Activities for All Students in All Subjects
Gregory Fisher Mt. Tabor High School August 2016
- FL: Foreign Language; LA: Language Arts Sci: Science SS: Social Studies
- Rating Scale: 3: Highly useful. 2: Useful 1: Useful but not time efficient 0: Perhaps useful
Amigo Bingo (1)
Time: 15-30 minutes Type: Answering Questions Grouping: Individual
Grading: None or bonus pointsRating:3
Directions: Every student quickly draws a 4 by 4 (or 5 by 5) grid on his paper. He writes a number from 1-24 in each square. The teacher asks a question to the class. After a brief interval, the teacher chooses a student at random. If the student gets it right then the teacher selects a “Bingo Number” that everyone can cross off. If the student gets it wrong then nobody crosses his name off. The winner is the first person to get 1 (or more) Bingo lines.
Insightful Ideas:
Have students create their Bingo Card in pen
- Pre-write the Bingo numbers down before class to save time
- If someone gets Bingo quickly then just play for most lines etc.
Four in a Row (2)
Time: (20-30 minutes) Type: Answering Questions Grouping: 1 vs. 1
Grading: NoneRating: 3
Directions: Split the class into pairs and each pair into O and X. Each pair draws a 7 by 7 grid on their paper. Ask a question to the class. Both people write down their answers separately. Reveal the answer. If a person gets it right then (s)he puts his/her mark on the grid. Each member is trying to get four of his marks in a row (diagonally, horizontally or vertically.) If someone wins then encourage the pair to keep playing and the person with the most Connect 4’s wins.
Insightful Ideas:
- For those familiar with the traditional method of Connect Four then ask them to use “gravity”
- Alternate between ‘O’ and ‘X’ questions which determines who gets to place his/her mark first in case both get it correct
Type of Questions: True or False, Multiple Choice, Fill in the blank, short math problems etc..
Bluff (3)
Time: (20-30 minutes) Type: Answering Questions Grouping: ½ class vs. ½ class
Grading: None or bonus pointsRating: 3
Directions: Ask Team A a question. If a student knows the answer (or wants to bluff) then he stands up. Count the people. Choose a student. If (s)he gets it right then his team earns a point for every person who was standing. If (s)he gets it wrong then the other team can steal it for ½ the amount of people standing. Play continues by asking Team B a new question. Continue alternating but consider letting Team B go first some of the time. The team with the highest points wins. Any student caught telling the answer to a teammate loses five points for his/her team.
Insightful Ideas:
- You can use questions that you asked for homework
- If doing math problems then it’s probably best that you assign both teams a question at the same time
- Type of questions: Any type. You can also have a worksheet and then choose questions randomly from the worksheet.
Slap Jack (4)CAN BE VIOLENT>
Time: 20 minutes Type: Answering Questions
Grouping: Groups of 4 or 5 with members of each group competing against each other.
Grading: None; prizes to the winner of each groupRating: 2
Directions: Give each group about 20 cards or answers (or pictures) on a question board. Ask a question. The first student to slap the correct square gets two points. If a student touches the wrong card then he loses a point. Works great with any common short answer questions…
Insightful Ideas:
- Be sure to ask a few questions where the answers are not on the desk!
- A person from each group keeps score
Vocabulary Recall (5)
Time: 10 minutesType: Vocabulary words; graphs; or shapes
Grouping: Groups of 4-6 people Grading: Prize to winning member of each group and/or make the losing member of each group come forward to sing “ABC” song.
Rating: 2 (Great for having students remember vocabulary words because they say it several times)
Directions: Each group selects a scorekeeper. Give each group a packet of cards of about 10-14 vocabulary words/graphs that you want the students to practice. Ideally put a picture on the front and the word on the back of each card. Each member takes about two cards. The first person begins and states his word and then another word. The person with the other word then says his word and then another word. This continues until someone makes a mistake by either saying an incorrect word or hesitating. A person who makes a mistake gets a point and then begins the next “round.” The person with the least amount of points wins and the person with the most amount of points loses.
Insightful Idea: After about 5 minutes, have the students change cards.
