In some of my last articles I offered some ideas for games that can be used in the classroom. Children learn more when they are engaged in learning. If children are bored and inattentive they learn less. Therefore it is important that teachers make their lessons as fun and as engaging as possible. Games are a great way to review material and get students involved.
The first game that I discussed was a quickness game and works best with quick or memorization facts. The second game discussed is played much like baseball. It can be used with facts and with short answer questions. Both games are great to play the day of or the day before the test.
The game that I will describe in this article is also associated with sports. However, baseball is not the game. This game is played more like basketball. It is better played with a little older students who have better shooting abilities.
This game can also be played with fact cards or with short answer questions.
First begin by dividing the class into two teams (A and B). You will also need a soft ball (bean bag balls or nerf balls work well) and a basket to shoot into. I use an empty garbage can. You will need to place tape down on the floor to label where to shoot from to earn 1, 2, or 3 points. The closer the line is to the basket, the fewer points you can earn.
Basketball Review Game
Begin by asking a member of team A a question. If the student answers correctly, he or she gets to shoot the ball. I usually allow the team to help answer the question. However, the person who has the turn must give the answer even if he or she got it from a team mate. The child may choose to shoot for 1, 2, or 3 points. If the basket is made, the team receives that number of points. If the answer given is wrong, the other team gets a chance to answer it. The questions alternate back and forth between the two teams. The basketball players love the game!
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