It is the beginning a new year and for many of us that means . . . fun Catholic ice breakers! I know, I know, ice breakers aren’t always the most exciting things to do, but they are effective. You want to build a community as quickly as possible so you might as well have…
games
The Password Review Game
I’m always on the lookout for fun review games to play with my students. When I first started teaching, I had a group of students who were very into sports and games. They would ask me almost daily if they could play games. I was happy to play more games with them as long as…
The Human Board Game to Review for Exams
This is one of the most fun review games I have used with my students. It is a human board game, because the students become the pieces and create the game board themselves. It is a great way to get students out of their desks and moving around.
“Tic-Tac-Know” the Review Game
Materials needed: 1) three categories of nine questions each (for example, 9 questions about each person of the Trinity). 2) large whiteboard or chalkboard Number of Teams: 2 or divide them by rows Directions: Draw three tic-tac-toe grids on the board and label them according to your three categories. Number each box 1 to 9….
“Guesstures” the Review Game
Materials needed: 1) cards with two vocabulary words Number of Teams: 2 Directions: 1. One member from a team will be given a card with two vocabulary words. Each word will be given different point values based on difficulty. 2. The team representative will have a specific time limit to act-out the word. 3. Other…
Pictionary Vocabulary the Review Game
Materials needed: 1) a list or cards of vocabulary terms and 2) whiteboard, chalkboard, or smart board and markers/chalk Number of Teams: 2 Directions: Each team will take turns sending one “artist” to draw a picture of a vocabulary word given by the teacher. The artist will be given a time limit to draw the…
“Bluff” the Review Game
Materials needed: 1) a list of questions from the study guide (or from the test) 2) note cards, popsickle sticks, etc. with students’ names Number of teams: 2 Directions: Ask the question to the entire team (make sure there is no talking). Students have the option to stand or sit. The teacher will count the…
ZAP! the Review Game
Materials needed: individual papers slips, note cards, sticks, etc. containing questions or vocabulary words one slip, card, stick, etc. as a wild card with a word such as ZAP! or other word related to the unit’s theme bags, baskets, or buckets to hold questions Number of teams: groups of 3 or 4 Directions: Each student…
Review Games – All Play and No Work?
Is it a waste of time to play review games to prepare for tests? “I pray thee, spare thyself at times: for it becomes a wise man sometimes to relax the big pressure of his attention to work” (Augustine, Music, ii, 15). St. Thomas Aquinas uses this quote from St. Augustine to respond to the…
