Managing Lesson Time

Need learning activity ideas?

Tarr’s Toolbox, www.classtools.net/blog/

Quick and easy ideas to spice up your lessons, brought to you by @russeltarr. I teach History but many of these ideas will be transferable to other subjects too!

Structured Lessons Maximize Class No Matter the Length of Time

Whatever the length of your allotted class time, high school teachers have 180 days over the span of 40 to 45 weeks on average. In all cases, class durations reflect the diversity in scheduling practices across high schools, each aiming to balance instructional time, student engagement, and curriculum requirements.

"As teachers, it is up to us to maximize our teaching time."

In the United States, the length of high school classes can vary widely based on the scheduling model a school adopts. Here are six common class lengths typically observed:

1. 50–60 minutes: This duration is common in schools that use a six-period day, where students attend each class every day of the school week. This model allows for a balanced distribution of time among subjects throughout the day.

2. 45–52 minutes: Many high schools follow a seven-period day, with slightly shorter classes to accommodate an additional period. This approach helps diversify the subjects students can take each day.

3. 40–48 minutes: In an eight-period day, class periods are usually shorter to fit all classes into the daily schedule. This model is designed to allow students to take more subjects within a single school day.

4. 90–120 minutes: Block scheduling, such as the 4x4 block or A/B block schedules, involves fewer but longer class periods. Students might have four classes each day, each lasting around 90 minutes, and these classes typically alternate every other day.

5.  80–100 minutes: Similar to the block scheduling model, some schools use an A/B block schedule where students attend different sets of classes on alternating days. This model allows for extended class periods which can be beneficial for in-depth learning and project-based activities.

6.  42 minutes or less: In schools with nine-period days, class periods are very short, typically around 42 minutes. This model is less common and is often seen in schools that offer a wide variety of electives and specialized courses within a constrained time frame.

Directions

Use the drop-down window from the Managing Lesson Time option in the menu bar. Choose 45-, 60-, 90, or 120-minute lesson classes for ideas when planning your lessons according to the time your school has scheduled. Don't forget the subject standard(s) in your lesson!