Use the 3 Before Me rule.
�When students have a procedural question that’s not related to instruction, teach them to ask three other students before they ask you. It’s a great way to get students the information they need without having to say “Yes, I said you can get a drink right now. Yes, you can read your book when you’re done,” over and over again. ��If you model and practice this effectively, then the next time a student asks “What are we doing right now?” you can simply smile and hold up 3 fingers.
@BobbieGrennier