A Block Scheduling Reference Guide

For those seeking to maximize success within a block schedule, grades 6–12

18 min readApr 25, 2024

Welcome to ‘A Block Scheduling Reference Guide,’ a blog post that I’ve produced for teachers transitioning to or already implementing some form of block scheduling in their classrooms, as well as administrators wanting to help their teachers maximize success within the confines of a block schedule.

The guide is divided into three sections:

Section 1 provides an overview of my block scheduling background and a link to my six-hour seminar slideshow titled “Maximizing Success In Your Block Schedule Classes.” This slideshow is premised on the notion that teachers need to develop a large repertoire of teaching strategies to maximize success within a block.
Section 2 offers a sampling of some of my seminar slides.
Section 3 mentions some other ways teachers are maximizing success within their block-scheduled classroom, but that were not mentioned during my seminar. I plan to periodically update this section to incorporate new insights and best practices shared by educators. That said, if you wish to have your successful practices featured, please feel free to email me at ppaccone@smusd. Bottom line, I want you to think of me as your “Personal No-Cost Research Assistant.” If I can’t answer your question(s), I’ll find someone who can.

The overarching goal here is to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and elevate the quality of education in block-scheduled classrooms everywhere.

Section 1: My Block-Schedule Seminar Slideshow

Click here to view this slideshow in its entirety.

As for a description of me professionally, I have 30 years of teaching experience, mostly in high school social studies department courses, including both AP and non-AP classes. Regarding my background relating to “block,” see below:

I currently teach within the confines of a block schedule (105-minute A/B Block Schedule, with Friday classes lasting 54 minutes).
I have also taught various block-scheduled summer school courses for years at San Marino High School and at UCLA (6th-12th graders).
I’ve also had many years of experience teaching within the confines of a block schedule via my private tutoring business (grades 3–12), with sessions lasting from 1 to 4 hours.

In addition to my teaching experience, I’ve read dozens of books on the subject and attended numerous teacher conferences to learn from others’ experiences with block scheduling. I’ve even periodically presented on the topic, sharing my own insights and strategies for success within a block.

In 2021, I also spent six months working to produce ‘The Call for Block,’ a blog post aimed at the SMUSD/SMHS site and district leaders contemplating the adoption of some form of block scheduling. This endeavor involved reaching out to many of the principals heading the top 100 high schools in the country and the top twenty in California to ascertain their schools’ block scheduling status and to gather insights. Through this research, I discovered, among other things, that by the end of 2021, more than 80% of the best high schools in America had adopted some form of block scheduling.

Section 2: A Sampling of My Seminar Slides

Section 3: A Spotlight on the Work of Others

In the space below, I seek to (1) spotlight how other teachers are maximizing success within their block-scheduled classroom and (2) address any questions you might have.

The Flipped Learning Strategy in a Math Class

Flipped learning is an instructional strategy in which traditional classroom activities, like lectures, are moved outside of class time through pre-recorded videos or other resources. In this approach, students engage with the material independently at home, often by watching videos created by their teachers. These videos typically cover the lesson content, allowing students to learn at their own pace, while class time is then used for hands-on activities, discussions, and individualized support.

To view more than thirty Honors Algebra 2 videos produced in the name of Flipped Learning by San Marino High School math teacher Joseph Penafuete, click here.

The Project-Based Learning Strategy in a Physics Class

For years, San Marino High School physics teacher Scott Barton has challenged his students to design and construct a bridge using balsa wood in a dynamic application of physics and engineering principles.

This project-based learning opportunity begins with Mr. Barton calling on his students to assume that they have been “hired” by a civil engineering firm to build a bridge following somewhat vague specifications provided by their teacher (the engineering firm’s director). This setup is designed to echo real-world scenarios in which engineers must navigate through ambiguous instructions and rely on their judgment and expertise.

This “Bridge-Building PBL” is structured as a competition, with the students assessed on several key aspects, including their bridges’ structural integrity, cost-effectiveness, and aesthetic appeal. This competitive angle not only fuels creativity and critical thinking but also mirrors the pressures and challenges of actual engineering tasks.

