Simple Ten-Minute Lesson Plans for Students

Whether you are a teacher or a parent, you may have noticed that kids don’t seem to have the best attention span nowadays. And who can blame them? In this world of technology, we all tend to break out our phones if we are even slightly bored for more than 30 seconds. 

 

Here at iAchieve, we offer professional tutors to help keep kids on task and actively learning. We also supply music lessons to those interested in learning an instrument to help them focus better during an extended period. But sometimes, the key is to provide the children with short lessons that will work with their limited attention span instead of fighting against it. 

 

With this in mind, here are some simple ten-minute lesson plans you can do with your kids in or out of the classroom that will be short enough to keep them interested but long enough to educate them on something important.

 

Map Skills

It is pretty startling that many kids can’t even find the country they live in on a world map. For a quick ten-minute lesson, ask the children to see the basics on a map, such as naming the oceans, countries, directions of north, south, east, and west, and things of that nature. 

 

If you want them to learn about their town a little better, you can even use Google Maps and explore the place they live through an aerial or street view. 

 

Challenge the Kids

As a Reading Specialist, my students always loved this quick lesson. We would choose six letters and then individually write down all the words we can create from those letters. The person who makes the most terms correctly will win a simple prize like a piece of candy or five minutes of extra time on their computer device. 

 

Writing Prompts

Kids must learn to love to write early and often. When they are older, they will not think of writing as a chore they must do for school. Instead, it will be viewed as a chance to display their creativity. 

 

With short writing prompts, kids can create stories just based on a brief intro. For instance: 

• I thought I heard a noise in the middle of the night and …
• My family decided to take a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and so we jumped in the car and headed to …
• If I could go back in time, I would want to …
• When I think about what I want to be when I get older, I usually see myself as …

This writing should provide the kids an exciting topic that they can delve into for at least ten minutes!

 

Discuss Unusual Pieces of History

The old saying that truth is stranger than fiction is entirely correct. There are plenty of unusual stories in history that can be discussed. If you can tie the topic to something they are interested in, it will keep their attention even better. 

 

Math Problems

To tighten up their math skills, provide the children ten math problems that they should remember how to complete as a quick refresher. This may mean problems as easy as long addition or complicated equations. 

 

Become Inventors

The television show Shark Tank has been on for over ten years, and the premise of the program is much like this lesson plan. All children are interested in creating a new invention and imagining millions around the world using their brainchild. Adults like to think they can do the same. 

 

Ask the kids what problems around the world they would like to solve. It may be minor problems such as things that bother them in their household or larger ones that deal with climate or hunger issues. Once the problem is identified, have them figure out a solution to the point. Maybe they can create a company or a device that will solve the problem for many worldwide!

 

Create a Work of Art

Some of the most well-known pieces of art didn’t take a long time to create. Many masterpieces were completed in under half an hour. Provide the kids with a few art supplies and see what they can do in ten minutes! 

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