A fear that many teachers face is having a room full of students with nothing to do. If this happens, the class could become chaos in a matter of minutes! This could happen if you have too many students finish their work early and you do not have anything else for them to do.
The early finishers might get out of their seat and bother the other students who are trying to finish their work. Then what happens if admins decides to walk into your class? Ahhh…… it could be chaos!
So, here are “10 Time Fillers to Use in the Classroom” to save you when you are in a tight bunch and need a filler activity!
Time Filler Activities
(1) Generic Word Search Puzzle – This word search puzzle could be used anytime! It is made up of 23 words that describe how to get on the right path to becoming successful! For example, one of the words is persistent! You have to be persistent to get what you want in life, like a great job!
(2) Three Things I Learned Today – This is a great activity to have your students complete after they finish a lesson! It requires students to write, draw, and reflect upon what they learned that day. Students will list three things they learned that day and draw a picture for each of them, and then write a 4-5 sentence summary incorporating what they learned for the day.
(3) Find the Answers! – This activity gets your students thinking! I teach high school biology. So I get every type of student. Often, I see students who never thought they were compatible of going to college or really even thought about it. I like this activity because it shows those students are having a little more education can make a huge impact in their life financially. This activity is great because it just gets your students thinking about furthering their education. Sometimes I even give a piece of candy to my students after their finish it. I love reading these to get to know my students better.
(4) Find the Hidden Words & Objects – Students love mysteries! In this activity, students will look at picture of a classroom scene and try to find 3 hidden words and 3 hidden objects! Students love this activity! Who doesn’t love playing detective! It is also nice to have a brain break from the normal classroom work! Plus, if admin works into your classroom, the words the students are looking for are: (1) respect, (2) listen, & be (3) helpful. You can tell admin that you like to review/remind students occasionally of the classroom rules.
(5) Decode the Hidden Message – This is another detective activity for your students! Your students will decode the hidden message using the key (which is the hidden message decoder). The message reads, “Help a student finish a missing assignment to receive a special treat!” This activity is great because students do not know what the special treat is and you can make it whatever you like. Sometimes I give out a piece of candy, other times I give out a homework pass or extra credit! This is great to use on a makeup day when some students are all caught up and they have nothing to do. They can help your struggling students who need a little more guidance.