Apart from his role in the physics class, Mr. Barton also sponsors the school’s robotics club, further showcasing his dedication to promoting STEM education through PBL.

How PBL Taps into the Science of Learning and Development

Scott Barton isn’t the only Physics teacher who seeks to incorporate PBL into his class. So too, does AP Physics teacher Johnny Devine with his Mars Rover PBL

The Peer Review Strategy in an AP Lang/Lit Class

Peer review is a collaborative learning strategy that allows students to assess each other’s work and provide feedback. This approach not only fosters critical thinking and writing skills but also deepens understanding of the subject matter. Students engage more thoroughly with the content by evaluating their peers' work's quality, relevance, and accuracy.

Despite some perceptions of peer review as outdated or as something that doesn’t work well, two experienced and well-respected San Marino High School ELA teachers, Lisa Davidson and Jacqueline Schaedel, find the peer review strategy particularly beneficial within a block schedule, noting how it actively engages students and significantly enhances learning outcomes.

Sean Cassel, a high school administrator with a robust educational background, also finds value in the peer review strategy, highlighting the benefits of the strategy in a 2018 Edutopia post titled “Peer Review Done Right.”

That said, the post starts with Cassel claiming that when he first began experimenting with the peer review strategy, “the traditional peer review strategies were not yielding the desired results,” as feedback like “good job” or minor grammar corrections didn’t significantly enhance students’ writing. Back then, Cassel says, many students felt inadequate or uncomfortable critiquing their peers’ work, either due to fear of hurting feelings or feeling overwhelmed by the task.

To address these issues, Cassel revamped the peer review process by incorporating several key changes:

Scaffolding: He introduced more student-produced samples for class analysis to establish a standard of constructive feedback and provide a common language for discussing writing strengths and areas needing improvement.
Narrow Focus: He limited students’ critique focus to one specific area of a peer’s work to reduce feelings of overwhelm and boost confidence in their ability to provide useful feedback.
Constructive Criticism Culture: By conducting class peer reviews and fostering an environment where criticism is valued as a tool for improvement, he helped students become more comfortable with providing and receiving feedback.
Extended Timing: Recognizing that writing is an ongoing process, Cassel added additional peer review sessions after assignments were graded, emphasizing that the writing process doesn’t end with the submission of an assignment.

The Game Playing Strategy in a Physics Class

Given that the role-playing strategy has been described in my seminar slideshow, I’m not going to detail it here. Instead, I’ll describe a specific type of role-play activity that failed to make the cut: the scavenger hunt. This strategy transforms the traditional classroom dynamic by allowing students to engage in an interactive, game-based learning experience. In a scavenger hunt, participants are given a list of tasks or items to find, often incorporating clues that require problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and application of learned material.

The scavenger hunt can be themed around the curriculum, with each clue or task designed to reinforce specific knowledge areas or skills. This type of role-play not only makes learning more engaging but also encourages teamwork, communication, and creative thinking.

For instance, in a physics class at SMHS, the teacher, Scott Barton (who is known for the annual balsa wood bridge-building project described earlier in this post), also invites his students to engage in an annual year-end scavenger hunt.

Click here to access the document in its entirety

Below are a number of YouTube videos produced by various middle school and high school classroom teachers showing how they apply the Scavenger Hunt Gaming Strategy

The Scavenger Hunt Strategy in an ELA Class

The Scavenger Hunt in a Math Class

Improving Persuasive Writing With Evidence Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger Hunt Activity for Middle & High School Spanish Class

The Peer Review Strategy in a Spanish Class

In a Spanish class at San Marino High School, the teacher, Liliana Monroy, assigns her students to write a poem in Spanish about a future love. After the students complete their poems, she invites them to read their work aloud to the class. Following each presentation, she facilitates a discussion where students can offer constructive feedback on each other’s use of language, poetic form, and emotional expression. This interactive session not only improves their Spanish proficiency but also enhances their analytical and communication skills.

