So the inevitable has come to pass! Your lesson has run 5:00-15:00 short. No worries.

If you teach ELA 7-12, just take a look at the offerings below. Some require specialized materials and would have to be a set part of a classroom structure, but most of the ideas below can be done without prep, and with materials that are readily available in every classroom. 

​...or all the links already exist on my website...​

**Page under construction! Pardon my mess!**

Build-A-Story

Build-a-Story is my go-to, first-choice for a time filler activity. Basically, each student starts with a blank sheet of paper, and adds only one sentence to a story. Then, upon your command, they pass that story to the person next to them. That person adds a sentence, and so on and so forth until you run the time out on that infernal bell. Much more concrete steps are articulated in the linked video directions and the Slides linked to the right.

Materials:

One sheet of paper, and one writing utensil per student.

Weaponized Pictionary

Pictionary is great! This activity just requires a minimal understanding of whatever text you're reading during class by the teacher, and a white board and markers. All you have to do is ask a student to draw something from the text, and if students are able to guess what they're drawing in under a minute, the student is allowed to stay "up." If their classmates cannot guess, they're done. As always, see the video directions and Slides to the right for more clarity.

Materials:

White board and dry erase markers.

Music Video Analysis

I'll have to make an entire page for this...

Materials:

Music Video Analysis Page

Circle Memory Game

Circle Vocabulary Game

Vocabulary Response Card

Four Lines, Two Circles Summaries

"The Lisa Game"

Jamboard Classroom Culture

Restorative Justice, Team-Building Circles

This is another full-page creation...

TED Talk Discussion

Wheel of Compliments