The ABC's Of What To Do With Five Spare Minutes (for early elementary-aged students)

Imagine you have finished the project. Everything is cleaned up and put away. The next activity, lunch, is in five minutes. Question: Do you...

1. Ask everyone to sit quietly with heads down for five minutes?
2. All twiddle your thumbs together?
3. Let everyone free play?
4.Tap dance for them?
5. Read to them?
6. Slowly explain the "after lunch agenda," then move on to explaining tomorrow's agenda and the next day's, etc. etc?
7. Walk in extreme slow motion to line up one at a time at the door. If more time is left, sit back down and try it again, and again until five minutes have passed?
8. Play "I spy" or "Heads up 7up" or "Clap the syllables of your name" one student at a time?
9. Have everyone do jumping jacks?
10.Learn how to count to 10 in another language?

If you have tried any or all of the above, welcome to the world of teaching! Each day we will add a new, simple, short, easily implemented idea to coincide with each letter of the alphabet to offer you another option when that five-minute window strikes again:) Each letter of the alphabet is represented with a simple, creative activity and a short rhyme, and all can be found on this blog site as well as on Google+ Communities at "Five Minutes? Start A Parade!" 

Five Spare Minutes: Z

Z

(Creativity Activity)

Design a Zoo

Fill many large sheets of poster board with pictures of animals and birds from many habitats, and then place all poster boards on very large bulletin board which will represent the Zoo. Connect the poster boards with paths, and add ponds, bushes, flowers, trees, park benches, picnic tables, snack booths, and finally, people visiting the zoo.

   

   

Z Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Zipper, zero, zone, and zoo,

Zip codes help the mail go through;

Zigzag, zoom, and also zest,

Warm zucchini bread is best!

"Z" words they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: Y

Y

(Recall Game)

Yesterday

Have each student put on an imaginary thinking cap, close his or her eyes, and remember what went on yesterday. Each student responds to a question with as much of a detailed answer as his or her memory can recall.

Yesterday I saw a …

Yesterday I heard a …

Yesterday I went to a …

Yesterday I ate a …

   

   

Y Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Yard and yawn and yes and you,

Yellow jackets like sweets, too;

Yummy, youngest, yours to go,

Yahoo! There’s a striped yoyo.

"Y" words they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: X

X

(Busy Bodies)

EXercise

Can you clap? 1,2,3

Jumping Jacks.1,2,3

Tap your knee. 1,2,3

Giggle with glee. He he he!

Knees up high. 1,2,3

Hands in the sky. 1,2,3

Run in place. 1,2,3

Pick up the pace. 1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3. 1,2,3!!!

   

   

X Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

X-ray pictures, excited,

Excuse me, please, I bumped your head;

Experts explain carefully,

Experiments are great to see.

"X’s"in words are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: W

W

(Wonder what it’s like to be a detective? Activity)

 Who? What? When? Where? Why?

“I am thinking of something,” the teacher prompts.

“What does it do?” asks a student.

“When did you see one?” asks another student.

“Where does it live?” asks another.

“Who would use this or like this or want this?” asks another.

“Why were you thinking of this?” asks another.

This activity will encourage the students’ interest in and ability to ask detective style questions. All questions encouraged.

   

   

W Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Weasel, weather, whippoorwill,

Wishbone on my windowsill;

Winter, whisper, wallaby,

Walruses are fun to see.

"W" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: V

V

(Language Arts Activity)

A Very, very, very, very Big Ongoing Story

The teacher starts telling a story. Each student must add a detail or two in turn, as this story continues and grows from day to day. Write this very big story down as it grows in a very big book so that students can read their own very work in progress story and feel very proudJ    

   

V Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Vacuum cleaner, valentine,

Vanilla ice cream’s mighty fine!

Vegetable and vitamin,

A victory will mean you win!

"V" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: U

U

(Best Work Celebration)

Up and Up

Have a painted ladder in the classroom called the “Up and Up.” Each week (or month) have each student tie his or her favorite or best work on the ladder. “Are you on the Up and Up?”    

   

U Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Universe and uniform,

Unicycle, unicorn;

Ukulele’s fun to play,

Umbrella for a rainy day.

"U" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: T

T

(Communication Activity)

Tie and Tell

Needed for this activity: many 7 X 1 inch pieces of fabric in assorted colors and patterns, and 1 wire coat hanger stretched and shaped into a circle.

Tie a fabric strip on the circle stretched wire coat hanger and then tell a story about whatever season or holiday you are near. Each student will have an opportunity to share a story, memory, project, tradition, or a favorite treat associated with that particular season or holiday and then tie a fabric strip on the circle hanger. Continue to “tie and tell” throughout all seasons and holidays during the school year. The finished project will be a colorful wreath.  

   

T Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Tip and tap and two by two,

Teddy bears are good for you;

Twirling, twisting, tambourine,

Turtle, tugboat, trampoline.

"T" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: S

S

(Service/Kindness/Outreach Activity)

Sebastian Smiles

“Sebastian” is a class character who could be a puppet, a stuffed animal, or other similar inanimate favorite classroom friendJ. Sebastian loves to hear of kindnesses given or received, and hearing such news warms Sebastian’s heart and we know it makes Sebastian smile. Each student shares something he or she has done during that week to help someone at home, at school, in the neighborhood, or wherever they have been. It is very important to encourage students to recognize being kind and being helpful both in themselves and in others. In being deliberate about recognizing kindness, we will be nurturing compassionate behavior. “What have we done to make Sebastian smile this week?” Students are always very eager to share!   

   

S Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Simple, saddle, salad bar,

Sandbox, sandwich, shooting star;

See-saw, spaceship, shine, and sheep,

School and snail and sky and sleep.

