By December, we’re all running on fumes—trust me, I’ve been there! In this episode of The Secondary Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing my three favorite low-prep classroom games that keep middle and high school students genuinely engaged (without the extra work, guilt, or endless slide decks).

If you juggle multiple preps and are looking for classroom management ideas, student engagement strategies, or simple routines to beat the holiday chaos, these games are your shortcut to less stress and more connection.

I’ll show you exactly how “Would You Rather,” Taboo, and adapted board games can boost learning and cut down on your prep time—so you can finally breathe easy in December and set yourself up for an easier January. Hit play and let’s thrive together!

Too many preps and not enough time? Let’s make your planning period actually work for you.

Need a fast mid-year teaching reset? Try my 10-Minute Teacher Reset Tool — a free AI-powered assistant that helps you simplify one system in 10 minutes or less: https://khristenmassic.com/10minute

Get the Planning Period Reset Toolkit—a free set of quick-start tools to help you protect your time, focus faster, and finally finish something… even during chaotic school days. https://khristenmassic.com/reset 

Grab the Warm-Up Wizard--A free Ai Teaching Assistant that will create all your class warm-ups for the week in less than 5 minutes: https://khristenmassic.com/wizard

Shop my Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Khristen-Massic-Cte-Teacher-Coach