1. Play 5 x 5. This is easily accomplished by making a grid of 25 squares.

Choose
five categories. Place one at the top of each box. Then randomly choose five
letters and place one on each box down the side. Have students call out
words that fit each category. This is really handy when working with a theme
that you wish to review.
2. Charades is a fun sponge, especially to use as a review. Use spelling or
vocabulary words, titles of books by authors the class has studied, or
activities going on in school. Put these on slips of paper and place in a
container. Let individuals or groups of students choose one and act it out.
3. Read aloud to your class! Keep some funny, short stories or a book of
limericks available for a quick read.
4. Play “baseball.” Choose a skill that needs to be reviewed. Draw a baseball
diamond on the board. Choose a scorekeeper. Divide the class into two
teams. Determine which team is up first. Ask each player a review question.
If the player answers correctly, have him or her run the bases by marking the
diamond base on the board. A run is scored every time a player touches
home base. If the team misses three questions, the other team is up.
5. Try some rhythms. Clap or tap out a rhythm and then have students repeat
it. Vary the patterns and the lengths, making them increasingly more
challenging.
6. Set up a magnetic board center for sponge activities. Divide the board into
“yes” and “no” columns. Prepare a magnetic name tag for each student by
gluing tagboard squares with the student’s name onto a piece of magnetic
strip (available at fabric or sign stores). On the board pose daily questions
which involve either a yes or no answer. Have students place their magnetic
name tags in the appropriate column. Discuss responses.
7. Derive many words from one. Copy on the blackboard a multi-syllabic word
taken from a theme or topic of the day. Ask students to write as many words
from this as they can in a specified time. Only letters from the original word
may be used. This activity can be done in small groups or individually.
8. An especially effective daily edit that promotes more interesting writing is
Expand a Sentence. Give students a very simple sentence (e.g., The child
ran.). Include insert marks where you want students to add words and
underline words that they may change to something more exciting. Model an
expansion for students the first time you do this activity. The new sentence
may become: The very excited young lady raced wildly down the street with
her red braids flying straight out behind.
9. Play “guess the characteristic.” Ask several students who all have something
in common to stand. The class, including the students, must guess what they
 all have in common, such as they all have shoes with no laces, they all walk to
school, or they are all in band.
10.Create a spelling chain. All students stand. Give them a spelling word. The
first person says the first letter, the second gives the second letter, and so
on. If a student gives the wrong letter, he or she must sit down.
Or If you add the ages of everyone in your family, who has the highest number?
Who has the lowest?
11.Choose a category such as food, movies, or places, and challenge students to
think of one for each letter of the alphabet.

3. Six Things
 For this activity, I will write instructions on the chalkboard telling students to write
the numbers 1 through 6 on a blank piece of paper with three lines of space in
between each number. Then, I will show a video of a biology experiment and
direct the students to write the six most important steps in the video. The video I
chose will be either a popular experiment addressed by the textbook or related to
a future lab. This activity is a great starting point for a discussion and also allows
students to see experiments that are not usually found in a high school lab.

Here are several sponge activities that I will use in my biology classroom:

1. Tweet Like a Scientist

 Students are plugged into social media and very familiar with how it works. Also,
it makes a large part of how they interact with information outside the classroom.
This activity challenges them to pretend that they are a famous scientist and
generate a series of Tweets that they would likely post if they lived in this era.
Based on what unit we are learning about, I will choose a scientist related to the
content we are learning and ideally one that they are all familiar with. If I chose a
scientist that we briefly talked about or one they are not too familiar with, I will
provide them with a proper introduction before giving them the assignment. I will
instruct my students that the tweet must be under 140 characters, just like
Twitter, and contain at least one #. This is fun activity that
effectively incorporates social media with classroom learning. (An example of
something Charles Darwin might Tweet: "It is not the strongest of the species
that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most
adaptable to change. #evolution")
2. Be the Teacher
 In this sponge activity, I will either ask for a volunteer or call on someone at
random to re-teach what they learned that day. When I call on them, I address
them as "Mr." or Ms." and ask them questions as they demonstrate their lesson
re-cap. I expect their lesson to last at least two minutes or so and sometimes
use questions to help them reach that time requirement. Also, I encourage the
 other students to ask questions so that the "teacher" can field them. This is a
great review activity that all students can benefit from.