The Jeopardy (Game Playing Strategy) in a History Class

As AP Exam Season approaches, Spring Hempsey, a San Marino High School social studies teacher, utilizes the Game Playing Strategy in her AP U.S. History class to help her students review for the exam.

The Jeopardy-style game she has her students play is particularly effective under the school’s block schedule, Hempsey says. “In the past, when I taught at a school with a traditional bell schedule, it was frustrating. Just as the kids started to engage and were motivated to play longer, I’d have to cut it off. Not here at San Marino. Because of our block schedule, I can extend the fun and learning as needed,” she explains. This flexibility allows her students to dive deeper into the material, enhancing their understanding and engagement.

According to various ChatGPT for Teachers Facebook Group Members, you can also create Jeopardy-style games with the help of AI by clicking on any one of the following:

Here are a few examples created by APUSH teacher Brittany Rolston with the help of Jeopardy Labs.

If you plan to ask ChatGPT to help you create your Jeopardy Game Playing questions and answers, consider this Classroom Jeopardy Prompt

You are an expert teacher skilled in creating exciting classroom experiences for your students that successfully impact their learning. Your task is to design a Jeopardy-style trivia game for my [GRADE LEVEL AND SUBJECT] class. Include [NUMBER] category topics, as they relate to [CLASS SUBJECT]: [INSERT SPECIFIC CATEGORIES]. For each category, your task is to write [NUMBER] questions that relate to that topic through the lens of [CLASS SUBJECT]. Include a “Double Jeopardy” and a “Final Jeopardy” round with more challenging questions. Make sure all questions are appropriate for [GRADE LEVEL] students.

Additional Prompting Strategies

Have your class play in teams, or one at a time with an audience. If you opt for teams, use the chatbot to think of team names, mascots, or themes related to the topic. Search the internet for the Jeopardy theme music so you can listen to that in the background while you play!
Use the chatbot throughout the game to keep track of the score, or ask it to help you design a leaderboard.
Have students contribute questions for the trivia game, or do a student-written “bonus round.” Note: This would be particularly helpful if using a category like “Current Events,” as certain chatbots like ChatGPT 3.5 have not been trained past 2021.
Ask the chatbot for ways to expand this activity. For example, you could include video clips, audience participation, or do a classroom debate on one of the questions.

Next up, a very good 11:29 video showing how to create an interactive Jeopardy Game before the launch of ChatGPT.

And now, here is a word from Maureen Young, one of the ChatGPT for Teachers FB Group Members. She says, “On School AI, you can make customizable Jeopardy games like the one I made appearing below and that allows students to play by themselves or in a group on a computer together.”

Lastly, here are three suggestions from Jeff Blackman (Your Learning Center):

Props — If possible, adding things like buzzers can help make your Jeopardy gameshow more authentic (and more fun!). If you are on a limited budget, you can also use bells (like they have at a front desk) for people to “ring” in.
Music — I like to add music to the Jeopardy Game Playing Strategy. You can grab it here: Jeopardy-theme-song.mp3.
Prizes — It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but if you can get some sort of prize, it definitely adds to the fun. A bag of candy at Walmart usually does the trick.

The Inquiry-Based Strategy in a Chemistry Class

The Inquiry-Based Learning strategy emphasizes the student’s role in their own learning process. It revolves around students actively investigating questions, scenarios, or problems through research, experimentation, and reflection. The approach is student-centered, with learners taking the lead in exploring subjects and constructing their knowledge under the guidance of a facilitator, typically the teacher.

Implementation in Different Schedules: While inquiry-based learning can be implemented in traditional bell schedules, it is particularly well-suited to block schedules. The extended time found in a block schedule is beneficial for the data collection, analysis, and synthesis phases of inquiry-based learning, allowing students to delve deeper into their subjects without the constraints of shorter class periods.

