A tricky part of teaching elementary is trying to get your lessons to perfectly line up with the amount of time you have before it’s time to transition to recess, lunch, or the end of the day. I can say that I’ve successfully timed my lessons perfectly about six times in my 20+ years in the classroom 😂
So, I’ve always got a few 5-minute fillers ready to go! This Getting to Know You Activity for elementary students is the perfect 5-minute filler to slip in when you have a few free minutes – especially in the beginning of the year when it’s more important to build your classroom community than it is to hammer skills!
How to Use Guess Who? Activity in Your Classroom
We know how important building community is in our classrooms, but it can be tricky to make time for it. This Getting to Know You Activity gives you a chance to build your community in small chunks of time during the first few weeks of school.
Make sure to photocopy a class set of the Guess Who? printables and grab a folder to keep them in.
Getting Started
To get started, you’ll first need to carve time in your lesson plans to give all students a chance to complete a Guess Who? page. Remind students that they’ll want to keep his/her answers a secret {as much of a secret as a 6-year-old can manage!}
Give each student a paper to complete and fill with their favorites.
I’ve included a few different options in the file so you can pick what works best for your class.
As students complete their Guess Who? pages, add them to a folder and keep it tucked somewhere you can easily access.
Have 5 Minutes?
During those weird chunks of time when you don’t have enough time to start a lesson or even set up materials for the next lesson, pull out a Guess Who? sheet! This getting to know you activity is the perfect way to fill a few extra minutes.
Pull a page from your folder and read a few facts.
I’m very dramatic about it, “This person LOVES sloths and the color green!” Who could it be?
At this point, call on one or two students to make a guess. If they are wrong, read another couple of clues and allow more guesses.
Continue until the class figures out it was!
If you still have a few minutes, you can use the answers from this student to find others who have the same interests! You can ask, “Who else loves sloths?”
This will allow students to see who else in the class has similar interests!
Grab the Freebie Activity!
Get to Know You Activity for Elementary Students Recap
This engaging getting to know you activity for elementary students helps build classroom community in small time chunks throughout the school day.
By using personal fact sheets for a guessing game, teachers can create meaningful connections between students while effectively managing transition periods!
It’s an invaluable tool for fostering a positive classroom environment.
Grab the freebie above!
Have a Few Extra Minutes?
Need more ideas to fill a few extra minutes in the classroom? Check out my post filled with no-prep 5-minute filler activities!
