Based on the results of our surveys, most of the games will have to do with some
form of social studies. Also, these games and devices are geared more towards
older children. We are not trying to offend anyone who teaches social studies.
We are just trying to make learning more fun!
Everyone always had their least favorite subject in school.
Our robotics project is helping students find their weak subject
and learn it better. We have fun ways to help teachers help
students, including fun games, memory devices, and much,
much more!
Our group made up some of the games, but most we got
from other people or websites, so we will site them at the end.
MEMORY GAMES
These games and devices will help students improve their
memory.
MNEMONIC DEVICES – mnemonic devices are phrases or
acronyms that help you remember things, such as ‘My very
educated mother just served us nachos’ helps people
remember the planets. Here are some other ones –
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (Order of Operations)
MEMORY MATCH-UP – Have the students make doubles of
pictures having to do with whatever you are learning. Mix
them all up, and then put them face-down in a grid-like
pattern.
Have each of the students take turns guessing
where the pairs are. If they find a pair, they get to keep it.
The student or students with the most pairs at the end of
the game wins a prize, something like extra credit on an
upcoming test.
ACTIVE GAMES
These games will be kind of hectic, and the kids will end up running around.
SNOWBALL FIGHT – Have the students each take a small piece of scrap
paper and write a question having to do with the chapter, or a vocabulary word
from it. Then, have them crumple up the pieces of paper and throw them at
each other. Have this continue for about a minute, with them picking up pieces
of paper and throwing them when they come to them. After the students are
done throwing, have them each pick up the piece of paper that is the closest to
them. They then have to either answer the question or define the vocabulary
word, whichever is pertaining to the scrap of paper. This is good for a review game.
THROW THE BALL AROUND – This is also a fun review game. Clear a
rather large space, and have the kids gather in a circle. Stand with them and
hold a ball. Start out the game by asking a question that has to do with the
chapter or section, and then say a student’s name and throw the ball to them.
Have the game continue with each student asking a different one a question.
Here are some rules you should set about this game –
Do NOT try to intercept the ball.
Do NOT throw the ball hard.
Do NOT try to break objects in the classroom.
DO A SKIT – Divide the class into groups. Have them pick a topic from the
chapter, and then do a skit about it. You should assign this at the beginning of
the week and have students practice them throughout the week. On the last
day of the week, set aside a time where each group can perform their skit.
Encourage bringing in props. This is a fun way to get kids excited about a
certain class.
Group Games
These games and projects are done in groups, usually with dividing the class in half.
DEBATE – Divide the class in half, and assign a ‘What do You Think?’ question to the group. Have each side
choose one side of the question to stand on. Have them prepare statements about it. Assign this at the
beginning of the week and have them work on it throughout the week. At the end of the week, set aside
the entire class period for the debate. Let them have at each other, but only one person from each time
can go at a time.
PROJECTS – Divide the class into a few smaller groups and have them work on a project that pertains to
something you are working on. For instance, if you are learning about Ancient Egypt, have the students
make mummies or ‘papyrus’ paper. If you are learning about Native Americans, have them make totem
poles. For some of these projects, the students might do better by themselves as opposed to groups, but
that is up to you to decide.
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE – Have the students divide into small groups, no more than three or four. Then,
they have to come up with two truths and a lie about what they are learning about. Each group keeps
playing until someone can’t guess the lie. When this happens, have the students change groups. Keep
going until you feel necessary. This is a good review game.
BRAINSTORM RACE – Split the class into teams. Have them each take out a sheet of loose-leaf and a pen.
Then give a topic from a chapter, and have them write ideas about it. Don’t let them talk or look at each
other’s papers. After about two minutes, stop them. The team with the most non-repeating ideas wins!
The winning team can get something like extra-credit on an upcoming test.
TIME MACHINE – This game works well for a class where dates are important. Divide the students into
groups. Have one group describe an event to another group. If the other group can guess what time in
history the event takes place, they get a point. The team with the most points wins.
CHARADES – Have the class divide into teams. There will be an acting team and a guessing team. The
teams will take turns. Put a bunch of slips of paper with topics or ideas on them in a basket or hat for the
actors to pick from. They will show their team and you what they pick and then, after 30 SECONDS of
discussion, will act it out. Give the guessers 5 guesses to get it right. If they don’t guess it by the end,
then the actors will have to share what they did and choose another slip of paper. They will have to keep
acting until the guessers get one right, and then they will switch. If the game works out, this is good for
vocab words and reviews. This game should NOT be played for points, as that would only encourage bad
acting and guessing.
PICTIONARY – Have the students divide into teams. Have each team choose a different topic from a
chapter, but make sure they are not repeating, and make sure they don’t say their idea. Then have them
each draw a picture to represent the topic. If the people on the team can guess what it is, they get a
point. Or if you have the game Pictionary, follow those instructions.
STUDY GAMES – There are tons of fun games to find online, including Jeopardy, University Challenge, and
many more. You can also play Bingo or Hangman in groups.
FUN THINGS FOR
YOU TO DO
These are things that YOU as a teacher can do to help your students.
RELATE YOUR LIFE TO THE TOPIC – Try to tell stories about your own life to
the students and encourage them to do the same. It helps them to know
you better and it makes things a little more real for students if they find out
that their teacher did something like that.
BRING IN SOMETHING FROM HOME – Bring in an object that has do to
with what you are talking about, such as bringing in Confederate money
while talking about the Civil War.
LAUGH AND GET THEM LAUGHING – If you find a situation humorous, they
might too. Try to maybe come up with nicknames for some of the
students. Laughing before a test also helps relieve tension in the
classroom.
WEAKNESSES AND STRENGHTS– Try to find each students’ weakness in
learning and help them overcome it. Or, you can try to find how they learn
best and work on developing that.
DECORATIONS – Decorations are great, but it might distract older students
more easily than younger ones, so keep them to a minimum while working
with older students.
LET THE KIDS CHOOSE – students like it better if they can choose who they
want to work or be on a team with.
WEBSITES – Here are some websites to do in the classroom, the computer
lab, or you can stress doing them at home –
http://www.brainpop.com/
http://www.funbrain.com/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geography-action/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/
http://www.playkidsgames.com/
Sites
Here are some of the websites and people we got ideas from. A big
thank-you to all of you!
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/make-class-discussions-more-excitingrichard-curwin
http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/7852-how-do-i-keep-mystudents-interested
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacherblog/2013/sep/16/history-lessons-memorable-students-teaching
http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/20-online-tools-to-makelearning-fun/
Mrs. Barbra Lijewski - OT, works for Milwaukee Public Schools
Mrs. Becky Selbach - teacher at an Milwaukee Sign Language
Mr. Nick Fedie- 6th grade and Junior High Social Studies teacher at St.
Anthony School in Menomonee Falls
Fun Educational Websites
History Detective
Discovery Dinosaur
Geography Action
FunSchool