Attention-Grabbing tricks are a quick way to quiet down your classroom! They are fun and effective tools that every teacher should have in their pocket!
Quick Verbal Attention Grabbers
These attention-grabbing tricks are Call and Response chants. Try to find a rhythm that’s catchy and fun for each one, so your students are motivated to participate!
Then, teach your students to listen and respond, and reinforce that once the response is done, all should be quiet.
1. Class, Class
Teacher: Class, class?
Students: Yes, Yes
2. Stop, Look, and Listen
(To the tune of Shave and a Haircut)
Teacher: Stop, look, and listen.
Students: O-Kay
3. One, Two, Three
Teacher: One, two, three – Eyes on me!
Students: One, two – Eyes on you!
4. Snap, Crackle, Pop
Teacher: Snap, crackle, pop!
Students: This talking has to stop!
5. Holy Moly
Teacher: Holy moly!
Students: Guacamole!
Attention Grabbers With Gestures
These attention-grabbing tricks are my absolute FAVORITES! My students always responded well to attention grabbers that involved gestures and sometimes a melody.
6. Zip it, Lock it
Teacher: Zip it, lock it.
All: Put it in your pocket!
Gestures: All pretend to zip their lips, turn a key to lock it, and put the key in their pocket.
7. Tootsie Roll
Teacher: Tootsie Roll, lollipop,
All: We’ve been talking, now we stop
Gestures:
- Tootsie Roll: Roll your arms around each other (like Disco dancing)
- Lollipop: Lick an imaginary lollipop
- We’ve been talking: open and close fingers on both hands (like the talking gesture)
- Now we stop: Put your left hand out. Your right hand touches it like a karate chop. Make sure the hands touch when you say “Stop!”
8. Give me a Clap
(To the tune of The Adam’s Family Theme)
Teacher: Give me a clap (clap when you say “clap”).
All: 2 claps
Teacher: Give me a clap.
All: 2 claps
Teacher: Give me a clap (all clap once), give me a clap (all clap once), give me a clap.
All: 2 claps
Teacher: Give me a snap. (Snap your fingers when you say “snap)
All: 2 snaps
Teacher: Give me a snap.
All : 2 snaps
Teacher: Give me a snap (all snap once), give me a snap (all snap once), give me a snap.
All: 2 snaps
Teacher: Give me a tap (say the words softly and tap your index fingers when you say “tap”).
All: 2 taps (touching the 2 index fingers very quietly).
Teacher: Give me a tap.
All: 2 taps
Teacher: Give me a tap (all tap once), then put your hand right on your lap (all bring hands to lap).
Non-Verbal Attention Grabbers
These attention-grabbing tricks, as the heading says, are quiet attention grabbers. Say you’re in the media center, or in the cafeteria, and you can’t break out in song… use these then.
9. Hand up, Finger on lips.
Teacher: Put your hand up showing two fingers (like the “peace” sign). Touch your lips with your index finger (like the “quiet” sign).
Students: All students mimic what you’re doing.
10. Countdown Fingers
Teacher: Puts hand up showing 5 fingers. Bring one finger down at a time, counting down from five to zero.
Students: All students mimic what you are doing, and understand that the expectation is that all will be quiet when all fingers are gone.
Practice these several times with your students in the first week of school. I promise you it will be time well spent and do the job of quickly quieting down a rowdy classroom!
Related Topics
- Head Out to Recess With These 5 Simple Steps!
- Free Back-to-School Samples
- Back-to-School Tips and Activities #1
Related Resources
