Why the First and Last 5 Minutes of Class Are So Important to Learning

Did you know that how you begin and end your class can have one of the biggest impacts on what students remember? 

Psychology research shows that people are most likely to retain information presented at the beginning and end of a learning session. Known as the primacy and recency effect, this principle highlights that students’ minds are freshest at the start and most reflective at the close (Dixon, 2018; Greene et al., 2000). The middle of class is important too — but by intentionally structuring the opening and closing minutes, you can greatly enhance engagement, learning, and retention. 

Too often, these moments slip by unnoticed. Picture this: students trickle in, you greet a few, get the computer running, and then say, “Today we’re going to talk about cardiology.” At the end, you’re rushing through the last slides or asking for questions while everyone waits, eager to bolt out the door. Sound familiar? 

The good news is that small changes at the start and end of class can make a big difference. Below are some principles and practical strategies to help you make the most of these crucial moments.

Start of Class

The first minutes set the emotional and intellectual tone of the session. When planned with intention, they prime students for deeper learning. 

Principles:

• Set the Stage and the Hook
• Tone: Students mirror the energy you bring. If you show up disorganized or disengaged, you’ll likely see the same. Aim for welcoming, focused, and enthusiastic.
• Hook: Begin with something that captures attention — a thought-provoking question, case scenario, video clip, or quick problem tied directly to the day’s topic.
• Activate Prior Knowledge
  Connect new material to what students already know to help them build bridges between past learning and today’s concepts.
• Establish a Routine
  Consistency at the start helps create predictability and focus. A short, purposeful activity within the first 5 minutes sets the expectation that learning begins right away.
• Keep It Varied
  Rotate strategies so openings feel fresh and engaging. Some days, skip an activity and simply connect through conversation. 

Practical Ideas:

• Do Now activity: Something students begin immediately on arrival, such as answering a question or noting symptoms in a short video clip.
• Retrieval activity: Quick recall of prior material — for example, a two-minute “brain dump” of everything remembered about a past topic.
• Warm-up activity: Prepare for the new lesson with a short task, like listing cardiac exam steps before starting a cardiology session.

End of Class

Just like the beginning, the final minutes are powerful. They consolidate learning and leave students with a sense of accomplishment. 

Principles:

• Promote Retention through Summarization
  Encourage students to reflect, synthesize, or demonstrate key points to reinforce learning.
• Connect Prior and New Learning
  Reinforce links between what was just taught and what students already know.
• Foster Reflection and Metacognition
  Guide students to consider what they understood clearly and what remains uncertain.
• Provide Closure and Accomplishment
  Purposeful endings boost confidence and motivation, sending students out on a positive note. 

Practical Ideas:

• One-minute paper: Write one important or new thing learned.
• Muddiest point: Note what was least clear or most confusing.
• Knowledge survey: Use polling tools to rate understanding from “don’t understand” to “understand fully.”
• Reflection questions: Ask, “How will today’s lesson help you recognize cardiac disease in a patient?” or “How does today’s material connect to what you learned earlier?”
• Thinking routine: Have students complete, “I used to think…, but now I think…” (see Harvard’s Thinking Routines).

Summary

The first and last few minutes of class aren’t just transitions — they are prime time for learning. By intentionally structuring these moments, you can capture attention, spark curiosity, reinforce key ideas, and leave students feeling confident about their progress.

Try this: choose one new opening and one new closing activity to experiment with this week. You may be surprised by how much more your students engage — and how much more they remember.

References 

Angelo, A. A., & Cross, K. P.(1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. (2ed.). Jossey-Bass. 

Borya, A. (2023, August 25). 14 Effective opening and closing routines for teachers. Eductopia.https://www.edutopia.org/article/14-effective-opening-and-closing-routines-for-teachers/ 

Dixon, T. (2018, November 18). Key study: The primary and recency effects (Glanzer and Cunitz, 1966). Thematic Education.   https://www.themantic-education.com/ibpsych/2018/11/18/key-study-multi-store-model-the-primacy-and-recency-effects/ 

Ertel, P. (2025, June 25). Make the first and last minutes of class count. Harvard Business Impact. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/effective-class-openers-closers 

Finley, T. (2015, December 15). 22 Powerful closure activities. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/22-powerful-closure-activities-todd-finley?qt-edu_blogs_popular_sidebar=2 

Greene, A. J., Prepscius, C., & Levy, W. B. (2000). Primacy versus recency in a quantitative model: activity is the critical distinction. Learning & memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), 7(1), 48–57. https://doi.org/10.1101/lm.7.1.48 

McPhillips, K. (2025, June 27). Guiding students to lead opening and closing activities. Eductopia.https://www.edutopia.org/article/guiding-students-lead-opening-closing-activities/ 

Top strategies for an effective start to your class: Enhancing learning and classroom management.https://www.jeremyajorgensen.com/top-strategies-for-an-effective-start-to-your-class-enhancing-learning-and-classroom-management/