Time Fillers:
Need a quick, fun activity to break up a large Mathematics lesson? Do you have 5 minutes before the bell goes? Have these ideas handy to fill in time or as a quick reward.
- Pictionary with spelling list- a representative draws for their table, after X minutes, the remaining students can guess [spelling]
- Timetable challenge (boys vs girls etc) [maths]
- Alphabet scavenger hunt-give a letter, how many things in the room start with that letter [spelling]
- “I went to the shops and I saw…” In a circle, students have to repeat the list of things that people saw at the shops and add one thing extra [memory]
- Spy in the camp- one person is ‘it’ and turns to the wall. Teacher chooses one student to be the leader and they control the actions. The spy has to try and guess who the leader is, in 3 guesses
- Murder wink
- Heads down, thumbs up
- Silent ball [hand eye coordination]
- Buzz off hairy legs [spelling]
- 7 consonants, 2 vowels- Ask students for 7 consonants and 2 vowels and in X minutes, they have to make as many words as possible [vocabulary]
- Known dances/popular songs on YouTube (e.g. Mr Clickety Cane- Peter Combe)
- Timetable challenge (boys vs girls etc) [maths]
- Alphabet scavenger hunt-give a letter, how many things in the room start with that letter [spelling]
- “I went to the shops and I saw…” In a circle, students have to repeat the list of things that people saw at the shops and add one thing extra [memory]
- Spy in the camp- one person is ‘it’ and turns to the wall. Teacher chooses one student to be the leader and they control the actions. The spy has to try and guess who the leader is, in 3 guesses
- Murder wink
- Heads down, thumbs up
- Silent ball [hand eye coordination]
- Buzz off hairy legs [spelling]
- 7 consonants, 2 vowels- Ask students for 7 consonants and 2 vowels and in X minutes, they have to make as many words as possible [vocabulary]
- Known dances/popular songs on YouTube (e.g. Mr Clickety Cane- Peter Combe)
Other Helpful Links:
Get lost on Pinterest with the search term: 5 minute activities.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=5+minute+activities&term_meta%5B%5D=5%7Cautocomplete%7C0&term_meta%5B%5D=minute%7Cautocomplete%7C0&term_meta%5B%5D=activities%7Cautocomplete%7C0
Cox, J, 2015, Teacher Time Savers, abouteducation, viewed 7 October,
http://k6educators.about.com/od/lessonplanheadquarters/a/Teacher-Time-Savers.htm
Simple activities that are easy to do.
What to Do With That Awkward 5 or 10 Minutes of Class You Have Left, 2015, We are Teachers, viewed 7 October,
http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/09/25/what-to-do-with-that-awkward-5-or-10-minutes-of-class-you-have-left
Some creative and different activities that can easily relate to what students have learnt that day.
5-Minute Mini Lessons and Time Fillers, 2015, education world, viewed 7 October,
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/fillers.shtml
A whole archive of short lessons, however many need preparation.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=5+minute+activities&term_meta%5B%5D=5%7Cautocomplete%7C0&term_meta%5B%5D=minute%7Cautocomplete%7C0&term_meta%5B%5D=activities%7Cautocomplete%7C0
Cox, J, 2015, Teacher Time Savers, abouteducation, viewed 7 October,
http://k6educators.about.com/od/lessonplanheadquarters/a/Teacher-Time-Savers.htm
Simple activities that are easy to do.
What to Do With That Awkward 5 or 10 Minutes of Class You Have Left, 2015, We are Teachers, viewed 7 October,
http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2014/09/25/what-to-do-with-that-awkward-5-or-10-minutes-of-class-you-have-left
Some creative and different activities that can easily relate to what students have learnt that day.
5-Minute Mini Lessons and Time Fillers, 2015, education world, viewed 7 October,
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/archives/fillers.shtml
A whole archive of short lessons, however many need preparation.