Time Fillers for Primary Classes

1. Share an idiom and its meaning. Not only is this a great time filler that students will enjoy, but
it is a great way to help review a skill that your students need.

2. Call out a word and have students tell the part of speech. You may want to limit the parts of
speech to 3 or 4 at a time. For example, you may want to let the students know that the words
will be nouns, verbs or adjectives; or they may be verbs, adverbs, conjunctions, or pronouns.

3. Have students write a simple poem such as a haiku or an acrostic poem.

4. Have students to write a sentence containing alliteration. This could be a fun tongue twister.

5. Show a Grammar Rock video from Teacher Tube. Here is the link to the collection.

6. Create and display a partial metaphor or metaphors. Have students complete or make
suggestions on how to complete each one. For example:
He was so mad, he was a ____________________. (raging bull, steaming tea kettle)
He was a ________________, hidden by the darkness of the night. (ghost, dark shadow)
As the storm grew worse, the rain turned to ___________________. (rocks pounding on my
head)

7. Have students complete the sentences by using personification.

The wind _____________________________________.
The car ______________________________________.
The sun ______________________________________.

8. Show book trailers from SchoolTube. There are several choices available to show such as
Wonder and Hatchet. This one for One and Only Ivan is very good.

9. Watch and listen to a book being read by an actor on Storyline Online. Several of these are
over 10 minutes time, so just jot down the time that you get to and finish watching it another day
when time allows.

10. Give a book talk about one of your favorite books from your classroom shelf that you think
your students will enjoy reading independently. Share the book blurb from the back of the book
and why you like the book. Ask your students who wants to read it, and watch the hands go
flying up. Pick someone who gets to read it independently. This is a great way to motivate those
who are struggling with finding a book for independent reading.

11. Have students to list the alphabet down their paper. Then give them 3 minutest to write one
noun that begins with each letter. (ex: apple, bear, cake, dinosaur) You can also do this with
verbs or adjectives.

12. Have a quick review of irregular verbs. Write 5-10 irregular verbs on the board. Have
students write the past and past participle for each one. For example:
run ran run
 sing sang sung

13. Use this free set of cards to review "there, they're, and their." This easy activity is a great way
to have a quick review of these confusing words.

14. For a quick review of similes, metaphors, and personification, use this fun "Show Me the
Card" activity. If you like the free activity above, you'll love this activity too!