I’m taking a break from finishing the series on teacher observations and, instead, sharing this series on classroom-learning games.
In the midst of the pandemic, I’m https://ipnuippnupati.id/ finding games an essential part of classroom instruction. They serve two (and many more) purposes: engagement in learning and distraction from COVID.
Today, Shannon Jones, Jennifer Bay-Williams, Molly Ness, and Sheniqua Johnson share their favorites.
You might also be interested in several game collections I’ve created. You can find all the updated lists here
Math Games
Shannon Jones is a 15-year educator working in Wheaton, Md. She is a focus teacher for students in kindergarten through 5th grades. She can be reached at [email protected] or @MsJonesLuvsMath:
Learning games are an effective way for students to review current and previously taught content. Zaretta Hammond states that: “The very act of playing the game encourages the brain to strengthen the new neural pathways by making the learner continuously search his memory for information.” I typically use learning games during my small-group time. I also may use them at the beginning of a lesson to spark engagement and raise the energy level in my classroom.
Game Criteria
Jennifer Bay-Williams works with preservice and practicing teachers as a professor at the University of Louisville and with teachers all over the world through conferences and workshops. She is the author of over a dozen books, including two books with Corwin Press
Literacy Games
Molly Ness is a teacher educator and author of four books about English/language arts instruction, the most recent titled Every Minute Matters: 40+ Activities for Literacy-Rich
Elementary educators know how important it is to infuse fun into your classroom routines—and we know time is precious. Yet there are so many spaces throughout the day when we have transition times: starting the day, lining up for an assembly, waiting for buses, and even small spaces when lessons take less time than we’d planned. Instead of turning to worksheets to fill those spaces, teachers I work with play with language in those transition times throughout the day.
Kahoot, Jenga, & More
Sheniqua Johnson is a language-acquisition specialist in north Texas:
The classroom-learning games I enjoy the most allow students to be interactive while applying their knowledge or having the opportunity to review academic-vocabulary terms, problem-solving skills, or concepts. These games include Draw Me, Headbands, Kahoot, and Jenga.
Draw Me: Students practice and apply knowledge of academic-vocabulary terms by drawing visuals of the terms and allowing players to guess the term.
Headbands: Students review knowledge of academic-vocabulary terms by placing a term over their heads while players give clues until the person holding the term guesses correctly.