I want to share two of my favorite back-to-school activities, which are a huge hit in my classroom: using a trivia fact and using word pair mnemonics. Whether you have new students in your classes or returning students from the fall, K–12 students or graduate students, try these activities to build community and engage students in retrieval practice.

How often do you start the semester or school year by asking students what they did over the break? Instead, ask a different question: What's one thing you learned during the break?

On the first day of class, start with retrieval practice. When students walk in the door, have a sheet of paper waiting for them on each desk – and ask these two important questions. On the last day of class, they'll thank you for jumpstarting the school year with powerful learning.