27 Ways to Add Teachable Moments to Your Lessons

Finding real-world opportunities for extra learning, or a “teachable moment,” can really help lessons stick for students. Whether the lesson is about being a good person, understanding an important math concept, or focusing in on science, creating unique teaching moments for students will always help maximize your lesson. We looked for teachers on Instagram who were sharing their #TeachableMoments with others, and then gathered our favorites here. We hope they inspire you.

1. Add other languages to your school.

Adding numbers in several languages can help your students be more aware of the world outside of their everyday life and passively gain some linguistic proficiency.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTUil_EBWSp/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

2. Create a teachable moment from a fire drill.

When this teacher had to interrupt her day with a fire drill, she used the opportunity to teach about shadows!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYd_0bhhYPZ/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

3. Talk about what’s happening in the news.

They used the recent hurricanes as an opportunity to learn and present to their classmates.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZE3Y1wgTjm/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

4. Update your school signage.

Look at the signage at your school. Does it need to be updated? Changing simple messaging can really make a difference and a great teachable moment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYd24CqgAga/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

5. Break gender stereotypes.

Interrupting students when they reinforce gender stereotypes can impact them for a lifetime. Send a clear message that students are capable of doing anything that interests them, regardless of stereotypes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWdRoOlAr7P/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

6. Fill your classroom with diverse books.

Providing kids with a range of reading materials that broadens their world view can help them grow as people.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUuy9zKDZ6z/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

7. Explore with every day devices.

Microwaves are everywhere and an easy way to add a teaching moment. They can help students learn about time.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUXcL2djwlL/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

8. Learn from the pros.

Students need to see and learn how things work in the real world. If you can take a field trip, do it. If not, create a teachable moment and bring in an expert to talk to your class about what they do.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZJgQ-7FP0Y/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

9. Talk about history.

You can use history and art to create memorable lessons with your students.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY63Bftlqy3/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

10. Have fun in science class.

These are water beads, and they’re so much fun to watch grow. They make a great STEM teaching lesson.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYxkts4gefl/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

11. Add in some board games.

Sometimes a simple board game can make a perfect classroom lesson.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYoMbFAgm86/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

12. Learn outside.

If it’s a nice day, take in some sunshine and learn. Leaving the classroom presents many unique opportunities to add a teachable moment to your students’ day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZNGYk_D84c/?tagged=outdoorclassroom

 

13. Use anchor charts to reinforce lessons.

If you’re teaching a concept like on owls, be sure to use multiple sources, and then get your students involved in key takeaways with an anchor chart.

https://www.instagram.com/p/79CxkFEiM7/?tagged=classroomlessons

 

14. Leave answers up for interpretation.

Some of the best lessons come when students think of the answers themselves. This speech-language pathologist has a great example of encouraging her students to be creative.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BU1wL6zAF7G/?tagged=classroomlessons

 

15. Turn measuring into a fun moving activity.

Take a lesson from this teacher and turn an ordinary lesson on measuring into a fun activity where students are moving around.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYsEjz9Fv6D/?tagged=teacherlessons

 

16. Use treats as teaching incentives.

Reserve this trick for really special occasions, but it’s a great way to reinforce concepts, especially for little minds.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZJamfUgWN9/?tagged=classroomlessons

 

17. Turn a negative into a positive.

It’s all about perspective, and we love what students created from this wall of graffiti. They learned art, and had a teaching moment about positivity.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZDKLSpgK8e/?tagged=teachingmoment

 

18. Use the resources around you.

You can use something as simple as corn on the cob to teach a lesson, like these second grade students.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY_xFj4lYoR/?tagged=teachingmoment

 

 

19. Your classroom floor can teach lessons.

Marking the floor around a door can make angles more relatable.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYn5S7oDgIi/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

20. Solve problems together.

You can double the lesson students learn by having them do hands-on work together.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYdVrRdBHAH/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

21. Develop multiple skills at the same time.

Passively teaching young students motor skills while learning to count is a great way to change things up, and it’s a great way to appeal to a wider range of learning styles.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYwhoKOjFZl/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

22. Be open to changing plans (embrace the chaos).

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but embracing the chaos (or the mushrooms, in this case) can be an opportunity for everyone to grow and explore a topic you hadn’t planned to teach.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BT7BaupjN-G/?tagged=teachablemoment

 

23. Use interactive bulletin boards.

We know teachers offer a lot more than proficiency on tests. Borrow from your college dorm and create interactive bulletin boards that add teachable moments by helping students learn more about themselves.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY7h8eonSAD/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

24. Leverage failure into a lesson.

Sometimes students don’t successfully complete group projects – large or small. Offering them a chance to reflect can help your students build teamwork and problem-solving skills. It will be so helpful on the next project.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYzaefznGjO/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

25. Use decorations to your advantage.

Supplementing your lesson plans with opportunities to interact with the material throughout the day can help students retain information.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUSWyXUF1Bw/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

26. Use pop culture in the classroom.

There’s no denying that most students are tapped into pop culture. Embrace pop culture in the classroom. It can help students relate to the material more easily.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY6zanSBQZb/?tagged=teachablemoments

 

27. Add labels to common objects.

Whether you’re teaching a foreign language or practicing vocabulary in your students’ primary language, seeing words paired with the objects they describe can make all the difference and turn a simple act into a teachable moment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY67acLjBwZ/?tagged=teachablemoments