How to create a
‘Spin’ PowerPoint
Lesley Ann McDermott
Think of questions that will
test student recall
Type individual questions
per slide
Keep the background ONE colour
Here are a few ideas on
what you could include in
a ‘Spin’ PowerPoint
Closed Questions
Multi-Choice Questions
Use ‘spin’ to randomly
select exam questions
• Set 3 exam questions per slide
for random selection choice
• Describe
• Explain
• Assess
• Students choose ONE question
• Timed conditions
Use ‘spin’ to randomly
select exam questions
• In pairs select as many keywords as
you can to answer the following
questions.
• Describe
• Explain
• Assess
• Timed conditions
Decode the Question Type
Identify the topic, type of
question, key dates, key words
Unscramble the Anagram
Identify the correct spelling of
True or False statements
Complete the sentence
Identify the ‘Odd One Out’
Identify the missing word
in the sentence
Give ONE fact about
Give THREE facts about
What was the consequence of...?
Key Events
Quickly place the events in
chronological order
Use Images
Match the artefact to the
correct time period
Use Images
Match the event to the image
Use Images
Identify the Key Individual/s
Use a Source
Identify the topic from
the source
Use a Source
Indentify the True Statement
Use a Source
Identify the Tone of the Source
Use a Source
Identify the Purpose of the Source
Use a Source
Identify the Type of Source
Use a Source
ONE way this source is reliable
Use a Source
ONE way this source is unreliable
Use a Source
Make ONE inference
Use a Source
Choose the correct inference
(set this up by including 3
inferences – only one is correct)
Use a Source
How is this source both
reliable and unreliable as
evidence?
Use a Source
ONE way this source is
useful to a historian
Use a Source
ONE way this source is
not useful to a historian
Use a Source
This source shows bias
Why is it still useful and
what does it tell us?
Include a few ‘Miss a Turn’ slides
sprinkle amongst the
question slides
‘Miss a Turn’
Use a mix of
these ideas in
one ‘Spin’ game
You could ask students to create
their own revision ‘Spin’ games to
test classmates
Share the ‘Spin’ Game idea
with colleagues – it can be
used in ALL subjects
Here are a few ideas on
when you could use a
‘Spin’ PowerPoint
Take the ‘Spin’
challenge
Starter
Revision Tool
Add to
the VLE
Plenary
Use whole class on IWB
Ask everyone in
the class, even the
teacher
Use lollipop sticks
with names on randomly select
students
Students use on
their own to revise
How to set up the
‘Spin’ PowerPoint's
Go to ‘Animations’
Tick Advance slide ‘automatically after’
00:00
Click Apply to All
Go to ‘Slide Show’ ‘Set up Slide Show’
Under show options tick loop
continuously until ‘Esc’
Click OK
Instructions
• Press ‘S’ for start
• Press ‘S’ for stop
• Press ‘Esc’ escape to end
What I have found...
At first they think the
board is not working
Students are mesmerised
by the spinning
Students enjoy the challenge of
pitting themselves against the random
question selection
Sense of suspense
Builds competition
They don’t take very long to make
Builds memory skills
Consolidates
Reviews
Repetition
Reinforces
‘Miss a Turn’
allows a time out
Enjoy creating
your own
Lesley Ann McDermott