Why the First Five Minutes Matter

Every teacher knows the chaos of the first few minutes of class. Students file in, conversations carry over from the hallway, and attention is scattered. Without a clear structure, those minutes disappear—and with them, valuable instructional time.

That’s where the Do Now comes in. A Do Now is a short, structured task at the very start of class. It’s designed to focus students immediately, transition them into learning, and reinforce content or skills. Research shows that classroom routines significantly increase time-on-task and decrease disruptive behavior (Marzano, 2003). Doug Lemov, in Teach Like a Champion, even calls the Do Now a “cornerstone” of effective lesson design.

But not all Do Nows are created equal. Too often they become “busy work,” disconnected from learning goals. The difference between a filler activity and a powerful instructional tool is intentional design. Below are five proven strategies to make a Do Now that truly works.

1. Retrieval Practice Questions

One of the simplest and most powerful Do Now ideas is a short retrieval practice task. Instead of re-teaching yesterday’s lesson, ask students to recall it.

Example: Three quick questions on yesterday’s science experiment or two math problems applying yesterday’s formula.
Why it works: Retrieval practice has been shown to strengthen long-term learning more than re-reading or passive review (Roediger & Butler, 2011).
In practice: A middle school teacher I observed used “Two Questions and a Challenge” every day. Students answered two review questions and one slightly more advanced application problem. By the time the bell rang, the class was quiet, focused, and primed for new learning.

2. 3-2-1 Reflection

This simple structure guides students to quickly summarize and reflect.

Format:
- 3 things they learned from yesterday’s lesson
- 2 questions they still have
- 1 connection to something outside of class
Why it works: Reflection activities support metacognition and formative assessment (Núñez-Peña, Bono, & Suárez-Pellicioni, 2017). Teachers get an immediate snapshot of what stuck, what’s confusing, and how students are connecting ideas.
Variation: In English Language Arts, a teacher might have students write 3 observations about a character, 2 predictions, and 1 theme connection.

3. Vocabulary in Context

Vocabulary work makes for an excellent Do Now, especially in content-heavy subjects. Instead of rote memorization, students apply terms in meaningful ways.

Example prompts:
- Use yesterday’s vocab word in a sentence about your own life.
- Draw a quick sketch of today’s new term.
- Match a word to its definition in context.
Why it works: Vocabulary knowledge strongly predicts reading comprehension and overall academic success (Cervetti, Wright, & Hwang, 2015). Embedding terms in authentic contexts deepens understanding.
Real classroom use: A social studies teacher I worked with displayed one key term on the board each day. Students had to use it in a sentence related to current events. Within weeks, students were using academic vocabulary in discussions without prompting.

4. Do Now with Data or Stimulus

Sometimes the most engaging way to start class is with a puzzle or problem. A stimulus—like a graph, diagram, or short quote—can spark curiosity and set the stage for deeper inquiry.

Examples:
- Science: Show a diagram of cell division, ask “What’s happening here?”
- Social studies: Display a political cartoon, ask “What message is the artist sending?”
- ELA: Share a one-sentence excerpt, ask “What tone do you notice?”
Why it works: Stimulus-based tasks encourage critical thinking and activate prior knowledge (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). They also align well with state test formats, giving students authentic practice.

5. Quick Write or Opinion Poll

When you want to spark energy and engagement, give students something to react to.

Format: Present a statement, ask students to agree/disagree, and justify in two sentences.
Examples:
- Math: “Zero is an even number.” Agree or disagree?
- ELA: “Romeo and Juliet made their own choices. Fate wasn’t to blame.”
- Social studies: “Voting should be mandatory.”
Why it works: Quick writes promote writing fluency, argumentation, and active participation (Graham & Perin, 2007). Even reluctant writers can manage two sentences, and it primes the whole class for discussion.

A Teacher’s Story: From Chaos to Calm

During my first year teaching 8th grade science, the opening minutes of class were my biggest struggle. Students trickled in, side conversations erupted, and by the time I got everyone settled, I’d lost nearly ten minutes.

A mentor suggested I try a Do Now. I started small: three review questions on the board each day. The change was immediate. Students walked in knowing exactly what to do. Conversations dropped, pencils came out, and within two weeks, I had reclaimed nearly 50 minutes of instructional time each week—an entire class period.

It wasn’t just about quieting the room. Those daily retrieval questions also boosted quiz scores. Students remembered more, asked sharper questions, and built confidence. The Do Now transformed the rhythm of my classroom.

Conclusion: The Power of Starting Strong

The first five minutes of class set the tone for everything that follows. A well-designed Do Now isn’t filler—it’s an instructional routine that builds focus, reinforces learning, and maximizes time. Whether through retrieval practice, reflection, vocabulary, data analysis, or quick writes, the Do Now is a small shift with outsized impact.

Strong classrooms don’t happen by accident. They’re built on intentional routines. A powerful Do Now ensures every class begins with purpose—and that makes all the difference.

References

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
Cervetti, G. N., Wright, T. S., & Hwang, H. (2015). Conceptual coherence, comprehension, and vocabulary acquisition: A knowledge‐based approach. Reading and Writing, 29(4), 761–779. Springer.
Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools. Alliance for Excellent Education. Report PDF.
Marzano, R. J. (2003). Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher. ASCD.
Núñez-Peña, M. I., Bono, R., & Suárez-Pellicioni, M. (2017). Feedback on students’ performance: How does it influence learning? Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1724. Frontiers.
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20–27. Elsevier.

The Rooted Report

5 Ways to Make a Do Now That Actually Works