"S" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: R

R

(Cooperative Game)

Ready, Set, Pass!

Have students sit in a circle. Have paper plate for them to pass around the circle, hand to hand and very carefully; try not to drop it! Celebrate passing the plate all the way around with no dropping and careful passing. Second time the plate goes around the circle, put one cotton ball on it. Don’t let it fall! Third time add a paper clip. Fourth time, pass it around in the opposite direction. Fifth time, time them; trying to be very careful and yet, very quick! Must work together. Must cooperate!

   

R Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Rabbit, raccoon, rooster, row,

Radish, reindeer, radio;

Rainbow, rainstorm, referee,

Riddle, rowboat, run with me!

"R" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: Q

Q

(Language Arts Game)

Quick Rhyme

I say cat. You say… (rat, sat, hat, bat, etc)

I say pan. You say… (can, fan, tan, man, etc) And so on.

One student at a time shares the “quick rhyme” rhyming word.

   

Q Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Quarterback and quarter horse,

Question mark, and quick, of course;

Quiet, quilt, and Queen Anne’s Lace,

Quartet sings with four in place.

"Q" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: P

P

(Communication Activity)

Puppets

  With the students, make and collect a wide variety of puppets throughout the year. Sock puppets, paper plate puppets, wooden spoon puppets, paint stirring stick puppets, and finger puppets are just a few examples. Use a puppet or two in a five minute window to give a news report about what you have done so far today in your classroom and what you are looking forward to doing after lunch. Each one is able to choose his or her favorite puppet when it’s time to be the reporter.   

P Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Popcorn, pizza, pumpkin pie,

Paper airplanes in the sky,

Pandas, parrots, penguins play,

Polar bears can swim all day.

"P" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: O

O

(Art Activity)

Ongoing Mural

  Have a big sheet of paper with a thematic or seasonal picture drawn on it.  Have the students add coloring, painting,… a variety of detail work to the mural. Then, when it is dry, roll it back up so that it is ready for another day.  

O Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Over, out and off and on,

Otters have a lot of fun;

Outside, open, operate,

Ostriches can’t roller skate!

"O" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: N

N

(Nurturing Writing)

Note Home

  With envelopes and pretend stamps on hand, give each student a piece of paper and have them each create an “I love you” Note to be “sent” (taken) home that day.  

N Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Noodle, nickel, neighbor, too,

Nectarines are good for you,

Nap and name and nature sights,

Nest, nose, necktie, northern lights.

"N" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: M

M

(Maps Are Fun!)

  Put up a huge Map and point out a few easily distinguishable features, such as: water, islands, land, mountains, etc.  Invite students to come up one at a time to find some of these things.

M Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Moms and maps and manatees,

Mistletoe and maple trees,

Mouse and moose, mosquito, too,

There’s a milk mustache on you!

"M" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: L

L

(A Listening and Listing Game)

  Listen!  Listen!  Listen!  Be absolutely silent for about thirty seconds. Then list every little sound that was heard. 

L Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Lions, leopards, lizards, look,

Learning lessons from a book,

Lambs and lamps and ladybugs,

Little labs on little rugs.

"L" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: K

K

(Imagination Game)

 Kettle of Soup

Kettle of Soup

Time to Begin

Kettle of Soup

Kettle of Soup

What are you putting in?

  Kettle’s on! In turn, each student names one ingredient to put in imaginary soup. Teacher writes down ingredient and amount needed on recipe card and student comes up to place ingredient in kettle.  After all students have had a turn to add an ingredient, teacher reads back recipe to students and the class chooses a name for the soup.   

K Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Kettle, ketchup, kangaroo,

Kindness shown from me to you;

Kitchen, keeper of the keys,

Kid, koalas up in trees.

"K" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: J

J

(Physical Game)

 Jazzy Gestures (or Move to the Music)

A rousing game of  Jazzy Gestures is always met with great Jubilation and excellent unbridled free-form moving regardless of the grade level involved; everyone loves to play this! I play snippets of a wide variety of musical styles, tempos, moods and the students have to move the way the music sounds or makes them feel. When the music stops, they must absolutely freeze and wait for the next snippet to start, and so on. The music can be stopped and started many times to encourage attentiveness. The more dramatic the change in musical styles, the more creativity the students will show in their moving.   

J Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Jelly beans and jumping jacks,

June, July are back to back,

Jam and joy and jog and jar,

Jupiter is very far.

"J" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: I

I

(Imagination Game)

 Imagine…

 I  say, “It’s time to imagine. Close your eyes and see this in your imagination. A beach. Imagine a beach on a warm sunny day. Imagine an ocean, huge and full of waves. Imagine a castle made out of sand, a bright colored beach ball, and many very happy people playing. What can your imagination add to this scene? What can you see at the beach in your imagination?”    

I Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Icy, itchy, it and in,

Make ice cream cones watch fun begin!

Icicles on igloos grow,

Good ideas, good to know.

"I" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!

Five Spare Minutes: H

H

(Helping Activity)

 Help The Janitor

 Have each student find ten things on the floor to throw away. Have each student wipe off desks or tables with wet wipes. Have each student place all stray books and toys in bins and on shelves where they belong. Helping others builds compassion.    

H Song

(Teaching, learning, giggling about, or illustrating a song is also a fun way to spend five minutes! The suggested tune for each of these ABC songs is the familiar tune, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Enjoy!)

Happy, hopping, hippos, hoe,

Holidays they come and go,

Hurry, helping, hoping, hay,

Hero, hearts, hip-hip hooray!

"H" words, they are fun to learn

Now you find one, it's your turn!