Read a narrative. Set the tone for a discussion or lecture by reading a short passage that describes or contains elements of the planned topic. Examples might include a journal, newspaper article or monologue from a familiar television show. The goal is to entice the learners to want to know more about the subject.
Use an expository activity. Develop a prescribed set of instructions for students to follow to achieve a desired result. In a math course, this might be a business calculation or formula; in a science course, it could be a pre-laboratory experiment which develops the manipulative or kinesthetic skills of the students.
Utilize skimming techniques. Provide the students with a list of questions to answer and provide a designated time period where they must answer all of them using the textbook or Internet as resources. This is a bit of a scavenger hunt and could simply involve defining the formulas for a list of terms.
Develop a mental dazzle using graphic organizers. Assemble a collage of visual representations of subject-related material or show a short video of images that represent the topic of interest and convey a consistent theme. Consider a day in the life of an accountant, auditor, astronaut or banker.