing a virtual field trip or a movement. Think about your classroom of students. What do they respond to best? What are their interests?
Why Hook Them?
Imagine you’re standing at the front of the classroom. One student is playing with his shoe laces. Another student is watching what is happening out the window and about 8 others are daydreaming about what's for lunch and what they’re going to play at recess. Diving into rigorous content when the majority of your class is not cognitively present for is a perfect storm for a flopped lesson, confused students, and a teacher walking away frustrated.
Hooks give teachers that edge they need to bring students attention back to the classroom, spark their interest, and give them the boost of energy they need to delve into the upcoming content. Did you know that the synonyms for the word “Hooked'' are enamored, captivated, absorbed? Are those not the words we want as teachers to describe our students in the act of learning!? If that alone doesn’t convince you to incorporate hooks into your lessons, maybe these reasons will!
Lesson hooks:
- Increase student engagement and motivation
- Are an attention grabber
- Lead into asking questions (lingering questions)
- Spark curiosity
- Create an event that students can connect to
- Make content feel more relatable and relevant
- Build classroom community and classroom culture
- Are a vehicle for deeper discussions
- Are really FUN
Now that we have given you some background on what a lesson hook is and why it's so beneficial, it's time to get to what you all have been waiting for...ideas on how to implement this into your teaching! Below, we have listed 25 hook ideas that can be modified to any grade level or content area.
10 engaging lesson hooks
Below are the original 10 lesson hooks shared by Megan and Kara. Scroll down to see the additional 15 that were just added to this updated post.
#1. The movie trailer hook
Using iMovie or Clips create a short video that includes ideas of the content being taught (see the example clip below). Remember not to give them too much information. Keep them wondering.
#2. The video hook
Video clips on the subject (volcano exploding, fast erosion on a street, venus flytrap getting food, stop motion of a plant dying etc..). YouTube is a great resource for short clips!
Learn more: 20 video project ideas to engage students
#3. The photo hook
"A picture is worth 1000 words." And it's true! Images spark lots of discussion and predictions. Use them to engage your students and preview a lesson.
#4. The mystery box hook
Put different items in the box to give clues to what you will be learning about. Students make predictions and discuss what they believe these objects have to do with the upcoming learning. Check out Matt Miller's blog on “Unboxing” for some great ideas! Our mystery/unboxing video was created in Flipgrid!
#5. Listen up! The music hook
Create or find short music or sound clips that lead to the topic of the lesson.This could be a song, verse, or sounds. If you are teaching a lesson about an ecosystem put together or find sounds of animals you might hear in that ecosystem. For an older grade, if you are studying different important historical moments take small recordings like the MLK speech to play.
Learn more: 13 ways to connect music and lyrics to class
#6. The creative hook
Bring in the visual arts by having students create something with play-doh with clues from the lesson, use watercolors or paint to introduce a concept.
Learn more: 60 tips to spark creative lesson ideas
#7. The short book hook
Find a reading that engages students and gives them a clue as to what they will be learning about.
#8. The gallery walk hook
Many times gallery walks are used at the end of a lesson/unit to showcase students’ work. However, this activity does not always need to come at the end! Have your lesson/unit start with a gallery walk. Students will observe, gather information, and ask questions. It is a great way to spark their curiosity and guide their inquiry.
#9. Get up and move! The kinesthetic hook
Kinesthetic movements are a great way to engage students at the beginning of a lesson. There is also research showing that integrating movement with concepts/skills taught, students are more likely to remember those concepts/skills. And… It's FUN!
#10. The adventure hook
Plan a field trip or excursion that will get students excited for what is to come. The beauty of technology is that it allows us to take our students on adventures without leaving our classroom! Virtual field trips, virtual reality apps, and augmented reality apps are great resources for this type of hook. Google
Expeditions, Google Maps, Google Earth, National Geographic are all
apps and websites we have used for this type of hook.
Learn more: 25 virtual field trips for the classroom
15 more engaging lesson hooks!
#11. The chatbot hook
Use SchoolAI (or other AI) to simulate a live chat with a historical figure, character, or expert. Students can “interview” the AI and discuss how the responses connect to the lesson.
#12. The riddle hook
Have AI create riddles, poems, or puzzles related to the lesson topic. Students solve them to unlock the day’s content.
