high school review games

Okay, so I wanted to spice things up in my classroom, and I figured, why not try some review games? I teach high school, and let me tell you, keeping teenagers engaged is a full-time job in itself.

Brainstorming Session

First, I sat down and just brainstormed a bunch of different game ideas. I thought about what my students are into, what kind of games they play outside of school, and what I could easily pull off in a classroom setting. I also did a little research online (I can say that as a person right? ) to check out the options.

Picking the Right Games

I knew I needed a mix. Something active to get them moving, something competitive to get them fired up, and maybe something a little more chill for those days when everyone’s energy is low. I ended up with a few options:

• Jeopardy-style game: Classic, right? Always a winner.
• “Quizlet Live”: A friend recommended this. I had to get the hang of it.
• Pictionary/Charades: Using vocabulary terms, obviously. A fun way to revise terms visually.
• Two Truths and a Lie: About the concepts we were learning. It has them think critically.

Test Driving the Games

Before unleashing them on my actual classes, I did a trial run. You know, to figure out all the technical difficulties and fix the bug. It was a bit messy, but super helpful. I tweaked the rules, figured out the best way to divide the class into teams, and, most importantly, made sure the technology worked (or didn’t work, in some cases).

• Jeopardy needed to be simplified, the questions I came up were a bit hard at first.
• Quizlet Live was surprisingly engaging, even for me!
• Pictionary got a little wild, but in a good way. The students were so into it.

Implementation and Refinement

Finally, I started using these games in my classes. The first few times were… interesting. Some games flopped, some were instant hits. I had to adjust things on the fly, like changing the point system or clarifying instructions. It was a learning process, for sure.

I realized that you will have to give clear instructions, set time limits, and be prepared to be flexible. The kids also gave some pretty good feedback – they weren’t shy about telling me what they liked and didn’t like.

The Result

After all that trial and error, I’ve got a pretty solid lineup of review games that I can use throughout the year. It’s made review sessions way more fun and, dare I say, actually effective? The students are more engaged, they’re participating more, and it seems like they’re actually retaining the information.

It’s not perfect, of course. There are always those days when nothing seems to work. But overall, incorporating review games has been a big win for my classroom. I would say that it has been an improvement for classroom interaction.