3. Six Things
 For this activity, I will write instructions on the chalkboard telling students to write
the numbers 1 through 6 on a blank piece of paper with three lines of space in
between each number. Then, I will show a video of a biology experiment and
direct the students to write the six most important steps in the video. The video I
chose will be either a popular experiment addressed by the textbook or related to
a future lab. This activity is a great starting point for a discussion and also allows
students to see experiments that are not usually found in a high school lab.

4. Student Feedback
 Another sponge activity involves having students write a few paragraphs
explaining what they would like to get out of the biology class. I like to use this
activity to not only keep the students focused, but also get some potentially
helpful feedback on the class. This activity involves having them describe what
changes they would make if they were in charge of the class, or list their likes
and dislikes of the class, as well as any interesting things they've learned so far
that they would like to explore further.

5. Category List
 Using this activity, I am able to test the knowledge of your students in a way that
potentially invites healthy competition between classmates, while effectively
using class time. For this activity I divide my students into teams and set a time
limit for how long this activity will go. I then chose a category or topic we have
been recently learning and write it on the board. Once I write it on the board,
each team has a set amount of time to come up a list of all the things they can
think of in a particular category. Once the time limit is up, each team reads their
list and tallies their total. The "winner" is the team with the most amount of terms.
This competitive activity will keep them busy and occupied, and also give them
good practice for an upcoming test.

6. Textbook Preview
 This sponge activity involves prompting the students to scan the next chapter of
the textbook. Once they finish scanning the are to divide themselves into groups
and select a topic, and then discuss whether it is a controversial issue or if there
is an ongoing debate on the topic. Then, have them write down what they know
about the issue as well as what they would like to know, and how they would go
about answering those questions. Once there is only a few minutes left in class, I
will invite each group to share the responses with the class and ask any broad
questions they may have about the upcoming chapter.

7. Vocabulary Hangman
  Myself or a chosen student will go to the whiteboard and chose a vocabulary
word from the current chapter we are learning about. Students will then take
turns guessing letters until the word is uncovered. This is a very simple activity,
but it keeps students engaged and productively uses up remaining class time.

8. Journal Writing

 Journal writing is an excellent activity that students can work on as individuals

when they have completed a class assignment and are waiting on their
classmates to finish or waiting on the teacher to move to another activity. Free
writing increases writing confidence, fosters creativity and encourages the
development of vocabulary skills. For some students, it may provide an
opportunity to write out thoughts in order to think through personal issues.

9. Reinforcement Activities

 Setting aside a basket of extra credit or reinforcement activities for free selection
is an excellent method of directing student focus on academics during a
transition time. Some students who might need extra credit to boost their grades
will enthusiastically choose an extra-credit assignment. Mandating a
reinforcement selection from the basket during a transition time provides the
teacher with the opportunity to monitor student progress as he grades the
reinforcement assignment and the student an opportunity for practice.

10. Required Reading

 A quiet, individual activity that can facilitate current instruction and improve
reading ability is reading. This activity can be used when a student finishes an
individual assignment, while the rest of the class continues to work. The book
assigned can be related to a current topic of instruction or related to a topic of
individual interest. Reading also provides the benefit of facilitating the
development of vocabulary.

11. Contributing to a Class Endeavor

 The ongoing construction of a word wall or concept wall that students can make
contributions to when they have completed an assignment is an excellent
transition activity. This activity works best for high school students who are
mature and can handle the flexibility and maturity required for this activity. They
need to be able to work independently and be aware of the need to keep the
noise level under control so that others can complete their assignments.

12. VoBACKulary

 One student will volunteer or be chosen to stand in front of the class with their
back to the board. I then will write a vocabulary word on the board. The student
 standing in front of the class will call on classmates to describe the vocabulary
word on the board, until they can guess it. Once the student guesses the term,
they can pick someone else to have their back to the board. This is a great
activity that involves the entire class and reviews one or many vocabulary terms.

