My experience with Exit Slips started long before I knew what they were. I remember cutting scratch paper into thirds, passing them out to my students, and then putting some type of math problem or science question on the board to see what students learned from a lesson. I usually did this right before recess, lunch, or the end of the day, as students were about to leave the classroom, hence the term “exit slip”. Sound familiar?? Over the years, I realized that there were so many different ways to use exit slips to engage learners, and so many amazing benefits.

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Why Use Exit Slips

• Check for understanding: This really goes without saying! The main reason we use exit slips is to see what students learned. It gives us a chance to see if what we taught got through to students.
• Drive instruction: This is probably the second main reason teachers have for using exit slips. You should definitely be using the results of the exit slips to drive future instruction. They help you to see what areas need more clarification, which students would benefit from small group instruction, and when you’re ready to move on or take a skill to the next level.
• Student feedback: Exit slips are also a great way to get students to share how they felt about a lesson or a new concept or skill. You could pose a question on your slip, but also ask students to rank their understanding. This can be as simple as asking students to rank their understanding on a scale of 1 to 5.
• Active learning: When students are asked to share what they learned, without feeling like they’re being quizzed or tested, they are taking an active role in their own learning. This is especially true when we ask students to also share feedback. If they are reporting that something was challenging for them, they might be more likely to take the steps needed to meet and overcome that challenge.

Tips for Using Exit Slips

• Keep them short and to the point. Try to focus on one question, concept, or skill. This will make them easier for students to complete and for you to grade.
• Use a variety of exit slips styles. Students tend to be much more engaged when you switch things up from time to time. They’re more likely to put forth their best effort if the activity isn’t always the same.
• Offer choice. If you’re using a variety of exit slips, you may want to offer students a choice from time to time. Depending on the lesson, you could give students two to three to choose from. We all know that students are much more engaged when they are given a choice in how to participate.
• Use for EVERY subject. I used to use exit slips primarily for math. A whole new world opened up for me when I found ways to use them for other subjects. After reading a chapter in a novel, I would ask students to write a one-sentence summary. In science, I would ask students to write about what they might tell a friend or family member about what they learned that day. The possibilities are endless!
• Try digital exit slips. Exit slips don’t just need to be paper and pencil activities. You can use slides to share exit slips with students. Plus, this saves you from having to keep track of a bunch of papers.

Free Sample

I am sharing a FREE SAMPLE of my Digital and Printable Exit Slips so that you can try them out in your classroom. This free sample includes 3 of these activities in both formats. Click on the image below to download this free resource!

The full resource for my Digital and Printable Exit Slips offers a variety of engaging activities to keep your students engaged and excited about sharing what they have learned. Click HERE or click the image below to take a closer look. Here are some of my other favorites that you can find in this resource.

I hope that you’re looking forward to giving exit slips a try in your classroom! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.