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You are here: Home / teacher tips / Show Me Sunday: Educational Time Fillers
teacher tips

Show Me Sunday: Educational Time Fillers

August 5, 2012

I am hosting this month’s Show Me Sunday for 3-6 Free Resources. I decided I wanted to read all about your educational time fillers because no matter how carefully we plan and prepare,
we all run into those empty pockets of time occasionally. Maybe the
bathroom break before specials went just a little bit faster than it
usually does or our science experiment went up in smoke (literally!). In
moments like that, a simple educational time filler can be your best
friend.
I’m hoping this month’s linky party will
give you lots of new ideas. I promised to start by sharing my favorites.

Magic Number: I step up the traditional “guess my number” game my throwing in a little math. I think of a secret number and then go around the room letting students guess. They have to listen carefully to the other guesses because I don’t say the numbers out loud. My only response is “higher” or “lower” until the correct answer is found. For younger students, I keep it simple with even/odd and a number range (like between 50 and 100). For older students, I toss in math facts. For example, the sum of the digits in my secret number is 7. What is my number? It could be 34, 43, 61, etc. For some reason, the sum questions still get my third graders. 


Sparkle: I kept hearing about Sparkle from my students early in my teaching career, but I had never played and they could never quite explain the rules. Finally, a group of students a few years ago taught me how to play. You use your spelling words, content words, or even high-frequency words. I say a word and then students take turns spelling the letters. If someone misses a letter, they’re out and the word starts over. If the word is spelled correctly, the next student says “Sparkle” and the person AFTER them is out. Play continues until one student is left. We play standing up and students sit down with they’re out. I also require my students to spell quickly to keep the game moving and increase their fluency. This one is also good for transitions as we’re leaving the room. Students who miss a letter go on and skip out to the bathroom, line up for specials, etc. 

Genre Twist: I created this one when my students were having trouble remembering the different genres. I pick a genre and start telling a story. After a few sentences, I pass the story to my neighbor and she has to pick up where I left off. I say “Switch” every few sentences and assign a new genre. The next student has to continue the SAME story, but pick it up in a different genre. Our stories are always really fun as princesses, aliens, and talking animals end up riding in covered wagons. =)

Click on over to link up with us. I’m excited to add a few new tools to my teaching bag of tricks! =)


by Christi Fultz 

About Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

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Comments

  1. Heather Temske says: August 5, 2012 at 3:14 pm

    I love the genre twist idea! I'm definitely going to borrow that one this year. Thanks for sharing.

    Heather
    room 4 imagination

  2. Corrina Allen says: August 5, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Sparkle is also one of my stand-bys. And I love your Genre Twist idea – very clever!

    Corrina
    Mrs. Allen’s 5th Grade Files

  3. Kim says: August 5, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    Great blog! I linked up over at 3-6 Free Resources!!

    Kim
    mrshsresourceroom.blogspot.com

  4. Michelle Gaetjens says: August 5, 2012 at 11:16 pm

    I love Sparkle! I myself have not played it with my Kindergartners but I have seen it in action and it looks like so much fun!

    Mrs.G's Kindergarten in Heels

  5. Heather Earley says: August 10, 2012 at 3:10 am

    Genre twist…I love it! I am going to make that our culminating review for our first genre explorations! Thanks :))

  6. Ms.M from Teachingisagift says: August 11, 2012 at 2:14 am

    I was inspired by your post to write up my own "favourite" educational time filler. I posted it over at Show Me Sunday 3-6 Resources. Thanks for giving me the inspiration for another great blog post!
    http://teachingisagigft.blogspot.ca

Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

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As an experienced third grade teacher with a Masters in Elementary Education and K-12 reading license, I know educational resources need to be both inviting and engaging to capture students' interests. I am passionate about creating user-friendly resources to help all students learn while saving valuable prep for teachers. Read More…

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Yes // I’m still shocked I said yes to this adve Yes // I’m still shocked I said yes to this adventure on the lake, but looking back at all the memories we’ve made there over the last 15 years made it a much easier yes. 🌊
Small Business Owners // As a reminder, I have a h Small Business Owners // As a reminder, I have a highlight bubble and website especially for creative entrepreneurs, TPT sellers, and tutors with tips to monetize and grow online! Visit the blog for TONS of free guides for beginners AND experienced small businesses. My personal favorite topic is SEO. 😎 design.christifultz.com
DIY Dollhouse // Last year we made Charlotte this DIY Dollhouse // Last year we made Charlotte this under stairs playroom and it turned out so sweet! https://completelychristi.com/2022/03/under-stair-playhouse-makeover.html

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo #homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Blue // That moment when the map turns blue and yo Blue // That moment when the map turns blue and you switch into vacation mode. Thanks for another great week, Lake Erie. We’ll be back.
Memories // It’s not lost on me how quickly the Memories // It’s not lost on me how quickly the days with my kids this little will become memories. Even in the exhausting moments, I am thankful to be their mama.
Marblehead Lighthouse // This is always a favorite Marblehead Lighthouse // This is always a favorite stop when we’re at Lake Erie.
Time Passes // I shared a memory yesterday from th Time Passes // I shared a memory yesterday from the beginning of Ryan’s residency and said time passes no matter how you spend it. There were a lot of challenges in this journey, but there were a lot of sweet moments too.
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