13. Controversial Topic Discussion

 Every discipline has debates or ethical concerns, science is no exception. This

activity requires students to discuss, as a class, a topic that we have recent
learned about that is controversial. I will prompt the students with a topic and act
as a mediator allowing them to discuss what they think. I will refrain from
interjecting my beliefs, and pose follow up questions to really get students
thinking. Being that we are discussing controversial topics, I will make sure that
the climate stays positive and redirect or end the discussion as necessary.

14. Around the World

 This activity is designed to review vocabulary terms. In this activity, I will have
students sit on their desks and toss around a tennis ball. When a student catches
the tennis ball, I will read a definition and they are to tell me the vocabulary term.
Then they will carefully toss the ball to another person in the room. I realize that I
have several of these types of activities, but science is similar to a
foreign language in the sense that it has a lot of terms that have unknown
meaning to a typical layman. Also, to understand the subject well, one must know
the terms used to describe it.

15. Questions?

 This activity is one that is done continually throughout most teaching, but it is a
simple sponge activity that does not require any materials other than the mind of
a teacher. I will simply ask the students if they have any questions about the
material we are learning, or if raises any related questions to other classes they
are taking. This is another activity that promotes a good classroom discussion
and productively uses class time.

A Sound Idea
Submitted by: L. Stone
Make a tape of sounds from the environment. I have one with crickets chirping, cell phones ringing,
water running, a thunderstorm, a kitty mewing. When the tape is played the students are asked to
identify what the noise is. Keep a numbered list for your own reference so you don’t forget what’s on
it. The younger children especially like this activity.
Grade Level(s): 1-2, 3-5
Card Name Game
Submitted by: Hrshy210
When I have a few minutes to spare the students love to play the “card name game.” I have all of
their names written on a playing card. While seated at the carpet, I distribute one card to each child
(making sure no one has their own name). When their name is called they have to say something
positive about the person on the card. This has really helped them to learn about respect and
treating others how they want to be treated. It is fun and only takes about five minutes.
closing activity
Submitted by: kristie johnson, 10-12
As students walk in the door hand 10 scrap pieces of paper out at random. Class knows that if they
get a piece of paper they have to write a comment about the class topic that day or a question they
have. It may be a question a neighbor had. This gives me something to do if i wrap up early or
something to start off the next class session. Check for understanding or clarification. It also allows
students to ask questions anonymously as I shuffle the papers and others can grab a sheet to add to
the stack.
Musical Transitions
Submitted by: Karlana Jester, Pre-K teacher
When it is time for my class to transition from one activity to another, I play music to motivate them
to clean up quickly. I try to pick music that is upbeat and very catchy. After the children are done
cleaning up the activity at hand, I usually let the music play a little bit longer so the children can
dance out any extra activity they may. This way, I can have their undivided attention once we settle
back done at the tables for another activity.
Quote of the Day
Submitted by: Lynn Bird, Pinckneyville Middle School
I teach sixth grade language arts and social studies. I start off each class by going over a “Quote of
the Day.” I have it written on the board and students write this quote in their Agenda book which is
used to record their daily homework. Kids volunteer to explain what this quote means to them. This
not only encourages kids to think beyond the books but also allows me to have a part in their
character education. I have many compliments from parents because it gives them the opportunity to
have an open discussion with their kids when they see the quote written. I get many of these quotes
from various websites as well as off the daily Classroom Flyer from the Learning Company School.
This only takes about 5-7 minutes and is a great use of class time!
Shorten Transition Times
Submitted by: Cynthia Valdez, 5th Grade
I would like to share a wonderful and effective transition strategry that I use. On a big green poster
board, I drew a football field. (0 yards in the center and 50 yards at each end) In the beginning of the
school yera, I introduced the football chart. I placed a small football on the 0 year line. I told theme
that we were going to play a game for six weeks. . I was one team and the students were another. I
told them that every time we had to change from one subject to another, they were going to be timed
(1 min.) If everyone was ready within the time, they score 10 yards. If not, I score. The quarters are
divided within weeks. At the end of the six weeks, if I win, they have to write a comprehensive report.
IF they win, they get a whole day of fun educational activities and snacks. This strategry is effective,
fun, exciting, and motivating.
Silent Math
Submitted by: Mr. Johnson, 2nd & 4th
A transition activity I have useful in both 2nd & 4th grades is Silent Math. During the times your
entire class is lined up and waiting, have one child start by using fingers and hand signals to give
math problems. (Example: Hold up one finger (1), then make a plus sign (+), then two fingers (1+2).
Lastly, put one hand above the other facing in opposite directions for the equal sign(=).) If a student
wants to answer, he/she must raise their hand to be called on. They must give the answer using
fingers and hand signals. The kids love it and it keeps the noise level down!
Sponge Activities for first grade
Submitted by: C. Letkeman
Once the students have left for recess, I set out a bucket on each table. The buckets contain
materials the students can use independently at their tables, ie play-doh, lego, peg boards, pattern
blocks, tracers, felt boards, I Spy books etc. When the students come in from recess, they know
there are activities at their tables, and they settle in to them quickly. This gives me a few extra
minutes in case I was unable to return to the classroom immediately after recess because of outdoor
supervision, a staff meeting, or dealing with an issue that arose during recess. It also give me a
couple of minutes to get the next lesson’s materials organized! Each table gets the bucket for a day,
and I rotate activities every week or two.
Transition Time
Submitted by: P. Nicholson, 1st
To make transition time faster and easier, I cut out five shapes, five times on the Ellis Die cut
machine using the same sequence of different colored construction paper. Example: green, red,
yellow, blue, orange bunny, frogs, crayons, etc. I label each colored shape with a number and
laminate one to each student’s space at their tables. Then, when we line up or move anywhere in
the room, I call a shape, color or number and those students line up first.