Example in a Chemistry Class: In a high school chemistry class, an example of inquiry-based learning could involve investigating the kinetics of a reaction, such as the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by potassium iodide. The teacher might start by showing a demonstration or a video of the reaction, then students would:

Formulate questions about the reaction rate.
Design experiments to test how different variables (like temperature, concentration of reactants, or use of different catalysts) affect the rate.
Conduct these experiments, collect data, and analyze the results.

Another good example can be found in the video below.

The video showcases a high school chemistry class using the 5E model to engage students in an inquiry-based learning project. The project involves students designing race cars powered by chemical reactions, emphasizing hands-on learning and problem-solving. The teacher’s role is to facilitate and encourage exploration and resilience in learning. Students are tasked with understanding the reactants and products and harnessing the chemical reaction to power their cars. This method promotes collaborative learning, aligns with Next Generation Science Standards, and fosters a deep understanding of chemical processes through practical application.

For those wanting to learn more about Inquiry-Based Learning, see below.

The Universal Design Learning Strategy

(work in progress)

The New York Times Connections Gaming Playing Strategy in a History Class

I just learned about this game today from a fellow high school social studies teacher. Within a few minutes, I found myself saying, “Wow, super cool!”

Click here to view a 2:39 video that describes how the game works, and click here to view a game that I created with the help of my students and entitled African American History (1607–2015)

The Directions for Students:

Start by reading the title of the game. This gives you the common theme or topic that the words will relate to.
Take a look at the list of words provided. Read through them carefully to understand each one.
Look for words in the list that you think relate to the theme mentioned in the title. These could be events, people, places, or concepts related to the theme.
Select four words from the list that you believe strongly connect to the theme mentioned in the title. Choose words that represent different aspects or elements of the theme.
Click on the four words you’ve chosen.
Once you’ve chosen your four words, submit your answer by clicking the submit button. Then respond to whatever instructions you’re provided.

Sidenote #1

To those of you who have attended any one of my Maximize Success In Your Block Schedule Classes seminars and then expressed thanks and appreciation in your end-of-seminar evaluation, I thank you. It was an honor and a privilege to share with you what I have learned over the past thirty years as to what works and what doesn’t work within the confines of a block schedule.

See below for a sampling of some of the more favorable comments I’ve received.

I typically come out of Professional Development frustrated that I chose to attend, feeling as if it was a waste of time, but not this one! I appreciated the concrete strategies offered, the clarity of the instructor, and the organizational breakdown. Thank you, thank you!
Provided many strategies for the conversion to a block schedule with real examples the presenter has used in the classroom.
There was an incredible amount of resources shared and Peter did a great
job of highlighting a few. I would still like more information on helping
teachers to gauge their pacing of block scheduling and using the
resources/strategies shared. This would be a great PLC follow-up. Thank
you!
Outstanding information… thanks for everything…
I left this seminar with actionable items I can use in my classroom!
I really appreciated that this seminar focused on explaining useful strategies rather than theories.
Relevant information. Some sound like we have a lot to do and
incorporating this is hard with time, but we must make school more
relevant and interactive as we are losing students.

Sidenote #2

To the teachers who, in response to my most recent seminar, expressed concern or words of harsh criticism in their end-of-seminar evaluation, why did you trash me there when I had invited you several times throughout the seminar to reach out to me after the seminar with your concerns?

“Feel free to think of me as your personal, no-charge research assistant,” I had repeatedly said. “If, for any reason, I went on to say, “I’m not able to satisfy here and now, I won’t rest until you have what you need.”

Yet you chose to ignore this offer and instead trashed me in a document you knew full well would be reviewed by my superiors and acted upon accordingly. That’s mean-spirited, in my book.

Sidenote #3

To both the teacher and the instructional coach who, in their post-seminar evaluation, claimed that “for the experienced teachers, the strategies presented (during my seminar) were not new,” oh really?

Are you suggesting that what I had to say about the various ways to infuse AI into a host of different strategies wasn’t new? College Board certainly seems to think so; hence why I was invited to serve on their AI in the AP Teacher Advisory Committee this past year.

