Block Scheduling has been used in the United States for almost 20 years. Within that time period, many have expanded the planned block into three phases where students get content through usually one or two methods and then move to the second phase to work in groups testing out hypotheses, completing tasks or conducting inquiry activities. Once the groups, teams or pairs get back into the whole class for the third phase of the lesson, they share their findings, results or models, etc. with the class. Again, this was the intentions for going to the block models. Students are more involved in the learning process and that has been a great step forward. There is some variability in the time structure in each stage on a daily basis, but this is the traditional 90 minute class designs in the 4x4 and A/B designs.