LANGUAGE ARTS SPONGE ACTIVITIES

1. Storytelling: Sit in a circle. Using a ball, start a story with one or
two sentences. Toss the ball to another student. That student
must continue the story with one more sentence. Continue
passing the ball and adding a sentence to the story. Record the
story on your iPad and have an older student type it up as a funny
classroom book. Students can illustrate the sentences.
2. Give a consonant blend and have students say a word that begins
with that blend
3. Write a word on the board, and have students write as many
words as they can that rhyme with it.
4. Scramble the letters in 10 spelling (vocabulary) words. Switch
papers with a partner and try to unscramble the letters
5. Create a word search using vocabulary or spelling words (hint:
use grid paper)
6. Expand a Sentence. Give students a very simple sentence (e.g.,
The child ran.). Include insert marks where you want students to
add words and underline words that they may change to
something more exciting. Make it into a silly sentence.
7. Write a multi-syllabic word on the board. Ask students to write
as many words from the multisyllabic word as they can in a
specified time. Only letters from the original word may be used.
8. Spelling Bee
9. Create a spelling chain. All students stand. Give them a spelling
word. The first person says the first letter, the second gives the
second letter, and so on. If a student gives the wrong letter, he or
she must sit down.
10. ABCs: create a grid with a box for each letter of the
alphabet. Name a category and have students fill the grid with as
many things that they can think about that topic, one thing for
each letter of the alphabet. To make it more challenging, add a
time limit.
11. Sort the sentences. Create four or five sentences for a
topic you are studying. Write one word on an index card. Be sure
that every word has an index card. Have students find their
group by creating an accurate sentence. For instance, a sentence
 could be Giraffes are the tallest land mammals. Each index card
has one word: Giraffes – are – the – tallest – land – mammals.
Students sort themselves out to create the sentences.
12. Progressive Writing: Give each student a piece of paper
and give them three minutes to start a story. Some students may
need some story starters, like, “Once up a time”. After three
minutes, have students pass their papers to another student. Or,
collect the papers and redistribute them to a different table
group. Continue writing for another three minutes. Repeat until
the paper has been written by many students. Return the paper
to the original student.
13. Whiteboard Race: Divide the class into teams. Give one
student from each team a whiteboard marker. Send them to the
whiteboard and in one minute, have them write all the words
associated with a certain category. Count the words, list the
number of words on a t-chart, and switch students. Repeat with
other pairs of students from the two teams. Place this once, or
keep a running total of the score
14. Keep a set of QR codes for books read aloud on YouTube.
Pull one up to watch and display it through the projector.
15. Pictionary – One student draws a picture while the rest try
to guess it. Play as a whole class or in teams.

