Passing the time

Today, I tried just passing the time in my classes.  I would not care so much about what happened in the classroom as whether or not it was sufficiently entertaining and engaging enough for the students to behave while imprisoned within those four walls.  This does not mean merely turning on a movie and telling everyone to sit back and enjoy.  Neither does it involve giving them worksheets which they must do or else.  It does involve a little discipline, a little lecture, a little razzle dazzle, a little undirected chat but it must all take place within the confines of those four walls while students sit obediently in desks getting up only to sharpen a pencil and leaving the room only with permission.