AI prompt: “Write a (fun/funny/engaging) riddle for my ___ graders about [topic]. The riddle should guide them to the answer ____.”#13. The AI image generation hook
Use an AI art tool (like DALL·E or Canva’s AI image generator) to create surreal or futuristic images connected to the lesson. Students interpret and make predictions.
Learn more: 10 Free AI image generators for classroom uses
#14. The emoji prediction hook
Display a sequence of emojis that hints at the day’s lesson. Let students decode the emoji “story” before revealing the topic.
Tool: Use word2emoji.com to find emojis to represent your topic.
#15. The viral video hook
Use an AI tool like Google Vids or create your own short, snappy video version of the lesson hook. 8 seconds or less is ideal!
Learn more: Google Vids: AI-powered video creation
#16. The social media simulation hook
Fake a social media post, tweet, or “breaking news” story that introduces the lesson’s subject. This is great for real-world connections.
Learn more: 12 social media-inspired hooks for class
#17. The scavenger hunt hook
Place QR codes around the classroom or campus that link to videos, images, or clues. Students scan and piece together information to unlock the topic.
Tool: Use qr-code-generator.com to create, download and print QR codes.
#18. The podcast hook
Play a short (2-3 minute) audio clip from a podcast that sparks curiosity about the lesson. Follow up with a discussion about what they heard.
#19. The meme hook
Start the lesson with a humorous or thought-provoking meme that relates to the content. This modern hook is a quick way to spark discussion.
#20. The "What if?" hook
Pose a wild “what if” scenario (e.g., “What if water boiled at room temperature?”) to trigger curiosity and lead into the lesson.
AI prompt: Create an engaging “what if” scenario for my ___ graders about [topic].#21. The secret message hook
Create a coded message (using ciphers or digital tools) that students must decode to uncover the lesson’s topic.
#22. The interactive poll hook
Start the lesson with a live poll where students answer questions or give opinions. Use their responses to frame the upcoming content.
#23. The GIF reaction hook
Show a looping gif related to the lesson and ask students to share their reactions or questions about what’s happening.
#24. The choose your own adventure hook
Present students with an explore board full of multimedia that introduces them to the topic.
Learn more: Personalize learning with Explore Boards
#25. The slow reveal pixelated image hook
Start with a heavily pixelated image. Gradually sharpen it while students guess what it might be. The clearer it gets, the more they predict the lesson topic.
Tool: Pixelify - Canva Apps
If you are a beginning “hook” user it can be challenging to decide or know what to do. Remember to keep your students in mind and to start off simple.
Now that you have some background knowledge and ideas, go give it a try! See for yourself how these lesson hooks engage students, keep them motivated, and bring back the joy of learning in your classroom.
“Student engagement isn’t ‘silliness’ that defeats true academic work. It can be a catalyst to the learning of our dreams.”
~Matt Miller, Tech Like a Pirate
For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links:
Are you looking for quality, meaningful professional learning that both equips and inspires teachers?
Matt provides in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops and breakout sessions that equip, inspire and encourage teachers to create change in their classrooms. Teachers leave with loads of resources. They participate. They laugh. They see tech use and teaching in a new light. Click the link below to contact us and learn how you can bring Matt to your school or district!
Is Matt presenting near you soon? Check out his upcoming live events!
These are great ways to get the students engaged!
I like these ideas. I teach an inquiry based program and these are all great hooks to spark curiosity in students.
Great Ideas
Love these resources!
It was a great way to introduce the unit have the students to reply what they think the unit is about
Great Ideas to change things up some each day.
I feel like I have been doing “inquire” wrong for a long time!!! We always attach a boring TEKS related essential question! Lol!
Great Ideas
Great info and good links to look at.
Plenty of new ideas I hadn’t really thought of. Thanks for the list.
These are great ideas and awesome ideas ideas to help motivate and help the student be engaged in their learning
I love these! Thanks!
This is a great article! It shows several ways to use Hooks and how it can change classroom dynamics. The most essential part of a teacher’s role is keeping the class engaged and focused. Sparking my students’ interest is the highlight of my day. I see their smiles and raised hands. The end goal is to find a trigger that motivates students to participate more actively and stay focused during the learning process.