MATH SPONGE ACTIVITIES

16. The Price is Right: Post a picture of an object and in your
head, determine a price for it. Have students guess the price.
Keep a record of the guesses and indicate if the guess is too high
or too low. Help students adjust their guesses based on the chart
of guesses.
17. Add it up: give students a simple addition problem. If the
student can give you the correct answer without fumbling or
counting, accept it. Then select another student and have them
add another amount to the previous student’s sum. If the student
says, “um” or counts aloud, start back with a simple addition
 problem. The goal is to get to 100 without making a mistake,
counting aloud, or making other sounds.
18. Count by twos, fives, tens, etc. while sitting in a circle.
19. Start at a number, say 345, and count by 10s or 100s
forward or backward.
20. Four basic shapes: Find an object in the room that
represents each shape
21. Write numbers by fives as high as you can go (repeat with
other patterns)
22. Problem Solving – Display a number of something and have
students create a word problem to go with the objects.
23. Change in my Pocket: grab a handful of coins and students
try to guess the number and kinds of coins
24. Coin matching – provide each student with a see-through
bag of coins. There should be two bags with the same amount of
coins, although not the same denominations. Students must find
a partner who has the same value. You can also use pictures of
coins instead.

NOT CONTENT-SPECIFIC SPONGE ACTIVITIES

25. Use the Kids Book of Questions: Have students choose a
number, read the question, and discuss responses. Table Topics
offer another great source for questions.
26. Play Around the World with flashcards.
27. Compliment Game: Write each student’s name on a strip of
paper. Distribute each strip of paper so that a student has
someone else’s name. Sit in a circle and have students give one
compliment to the person whose name they have.
28. 20 Questions: choose a person, place, or thing. Have
students ask you questions to try and guess the word.
29. Flashcards: The first to answer correctly then lines up first
30. Dismiss students by color of eyes, hair, month of birth,
season of birth, beginning letter of name, type of pet, etc.
31. Have students tell one thing they learned today using
complete sentences. Or tell their partner one new thing that
they learned today. Record it on chart paper or have students
write a journal entry about the one new thing they learned.
32. Tell one playground rule, one good health habit, one
character trait, one double fact, etc.
33. “I went to the grocery store and bought…” Each student
names an item, and the next student repeats the items and adds
one more item.
34. Name an animal that lives in the: jungle, zoo, farm,
mountains, water, etc. List as many as the class can figure out.
35. List things you can touch, smell, taste, hear, see
36. List the colors you are wearing
37. List the continents of the world, states, etc.
38. Create names for three music groups or bands
39. Name as many types of natural disasters as you can
40. Think of a number, write it down on paper, make it into a
face
41. Write the names of all the boys (or girls) in the room
42. Write the names of as many teachers in the school as you
can remember
43. Write as many as you can: abbreviations, Roman numerals,
trademarks, etc.
44. How many cartoon characters (superheroes) can you name?
45. List as many kinds of flowers (trees, ice cream flavors, fruits,
vegetables) as you can
46. List as many nouns as you can see in the room (repeat for
verbs at recess, etc.)
47. List as many models of cars as you can
48. Name all the colors you know, even the really odd ones!
49. Name as many countries (transportation types, breakfast
cereals, etc.) as you can.
50. Choose a category and brainstorm words associated with
that category. To make it more challenging, have
 students brainstorm a word for that category for each letter of
the alphabet.
51. Choose a category. One student says the name of
something in that category. The next student says the name of
something else in that category, but it must start with the last
letter of the previous word. For instance, if the category was
food: orange – eggplant – tomato, etc.
52. Play “guess the characteristic.” Ask several students who all
have something in common to stand. The class must guess what
they all have in common, such as they all have shoes with no
laces, they all walk to school, or they are all in the after-school
