Every Minute Matters [Grades K-5]

40+ Activities for Literacy-Rich Classroom Transitions

“‘Bell-to-bell teaching’ can be full of variety and delight, and Molly Ness offers teachers of all grade levels a huge assist here with her trove of concrete, wide-ranging activities to enhance and lighten the hard work of any class. My favorites are the Reading Graffiti and Sticky Sort, and her conversational style leaves even a seasoned teacher reminded of old favorites like ‘Hink Pinks’ and recommitted to use every moment we have with our young ones. I will be recommending this book widely.”

“Have you been looking for sensible ways to enrich and energize your transition times? Stop searching and simply turn these pages! In Every Minute Matters, Molly Ness has carefully curated a menu of literacy-linked ideas that will engage learners and maximize instructional time. Once you start using Ness’s ideas, your students will surely be asking for more.”

“Molly Ness is a fierce advocate for literacy, dedicated to amplifying and improving the learning lives of children everywhere. In Every Minute Matters, Ness continues this vital mission. I greatly appreciate that this smart, practical resource is centered on a common challenge: it often feels like there’s never enough time. The included explanation of ‘time audits’ helps readers prepare to rethink current practices and uncover hidden minutes. Ness then provides forty practical learning routines to make each ‘found’ minute matter. Perhaps what I most appreciate is the joy and playfulness inherent in each research-supported suggestion! The flexible instructional practices detailed throughout the book are a powerful antidote to worksheets and workbooks. Additionally, in the Minute Mentor feature, Ness points readers in the direction of where they can find more, read more, learn more, and do more. I am confident this multifaceted resource will be well-loved by hardworking educators as they rethink and reimagine the infinite opportunities for meaningful, integrated literacy learning that could be tucked into every day.”

“Molly Ness has written a book that belongs in every teacher’s hands. Through both cited and her own research, she reminds us of the importance of instructional minutes. Maybe even more important, she challenges readers to consider how they spend their time, and she provides authentic, relevant, and fun activities that are so much more than time fillers. Every activity has a specific purpose and explanation, and she has designed them to fit into and enhance the structure of our students’ learning lives. This book is not only valuable and practical for enhancing instruction, it will bring fun and joy into classrooms!”

“Every Minute Matters is loaded with practical activities that teachers can use to insert meaningful literacy instruction into those precious minutes otherwise lost to transitions. But this is so much more than an activity book. It’s a guide to reflecting upon how we use our students’ most precious resource: time.”

“Every Minute Matters is a tremendous resource for educators looking to enhance their literacy curriculum and provide purposeful instruction. Dr. Molly Ness has expertly curated an engaging catalog of games and activities to support the development of a child’s reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. I’ve already found a few favorites my students love!”