Two Truths and a Lie - Lesson Activity

Ruth Tarrant

25th September 2020

Here's a simple, but fun knowledge retrieval activity that can be used effectively in both the classroom and with your students on a live online lesson!

Each student needs to write down 2 truths and 1 lie about a topic that you are asking them to recall. Other students then either read or listen to those 3 statements, and decide which is the lie.

Options for the traditional classroom:

  • students read out their 3 statements in the classroom, and all other students vote for the lie by holding up an A/B/C card (or by holding hands up), before moving onto the next student's statements
  • each student reads out their statements, and everyone else keeps a note of each student's lie - all are then reviewed at the very end of the lesson

Options for the hybrid / online classroom:

  • students type up their 3 statements onto a collaborative document such as a Google Sheet, and other students can read and comment
  • students type their statements into a chat window and others respond in the chat window
  • you can use online polls to vote for the lies - there are lots of these in the various Learning Management Systems (e.g. Teams, VLEs) or you can use a separate one, such as Poll Everywhere

If you have a really large class, you may not be able to get around all students in a particular lesson, so perhaps think about a rota. Or, if you have students who find it difficult to participate themselves in these sorts of activities, you as the teacher could choose 2 truths and a lie about a given topic.

Ruth Tarrant

Ruth has been Subject Lead in Economics at tutor2u for many years after a career of teaching Economics, Business, Politics and Maths in a range of secondary schools. She is a highly experienced A level Economics Examiner, and also teaches undergraduate Economics on a very part-time basis at the University of Oxford. Ruth is passionate about making economics fun, engaging and accessible.

© 2002-2024 Tutor2u Limited. Company Reg no: 04489574. VAT reg no 816865400.