Games that Teach Stephanie Williams Travis High School August 13, 2008

Games….. Assist with classroom management. (student responses) Aide in memorizing facts. Provide a positive environment for students to practice skills. Allow students to apply knowledge in a variety of formats. Provide an alternative assessment for evaluating student learning. How do games teach?

Before you play a game Things to address:  Student behavior  Teacher expectations  Result of off task behavior  Format for the game( grouping, timeline, locations, rotations, etc)

Red Light -- Green Light (stoplight) Instructional Purpose: Classroom management Monitor Student Learning Time: Continuous Number of Players: Entire Class Resources: Response Cards in Red and Green Directions: Students are given a two-sided response card. Throughout the lesson students use these cards to identify their level of understanding.

Let’s Practice I love Houston weather. Football is my favorite sport. If x + 7 = 10, then x = 3 Angle bisector?

Memory Instructional Purpose: 1) Memorization (facts, formulas, pictures to words) 2) Skills Practice Time: 10 minutes Number of Players: 1 to 3 (most effective with 2) Resources: Memory Cards Memory Picture taken from Memory is a Milton Bradley game.

Memory Directions: 1)Choose two cards and decide if they are a match. 2)If they are a match, keep them and choose again. 3)If they do not match, turn them over, and the next player chooses two cards. 4)Play continues until all cards are matched. 5)The winner is the player who gets the most matches. Memory Picture taken from Memory is a Milton Bradley game.

Let’s Play 3 Examples: 1)Geometry—Circles 2)ESL—Body Parts 3)Science—IONS

Follow the Leader Instructional Purpose: Higher level questioning strategy. (Students use Bloom’s to select questions.) Time: Continuous Number of Players: All students (most effective whole class) Resources: Bloom’s Poster

Follow the Leader -- Bloom’s Taxonomy Directions: 1)The teacher presents the class with a problem and names the leader. 2)The leader chooses a Bloom’s level and asks a question. After asking the question, the leader calls on a student to answer their question. 3)The student who is called on will answer and ask another student a question using their selected level of Bloom’s. 4)This process continues until the problem is complete.

Sample Problem Classify this triangle by its angles.

I Spy Instructional Purpose: Apply knowledge in varied formats. Time: minutes Number of Players: All students (most effective whole class)

I Spy Directions: Using the rules of the old game: 1)One student says: “ I spy ____” 2)Students stand when they have a guess. 3)When the answer is revealed, that student continues the game: “ I spy _____”. 4)The game continues until all problems are completed.

Samples C:\Documents and Settings\stephanie.williams\Deskt op\I SPY.doc I Spy--capital city.doc

Showdown (War) Instructional Purpose: Problem Solving Practice. Time: 10 minutes Number of Players: 2 to 6 Resources: Task Cards White Boards, Markers Showdown: taken from Laura Candler at

Showdown Directions: Teacher prepares questions called “task cards”. 1)The group leader chooses a task card and shows it to the group. 2)All students work the problem on their white board. 3)The leader calls “Showdown” and all students show their answers. 4)Students discuss the correct answer and process.

Example Algebra I –solve equations Share: How can you use this game within your subject?

Which of these doesn’t belong? Instructional Purpose: Compare and Contrast Justify responses Time: minutes Number of Players: 1 to 3 (most effective with 2) Resources: Problem sets Directions: 1)Students work individually or with a partner to identify which problem or picture does not belong. 2) Students must justify their choice.

Which of these doesn’t belong? Geometry Identify two similar triangles, list why they are similar. Science Identify two elements from the same family, name the family. ThalliumAluminumCalcium

Tic Tac Toe Instructional Purpose: Formative Assessment Evaluation of student learning. Time: minutes Number of Players: Individual Resources: Tic Tac Toe Board, Problems

Tic Tac Toe Directions: Tic Tac Toe three in a row. Students complete three activities of their choice. They must apply the rules of the traditional game.

Number Sense Number Sense Geometry Number Sense Warm-up

Sound Sense C:\Documents and Settings\stephanie. williams\My Documents\My Music\Guess.mp3C:\Documents and Settings\stephanie. williams\My Documents\My Music\Guess.mp3 Mc Donald’s

Number Sense TV Shows: 7082 ½ 1 Movies: 3(Name Three)

Geometry Example Identify three things that you know about Geometry based on these numbers

Warm- Up 4

Templates Jeopardy Who wants to be a Millionaire? Matho ABC’s of …… Number Ranking Vocabulary

Websites Campuses: Travis Faculty: Stephanie Williams Resources: This is where you will find all templates.