And what about the things I said relating to PBL, the connections gaming strategy, the six degrees of separation strategy, the continuities and change strategy, the image analysis strategy, and the interest group civic action strategy? You’re sure that wasn’t new.

And what about my “Book Author Assignment?” Do you think that wasn’t new, either?

I’m asking because my entire career, starting in 1995 when my work was featured in the New York Times until this past year, when my work was featured in Time Magazine, what I have put forward has been repeatedly and consistently deemed as innovative, cutting edge, and a model for others to follow. Hence, why the Ford Foundation recognized me in 2015, 100 years after the first Model T rolled off the Henry Ford Assembly Line, as one of the top twenty most innovative teachers in America.

To take the point one step further, just this morning, I received an email from a nationally acclaimed educator who not only wanted to pat me on the back for coming up with this “Book Author Assignment” but also wanted to let me know that he had already shared widely my blog post describing the assignment, with a link to the blog post not only set to hundreds of social studies teachers in his network but also to a whole host of non-social studies teachers that he knows.

Sidenote #4

To the teacher who, in her post-seminar evaluation, gave me an overall score of 10/21. Are you kidding me? A 10/21? Ridiculous.

As I made clear at the outset of the seminar, I not only thoroughly researched the topic of block scheduling but also consulted with some of the most respected experts on the topic. Not one of them gave any indication that a score like this would be justified. On the contrary, they all very much approved of whatever content was presented.

That score is so off base, so far removed from reality, I’m left to wonder. Were you not paying attention while I was presenting?

Or was it my emphasis on the importance of integrating AI into the classroom that caused you to give me the 10/21? Did you, by chance, find yourself getting pissed off when I periodically described how AI can be used by both the teacher and the students to maximize success within the confines of a block schedule? Did that cause you to want to strike back with that totally unjustifiable score of 11/21 and your related way-off-base words of criticism?

Or was it how, from the outset, I put forth my UC Berkeley degree, that I live in California, teach social studies, drive a Prius, and had a Zoom background image of the Golden Gate Bridge? Do you, by chance, view yourself as politically conservative? If so, is your low score evaluation linked to your having concluded that I’m a liberal? Is that what caused you to lash out?

Sidenote #5

To the teacher who, in her end-of-seminar evaluation, said what appears below:

This was NOT a block scheduling seminar. It was a learning strategies
seminar. I wanted to learn how to organize, plan, and see examples of
what a teacher actually does behind the scenes to make block scheduling
work. (The seminar therefore) did not meet the needs I had for preparing
to start block scheduling next year. How about show us one block plan or a
unit plan for different subjects that could be used. How do you calendar
out or set pacing for a block schedule. I need more practical guidance.

You’ve either never attended a seminar or don’t really understand what a seminar is.

A seminar is designed to provide broad, adaptable strategies that can be applied to various situations rather than specific, detailed plans.

In other words, you are correct. I did not provide you with specific block plans or unit plans, but that’s because block scheduling can vary widely between schools and subjects. So, instead of providing a one-size-fits-all solution, I aimed to equip teachers with a variety of strategies that can be tailored to fit their unique classroom needs. By focusing on developing a large repertoire of teaching strategies, teachers can better adapt to the extended periods and varied pacing demands of block schedules.

What you are asking for falls into the domain of an instructional coach — someone who works with you one-on-one to develop detailed plans tailored to your specific situation. This personalized approach is beyond the scope of what a seminar is intended to offer. If you require that level of detailed, individualized support, please reach out to me directly.

That said, if you were to contact me now, I would be happy to assist you one-on-one.

Sidenote #6

To the instructional coach, who, in his end-of-seminar evaluation, had some nice things to say but also what appears below, see Sidenote #5

Our group of five was hoping for more of an emphasis on how to
most effectively utilize and split up a 90-minute block. Strategic use of time,
including transitions, would be fantastic for a staff that sometimes doesn’t
feel comfortable using all 90 minutes well. Time of day? Attention span
average for a student? # of “natural” breaks within the classroom?