Classroom management in middle school takes on a whole new level. You’ve got kiddos going through all different sorts of emotional development and you’ve got a big workload to get through. One of the most important aspects of middle school is a strong, positive, and educational classroom environment. The only way to do this is to have about a million different ways to grab your student’s attention in your teacher toolbox.
Thankfully, the experts here at Teaching Expertise have come up with 36 different attention grabbers to add to your teacher toolbox for the upcoming year! So grab a notebook, sit back and enjoy this comprehensive list that might just save you this year.
1. Old Reliable
When it comes to good ol’ fashion attention getters, your kiddos may respond best to these. Used for generations, these are some of the best call and responses out there.
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2. You — Them
These back and forth attention getters are so much fun for really any age. Your younger middle schoolers will love them, while your older middle schoolers might take a bit more convincing. But when it comes down to it they’ll most likely respond.
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3. Middle School Spanish
There’s nothing better than bringing a little foreign language into the classroom. Even if it’s not a Spanish class, it might spark more interest in your kiddos to hear a different language. Especially in upper elementary.
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4. Bell Ringers
If you’re looking for fresh attention getters, try these bell ringers. These are extremely creative class attention-getters that your students will be super excited about. They’re not crazy expensive and can be used for different groups!
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5. KiKi Do You Love Me?
This is just a simple example of potential attention getters. Try learning your middle school students’ favorite song and make up your own attention getters! This totally goes across grade levels.
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6. Kid in Charge
Giving your kiddos more responsibility in middle school is great for their growth mindset. Teaching them how to gain student attention is a great way to motivate others to pay attention. In most cases, they will pay attention to other students because they want them to pay attention when it’s their turn.
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7. Nonverbal Attention Getters
When you find sounds that your students respond to best, you are able to avoid various situations of frustration for them. These wind chimes are a basic level of noise but can be heard at all noise levels.
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8. Eyes, Eyes, Dab, Dab
Introducing student interests as educational resources are both a special talent and very much a praised talent. Not only will your students love this classroom management tool, but other teachers will also absolutely love to try it out.
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9. Acronyms
Acronyms are a great tool that you can use to gain control over a noisy classroom. These shortened phrases will prove most useful with your middle schoolers and even your high schoolers. As long as your learners have a total understanding of each acronym, this method should work wonders.
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10. Give Me Five
Give me five is a traditional and very empowering attention-getter. Your students will quickly catch onto this game and it will quickly take control of noise levels throughout the classroom.
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11. Watch and Learn
This video will help you to learn a few different attention getters and how to implement them in the classroom. These attention getter ideas will work in any middle school classroom and your students will love them.
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12. Middle School Attention Getter Ideas
Check out how well these grab student attention. Finding commonly used radio ads or catchy sounds that are often overused, and letting students react the way they’d like is a great way to get students’ attention.
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13. Jokes on Jokes
Grabbing students’ attention with different jokes might be the best way to build a stronger classroom. Your students will be looking forward to giving you their attention because they love your jokes.
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14. Make Your Own!
Students will love making their own call and response up. You could even put them in groups and see who can create the best one! Have them put it on a poster and hang it up on your classroom walls.
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15. Choir Class Hits Differently
Choir classroom ideas are sometimes hard to come by, but they’re never less than the most creative. Incorporate some of these attention grabbers into your choir class this upcoming year.
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16. Final Brain Cell
Get out of the negative classroom culture and bring in student-centered ideas! Your students will love how much you incorporate their feelings into their classroom.
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17. CHAMPS
When your classroom gets a bit too noisy, teach your kiddos “CHAMPS”. This is the ideal school motto for middle schoolers. Use it as an attention-getter by yelling it out and reminding students how they become “CHAMPS”.
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18. The Circle
If you have issues getting your kiddo’s attention, it might be time to introduce the circle. Giving your kiddos a safe space to share and care might just help brighten up their school spirit.
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19. Proximity Control
Using the method of proximity control to your advantage will help your students stay focused and on task. It can be a nonverbal form of an attention-getter. You’re able to focus it on certain students who are off-task or unable to get their attention focused.
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20. Cereal Grabbers
Use different cereal slogans in order to help grab students’ attention! This will definitely get your students not only excited about being in the classroom but also talking about cereal.
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21. If You Can Hear Me Clap…
This is a well-known attention-getter in cultures throughout the world. Trust me, I taught in Thailand for just under 2 years and I quickly learned to say this one in Thai. Therefore, you should always have this one up your sleeve in any classroom.
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22. Match Me
This one is so much fun because you can literally make it as silly, crazy, or serious as you want. It’s totally up to the school teacher how your kids are going to react to you. Which makes it quite the special attention grabber.
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23. Waterfall Fingers
I would say when it comes to middle school, this one will probably work up through fifth grade. If it still grabs student attention after that, then keep going but don’t push it. This one is super fun and mimics the flat tire attention grabber that they most likely learned in their elementary years.
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24. Stand Up, Sit Down Game
Honestly, this one is another prized attention grabber to have in your teacher toolbox. Here, teachers can both provide students with a little brain break, while also helping them to refocus their bodies.
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25. Classss, Yesss
Class, yes is a tough one. It works with some groups of kiddos and it doesn’t work with others. This one really depends on the other rewards systems built into the classroom. In some cases though, it definitely works and it’s certainly worth a shot!
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26. Round of Applause
Purchasing an applause button will surely bring your classroom environment to a whole new level. Use this button as an attention grabber and have students clap along when they hear it. Not only will it gain their attention, but will also help them to focus themselves and get back to their seats.
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27. Countdown
The good ol’ fashion countdown almost always works. It may not be the most excited or fun, but it works. You could spice it up by having your kiddos join in as you count down. This will help to give them time to finish up their activities and center themselves.
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28. Clapping Pattern
By middle school, all of the students should essentially know how this one works. Basically, start with a clapping pattern and continue with it until all of the students are clapping along and ready to learn.
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29. TV Favorites
Movie quotes of all times can be integrated into the classroom. Not only can they be integrated, but your students will also love them! The parents might also get a kick out of them.
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30. Quiet Light
Use a flashlight or some other light-up object to get students to quiet down and pay attention. You can even teach them morse code using it! Students will love the entire idea of this and you’ll love the fact that it’s totally nonverbal.
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31. Classroom Signs
These will most definitely still work with the older kids. To be honest, in most cases, you’ll quickly find the entire class responds well to these. Purchase already made ones, create your own funny school signs, OR have students make some!
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32. Purchase Some Chimes
Chimes are known to align students’ minds and bodies. They’re a great addition to any classroom. They can also be used as an attention getter. The sounds can pretty much be heard from anywhere in the classroom and students should respond pretty well to this sound.
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33. Signal Light
An upgrade from just the regular old flashlight, this game light will spark up ANY classroom. Not only is it good for actual game days, but it’s also great for getting attention. It comes with various sounds and light colors. Making it totally universal in the classroom.
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34. Emergency Chicken
Add this one to the fun list because your kiddos will have a seriously good time with these noises. If your students are sensitive to loud noises and don’t respond well to a call and response, then break out the chicken noises.
Pro tip: You can play different animal noises directly from your phone if you don’t have this purchase in the budget this year.
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35. Positive Energy Button
Last but certainly not least is the Positive Energy Button. This one is amazing because it not only helps grab your students’ attention, it also perks everyone up. Hit it once to grab everyone’s attention and then play a few more positive affirmations! Everyone can repeat them together to build up a positive classroom environment.
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