The 2016 Olympic Games are upon us. Pokemon GO has been sweeping the United States. There is no doubt that games captivate our attention!
As educators we often play games with our students, and many of us say these are some of our most engaging days. So from July 15 to July 24, I invite you to link up your favorite games to use in the classroom! (See the end of this post.) These could be described in blog posts and/or actual products. Please keep the focus on games to play with Grades 7 – 12. Links are placed in random order. After linking up, please provide credit by adding a clickable link back to this website (www.stefbubsclassroom.weebly.com) on a blog post, social media, or on your product page but not your blog or shop itself. Finally, please participate in the spirit of the Olympic games and cheer each other on. Take some time to view other's links that interest you. Support each other by leaving comments, possibly following each other, and voting for your gold, silver, and bronze medal favorites starting July 17th!
...and as they say in Rio, Let the games begin!!!!
As educators we often play games with our students, and many of us say these are some of our most engaging days. So from July 15 to July 24, I invite you to link up your favorite games to use in the classroom! (See the end of this post.) These could be described in blog posts and/or actual products. Please keep the focus on games to play with Grades 7 – 12. Links are placed in random order. After linking up, please provide credit by adding a clickable link back to this website (www.stefbubsclassroom.weebly.com) on a blog post, social media, or on your product page but not your blog or shop itself. Finally, please participate in the spirit of the Olympic games and cheer each other on. Take some time to view other's links that interest you. Support each other by leaving comments, possibly following each other, and voting for your gold, silver, and bronze medal favorites starting July 17th!
...and as they say in Rio, Let the games begin!!!!
Here I are my Top 4 favorite game and game strategies.
Guess What? Graphing Game: This game is modeled after the classic game of Guess Who. It is a 2 player game (that can be modified for 3 players) where players take turns asking yes and no questions to isolate a graph. The first player to guess the other player’s graph wins!
Each player takes their game board and places it in a dry erase sheet protector. Each player chooses a graph for which the other player will guess. Choose who goes first. That person will ask a yes or no question of the other player to try to narrow down the possibilities. As the player is able to eliminate possibilities, they can cross off that graph. Through process of elimination, players will eventually be able to guess which graph was chosen. There is one question per turn. I have a variety of graphs that students can play with including linear, systems of linear equations, and inequalities.
Each player takes their game board and places it in a dry erase sheet protector. Each player chooses a graph for which the other player will guess. Choose who goes first. That person will ask a yes or no question of the other player to try to narrow down the possibilities. As the player is able to eliminate possibilities, they can cross off that graph. Through process of elimination, players will eventually be able to guess which graph was chosen. There is one question per turn. I have a variety of graphs that students can play with including linear, systems of linear equations, and inequalities.
Catch Phrase in the Classroom: In this blog post, I outline how I have used the “hot potato” game of Catch Phrase to practice vocabulary acquisition in my classroom. (However, this can be used in any subject.) Students love to come up with really creative ways to describe the given vocabulary terms. As they play, the teacher can take notes as to what terms they skip (they might need a review of that concept), what are common misconceptions (explain the term wrong or go about the explanation in a very random way), and which ones they describe quickly and accurately (good – they know it and you can move on). This classroom version of Catch Phrase is good for all grade levels and subjects.
Kahoot! I could not get away from Kahoot last year! The structure is simple. The teacher enters multiple choice questions into the Kahoot website. Students use internet enabled devices to answer the questions. The hook is that students can see what their score is after every question, how the score compares to their classmates, and gain immediate feedback for accuracy. Then watch and listen to them beg for more.
Game Board Templates: These templates are one of those things I have stashed away in a cabinet for an emergency. Simply do an image search for “game board templates”, choose your favorite, print them out, laminate, and save for when you need them the most. I have used them mostly in situations where students need a more interactive approach to practicing problems. I provide an accompanying worksheet of problems. For classes that are more cohesive, I let the groups decide on the rules. For less cohesive classes, I dictate the rules. Either way, adding in the competitive nature engages the students that much more in their assignment.