program.
53. Keep a supply of board and table games that require
strategy and thinking. Use them for special fill-in times like rainy
day recess.
54. Collect word searches, crossword puzzles, kids’ pages from
Sunday comics, and Mad Libs. Laminate them for wipe-off and
reuse.
55. Set up a magnetic board. Divide the board into “yes” and
“no” columns. Prepare a magnetic name tag for each student by
gluing tagboard squares with the student’s name onto a piece of
magnetic strip. On the board pose daily yes / no questions or
questions with two choices. Have students place their magnetic
name tags in the appropriate column. Discuss responses.
56. Line up in order of birthday (or other number or letter
value) without talking.
57. Silent Ball
58. Heads Up 7 Up
59. Telephone
60. Simon Says
61. Play hangman with vocabulary or content area words. Play
as either a whole class or in table groups.
62. I Spy – who can find something in the room that has a short
a sound, a long o sound, etc.
63. Brainstorm ideas for class projects or something to study.
Create a list on an anchor chart.
64. Share weekend or holiday plans
65. Tell riddles or jokes
66. Play What’s in the Box: Similar to 20 questions, but with an
actual object in a box. This is a great game where students can
bring in a mystery object for the teacher to guess.
67. Clean up the classroom: Choose an item that is on the
floor. Tell students that you have picked an item that needs to
be cleaned up. Not the student who picks that item up and
give them a prize.
68. Ask students to name all the things that are a specific
color.
69. Play Four Corners. Label each corner of your room, agree,
disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree. Make a
statement and have students move to the corner that matches
their response to the statement.
70. Create a problem-solving box. When students have a
problem, a question, or an issue. Have them write it down and put
it in the box. When you have time, draw out a problem or two
and discuss it as a class. Sometimes some distance from a
problem creates the best solutions.
71.
72. Bingo – Have students write a list of words randomly in
squares on their paper.
73. I’m going on a picnic – Say, “I’m going on a picnic and I’m
going to bring ___”, where the item name matches the first letter
of your name. For instance Sara can bring sandwiches. Don’t
tell students the pattern. Have students ask if they can go on the
picnic. Answer yes or no, depending on whether or not they find
the pattern.
74. Number Talks – These are great 10 minute fillers where you
prompt students to do some mental math and build their
number sense. This is a great book of Number Talks .
75. Scavenger hunt with iPads: photograph something for each
letter of the alphabet in order
76. Find Someone Who: create a someone who grid
where students can walk around and figure out who can go in
each square. Some suggestions: Someone who loves baseball,
someone who goes to the after-school program. Someone who
has lived in a different state, etc.
77. Orange, Orange, Orange – each student is assigned a fruit
or vegetable. A student is chosen to go in the middle. He must
say a fruit or vegetable three times. The person who’s vegetable
was called must interrupt the center student before the third
time. If the student is successful he can stay seated in the outer
circle. If he is unsuccessful, he must take the center student’s
place.
78. Spy in the Camp – One person leaves the classroom. The
rest of the class sits in a circle. There’s one person in the circle
who is the leader and starts a movement. The spy comes back in
and tries to guess the leader. The leader must change
movements.
79. Sneaky Statue – Students stay in one place. They can move
when your back is turned, but when you turn around, they have
to stop moving. If you catch students moving, they come join you.
The last student left wins.
80. Have students arrange themselves in groups based on the
pet they own or would like to own, without using words.
81. Clock Partners – Give students a picture of a clock with
spaces at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 to write student names.
Have students find a partner for 12:00, a partner for 3:00, etc. Be
sure that students write down each other’s names for a time slot.
For instance, if Jessica is meeting with Sam during the 9:00 time
slot, they should have their respective names in that time slot.
Use these partner sets to have students meet and talk about any
prompt.