Grabbing is the method by which a instructor gets the attention of his/her students.
Mr. Beam demonstrated this by using the word "Washburn" and the staff shouting back "Tech". Below is a list of other possible ideas.
1. Put a humorous drawing on the board or on the overhead or give your students chalk and have them draw a sketch on the board of some of the facts of the lesson. You could also ask the right-handers to use their left hands and vice versa. Asking blindfolded students to draw some of the facts from the lesson also helps focus their attention.
2. Use Christmas tree lights or other colored bulbs to spotlight a part of the lesson.
3. Use music. Play raucous music or ask your students to identify sounds from a tape. Play bits and pieces of songs for students to put together to make sense of the lesson for the day. You can even sing to your students or have them sing to you.
4. Counting down from five to one will alert even the most mature students that they need to focus on you, and not on their classmates or daydreams.
5. Turn the lights low to signal a change of pace.
6. Raise your hand and require students to follow and as they do they stop talking