As the new school year begins, teachers are no doubt looking for fun ways to review what students already know, build on background knowledge, and keep students engaged while doing so. Classroom review games can be a great way to do just this. So, what games can educators choose that won’t waste anyone’s time? There are many options out there today. These include both online and in-person games. The following are great tools to use virtually and face-to-face.
Classroom Review Games Online
As most students have technology readily available to them, online review games are a great option to work into the daily or weekly classroom schedule. Check out these online resources that provide review games that are both quality and fun!
Kahoot
Many educators are already familiar with this site and use it as a go-to for fun classroom review. The site is a platform that allows teachers to create quizzes, games and even polls. Students are able to sign in and get feedback in real-time. Creating a review game is quick and easy for teachers. Questions and answers appear on a projected shared screen so that students can see how they are doing compared to classmates, creating some friendly competition.
Teachers can adjust a timer option and assign certain games to certain students. What’s neat is that the game can host lots of students at once, 40 per game! This is great for upper elementary grades which are sometimes packed. One additional perk, the basic version is free.
Quizizz
This is another handy platform that has many tools for making reviews engaging and interactive. Teachers are able to use this site to create lessons, assign tasks and homework, assign assessments and interact with their students. The platform is pretty easy to navigate and allows students to access quizzes simultaneously. Most features are free, which is always a bonus.
Quizlet Live
Quizlet Live is another great way to provide online curriculum review to students. The site has tons of games that will help students review vocabulary and build on their word processing skills. It is basically an online flashcard creation tool. It allows students to study particular vocabulary words with flashcards, definitions, and matching quizzes. Quizlet Live is a competition where teams can compete to complete matching activities. Students join with a live code and the teacher is able to watch the participants as they answer. The teamwork element allows for collaboration and communication amongst students. This platform is another free resource that can help students review content in an exciting way.
In-Person Review Games
While online games for review in the classroom are easy and fun, working in some in-person, hands-on review is also good. There are so many review activities that have been done in the classroom. As decades of good teaching have progressed, these have been passed along from teacher to teacher. Some of them are classics, and some are new and exciting ways to review. Check out these in-person review games that are productive and fun!
Family Feud
This classroom review game is similar to the real-life, adult version of the game show Family Feud. In this review game, the classroom is divided into two teams. One member of each team goes up against one from the other team to answer a review question of the teachers choosing. If the question is answered correctly, their team earns a point. The rest of the “family” then joins in to answer questions. The team with the most points wins!
Headbands
This game is super fun for kids. It keeps the laughs going while activating the schema of students. To play, students place a Post-It note with a review term on their heads. The students may not look at the word. The game’s goal is for the students to figure out what the term on their heads is. Teammates can give students hints and definitions of the term. The student with the term on their head gets approximately 20-30 seconds to guess the term. This is an upbeat and fun way to review with students.
Ball Toss
Another super simple way to review in class is to utilize a game called Ball Toss. In this game, teachers can use any ball to record various questions on the ball. A beach ball works well; it is large and easy to catch and write questions on. Students gather in a circle, toss the ball to one another, and answer questions as they catch the ball. Typically, students answer the question that one of their thumbs land on. After answering, students pass the ball to someone else.
Educators are always looking for new and exciting ways to make learning successful and fun. In an effort to make the review exciting, try some of the activities in this article. They are sure to engage students, avoid boredom, and help activate and build on schema. Try these activities this year, and before you know it, your kids will be pros at review!
Educators never stop learning; check out our available graduate degree programs to hone your skills and promote lifelong learning and academic excellence.
