Block Scheduling Tips for Secondary ELA: A Survival Guide

When I first started teaching, I worked at a school with a traditional 7-period day and 46-minute class periods. I was completely accustomed to that fast-paced rhythm. But when I transitioned to a new school system using a 90-minute block schedule, panic set in.

How would I fill that much time with instruction?

How would I keep middle and high school students engaged for an hour and a half?

If you are transitioning to block scheduling, you might be feeling that exact same anxiety. Fortunately, over many years of teaching secondary ELA, I’ve learned to truly love this schedule—and you can, too. Below are my top practical strategies for pacing, classroom management, and keeping students engaged during long class periods.

1. Vary Your Instructional Strategies

Whether your periods are 80, 90, or 100 minutes long, block classes require variety. It is not productive to lecture for the entire period. In fact, research indicates that direct instruction should be capped:

• 15 minutes for middle school students
• 20 minutes for high school students.

Varying activities is especially critical for students with ADHD who struggle during long periods. While AP English Literature students might thrive in extended roundtable discussions and science classes need longer lab times, most ELA lessons require frequent shifts in momentum.

Pro Tip: Structure your daily routine into a predictable pattern: Opening Activity ⇒ Mini-Lesson ⇒ Guided Practice ⇒ Independent Practice ⇒ Closure.

2. Peak Into a 90-Minute ELA Lesson Plan

Here is a breakdown of how a typical Monday unfolds in my high school English classroom:

•  (20 min): Warm-Up & Discussion. Relevant journal entry (5–7 min writing), peer sharing, and whole-class discussion.
•  (5 min): Agenda & Objectives. Review daily learning targets, success criteria, and announcements.
•  (15 min): Direct Instruction. Short PowerPoint presentation on a grammar or literary concept.
•  (20 min): Guided Practice. Whole-class modeling or small-group practice.
•  (20 min): Independent Practice. Individual application of the target skill.
•  (5 min): Exit Ticket / Closure. Quick check for understanding.
•  (5 min): Pack Up & Transitions. Cleaning up and preparing for the next class.

3. Master Classroom Transitions

Smooth transitions are essential for effective classroom management during long blocks.

• Use Visual and Audio Timers: Set a timer on your interactive board or phone to keep both you and your students on track.
• Maximize Bell Ringers: Allocate 5 to 10 minutes for anticipation guides or journals.
• Incorporate Cues: For middle school, clear visual or auditory cues (clapping patterns, light shifts) help reset student focus between tasks.

4. Pace Your ELA Curriculum in “Chunks”

Pacing an entire semester on a block schedule requires chunking your planning into daily, weekly, monthly, and unit goals:

• Map the Semester Calendar: Mark standardized testing, holidays, pep rallies, and half-days early on. Keep in mind that students are often distracted before dances, spirit weeks, or big rival games.
• Over-Plan Lessons: It is much easier to cut a planned activity short than to improvise 15 extra minutes in the middle of a block period.
• Establish Weekly Anchor Days: Simplify planning by assigning specific activities to set days (e.g., Silent Sustained Reading on Tuesdays, Grammar Focus on Mondays).

5. Incorporate Physical Movement

Teens and tweens aren’t built to sit at a desk for 90 minutes straight. Keep energy levels steady with movement-based ELA activities:

• Gallery Walks & Carousel Activities: Get students up and analyzing texts posted around the room.
• Station Rotation: Divide complex tasks into 15-minute stations.
• Interactive ELA Games: Use high-engagement formats like Trashketball, Speed Dating for book reviews, or Conga Line poetry readings.

6. Change the Setting & Utilize Support Staff

Don’t limit learning to the four walls of your classroom:

• Visit the Media Center: Partner with your media specialist for book tastings or research days.
• Head Outdoors: Take advantage of warm weather for outdoor silent reading or creative writing.
• Support Neurodiverse Learners: For students with attentional challenges, assign active roles like distributing materials or taking attendance to give them a natural brain break.

7. Leverage Cooperative Learning Structures

Longer blocks provide the perfect environment for collaborative learning without feeling rushed. Build classroom community using:

• Think-Pair-Share & Turn-and-Talks: Allows students to process thoughts prior to whole-group sharing.
• Jigsaw Method: Assign home groups and expert groups for accountability during dense reading passages.
• Socratic Seminars & Literature Circles: Ideal for deep dives into novels and non-fiction texts.

8. Plan Meaningful Tasks for Early Finishers

Avoid letting early finishers drift into distraction by having meaningful enrichment ready:

• Passion Projects / Genius Hour
• Creative Writing Contests
• Independent Reading Goals

Note: It’s a good idea to check that required assignments are fully completed and quality work is submitted before giving students enrichment activities.

Final Thoughts

Transitioning to a block schedule can feel daunting at first. However, once you master pacing and activity shifts, you may find it hard to ever go back to a 45-minute period!

How long are class periods at your school? What are your favorite block scheduling strategies? Let me know in the comments below!