Free Attention Grabbers for your Classroom

Mrs. B’s Attention Grabbers:

You can use these when you are lining up the class, so all the kids on line are ready to leave the room. They have one last chance to say something silly and then it’s quiet on the line. But it can also be used for transitions- when they are returning to their seats or coming to sit on the rug. The idea behind this is similar to the Whole brain Teaching model of Class, Yes! Although, I have been using these for quite some time-before I heard of WBT. My kids really like it and expect it when we are lining up.

Here is an example:  I do 3 or 4 different ones, and try to make it quick.  Once they have the idea, I don’t always use the “I say, you say.”  They remember it (it’s a good memory game too)!

Teacher Statement in Blue.  Student’s response in RED.

“I say peanut butter, you say jelly”

Peanut Butter------Jelly

Peanut Butter-------Jelly

“I say Banana, you say split”

Banana -------Split

Banana-------Split

“I say Charlie, you say Brown”

Charlie-------Brown

Charlie------Brown

“I say Quiet, you say sshhh”(put finger on lip)

Quiet ------sshhhh

Quiet ------sshhhh

And we are ready to go!

Here are some more examples that roll off the tongue fairly easily

I say …………………….       You say…………………….

Peanut Butter—Jelly

Banana ---Split

Ice Cream –Sundae

Charlie ---Brown

Upside---Down

Quiet—Sshhh

Left---Right

Chocolate---Chip

I will also use material that we are working on or vocabulary words and  synonyms  to learn meaning

for example:

Eyes….sight

Mouth….taste

Hands……touch

Happy…..glad

North……South

I posted these on TPT in case you'd like a digital copy here.
What are some things you do in your classroom, to get your student's attention? I'd love to hear your ideas.