5 Minutes To Go In The Classroom Idea 6 to 10
These teaching tips are all to be used when you have extra time after a lesson and looking fill in time.
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Provide an Outline After Each Lesson
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"Give your students an outline of everything that you expected them
to get from your lesson during the last five minutes of the lesson. Go over
the outline with the students and ask them if there are any questions that
they may have. Leave a line for them to write in a question that they may
have or ask the teacher assistant to help where needed. Collect the questions
and tell the students that you will address the questions the next day or
when you return to that lesson."
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Always Have a Good Book Handy
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"Have a book to read from when you find that you have "5 minutes
left to go." Choose a book that you know will be interesting to your
students and is related to what they are learning. Tell them that you will
be reading five minutes from this book when you have any time left...be
it at dismissal, before lunch, transition time before specials start, or
any free time that is available. It tends to calm students down before they
are on the move. It is also a good way to develop listening skills and appreciation
for story time."
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Optical Illusions Save The Day!
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"Every year I buy deck of cards called "Optical Illusions" from my neighborhood
teacher supply store. I find this very handy to teach children about perspective.
No matter what subject you teach, we are all trying to help kids look at
things differently. Let's say I'm teaching a Social Studies lesson about
a battle or conflict of some kind. At the end of the lesson I'll pass around
my optical Illusion cards. I'll then ask the students what they saw. Because
they are optical illusions, it is rare that everyone will see the same thing.
Again great for teaching perspective. It saved me during an observation
once, but I guess that's another war story."
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Who Wants To Be A Dollarnaire!
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"This idea cost me about 35 dollars a year, but I have actually worked
it into my supply budget for next year. We all know Regis and his famous
nightly game show. I decided to use the same game for 5-10 minutes at the
end of third day of class. I randomly choose one child who answers a series
of 10 questions. Of course, all of the questions are content based from
class material and they increase in difficulty. I also allow them to phone
a teacher (my Principal allowed it due to the success of the game), give
them a 50:50 option, and allow them to poll the classroom. This is also
great if you finish early on any day. The dollar values are increments of
10 cents with safeties of 25 cents, 50 cents, and 75 cents. The dollar is
the ultimate prize. I have to admit you wouldn't think that a dollar could
entice anyone, but then again I work with twelve year olds."
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"Silent Ball"
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"When faced with 5 minutes before or after an activity/event, try this! Using a coush ball, or something similar, the students arranged in a circle or by their desk, toss the ball to another student. The student must catch the ball, then throw it to someone else within 3 seconds. Students must alternate players to ensure everyone gets a turn. If a student drops the ball, something is said, or they take more than 3 seconds to toss, they are disqualified. The last 3 people remaining at the end of the designated time, collect a prize. Students self monitor the game. Variations can be incorporated, such as 1 hand catch, under throw, behind the back throw."
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