What to do in the final minutes of class

We have all been there- the moment that you have mistimed your lesson, and you begin to realize that you will have ten minutes left of class. Prior to being a teacher, I never understood how long ten minutes can feel, but after a few trials and misses, I am always prepared to fill the ten minute window.

I have a section in my classroom full of board games that the students have access to. I have tweaked each game to have an ELA spin to it. This board game shelf has become the center of many heated Bop-it competitions, grammar Twister, and parts of speech Jenga competitions. During the first few weeks of class, I take the time once a week to go over the expectations and rules of each board game. This allows for students to be able to understand and play each game for the rest of the year. We practice picking out, taking out, setting up, and putting the board games away at an efficient speed to help eliminate wasted time.

When I find myself with an "extra" ten minutes, I let the kids take out the board games. The classroom instantly fills with smiles, laughter, and energy. It is amazing how far they can get in a game within a small time frame. After the ten minutes are up, I ask the students to put away the board games. These short burst of added fun help to motivate them to stay focused during class in hopes of an "extra" 10 minutes.

What tips and tricks do you do when you have a few minutes left at the end of the period?