What should a teacher do to capture student attention at the start of a lesson?

Using a surprising fact or question to engage interest is an effective strategy for capturing student attention at the start of a lesson because it provokes curiosity and stimulates critical thinking. This approach creates an immediate connection between the lesson content and the students' existing thoughts or experiences, making them more likely to invest mentally in the material being taught. By sparking interest, it encourages students to actively participate and think about the topic, which lays a dynamic foundation for further learning.

Starting with a quiz may assess prior knowledge, but it might not effectively grab students' attention in a stimulating way. Allowing students to talk to their peers could lead to social engagement but might not align with the lesson objectives right away. Jumping directly into content delivery risks losing students' focus if they have not been sufficiently engaged or primed to absorb the information. Thus, initiating the lesson with an intriguing fact or question enhances engagement and sets a positive tone for the learning experience.