Circuit (6)
Time: 15-25 minutes Type: Problem solving Grouping: Pairs, Individuals or Groups
Grading: Classwork, homework etc.. Rating: 3
Directions: Teachers place about 10-20 sheets of paper around the room with an answer (labeled with A, H, J etc..) on the top and a question on the bottom (labeled as a random number) Students start by going to different problems. They solve the problem and then look for the answer throughout the room. They write the problem number and answer letter on their sheet of paper. They then go to that paper and do the problem that is on the bottom. They continue until they have made a “circuit
FL: Translation of phrases; reading passages with question;
Math: Math problems.LA: reading passages with questions; terms and examples or definitions
SS: Quick trivia questions; Map and country;
Sci: Calculations; Cell picture and name the part;
Insightful Idea:
If you are afraid of students following each other then each sheet of paper has a question with answer and then another question with answer.Instead of questions, you can put a reading passage with a question to answer.
What’s the Question (7)
Time: 15 minutesType:ReviewingGrouping: Pair or group work
Grading: NoneRating: 3 for all subjects except math which is a 1
Directions: Teacher places about 10 answers on the board with different point values assigned to each one. (5 for easy, 10 for medium, and 15 for difficult) Students ask questions. If the answer is on the board then the pair wins those points. Continue the activity until each group has asked about three questions and/or there are no more answers on the board
Insightful Ideas:
- If the answer is 2 then do not allow questions such as 1+1.
- Have one or two “bankrupt” incorrect questions such that if they are asked then the group automatically loses.
- Subtract points if a group asks the same question that another group asked.
Example: The following answers are on the board for a lesson about ready to be discussed: Hiroshima (5 points), Enola Gay (5 points), August 8th 1945 (10 points), After his mother (10 points), 100,000 (5 points), “Little Boy” (15 points) The teacher goes around the room asking pairs to give questions. If the answer is on the board then the group gets that question and points. If the answer isn’t on the board then the teacher just gives the answer to that question. If a question is repeated by another group then the teacher takes five points away.
FL: Vocabulary, Questions in the target language about a Teacher’s background or trip,
Math: Properties, answers to problems that students have to create in a certain format
LA: Vocabulary, opposites-synonyms, reading passage, questions involving certain grammar about the teacher.
Sci: Reading passage, chemical symbols,
SS: Reading passage, preview of a lecture, review of a lecture, capitals,
Matching Cards (8)
Time: 10-20 minutes Type: Finding matches or groups Grouping: Pairs or groups
Grading: None Rating: 2
Directions: Teachers create about 18 pairs of cards that match up or about 8 sets of 3-4-5 cards. Groups then pair up the cards face up.
Insightful Ideas and Variation
- Give each student one card as they walk in the room and they have to walk around the room to find their matching card
- Have the students play it like concentration with the cards down
- Put the problems on one color of paper and the matching answeron another color
FL: Give a picture and then give words that match the picture (IE: red shoes black tie)
Math:Slope, linear equation, table, next=now equation, graph
LA: Authors, titles, main ideas, & main characters; English terms (idiom), example and definition
Sci: Chemical symbols;
SS: Map and country; states and capitals; President names, numbers, big idea, and birthplace
Dominos (9)
Time: 15-20 minutes Type: Answering Questions Grouping: groups of 2,3, or 4
Grading: None, group quiz or bonus pointsRating: 2 for all subjects
Directions: Write the problem/question on the right of a “domino” and the answer on the left of another “domino.” Cut the dominos and have the students put them in the correct order. (A blank grid is provided on the last page)
Insightful Ideas:
- It’s best if you write a number (acronym, or a secret symbol) in the center of each piece such that it makes a code that you only know the answer and can easily check the answer.
- Students can make their own and then ask another group to complete their puzzle
- Have a continuous circuit without a “Start” or “End”
- To save teacher time, you can have students cut the “dominos” but you must scramble the dominos on the original sheet.
Example:
Puzzle (10)
Time: 20-30 minutes Type: Answering Questions Grouping: Groups of 2,3, or 4
Grading: None, group quiz or bonus pointsRating: 2
Directions: On a four by four grid, write problems on one side of a segment and the answer on the other side of the segment. Place extraneous answers on the edges. Copy a grid for each group and cut it into 16 pieces. Each group has to complete the puzzle by correctly matching questions with answers. A blank grid is provided on the last page.
Insightful Ideas: Same as Dominoes
Math teachers should download “Tarsia” and go to for over 500 made examples
Types of questions: Easy math problems, fill-in-the blank, vocabulary translation, or very short answers. This was even used by an AP Biology teacher.
Listening Tree (11)
Time: 10 minutes (5 for teacher led, 5 for student led) Type: Quick Questioning
Grouping: PairsGrading: NoneRating:FL-3;LA-2 Other-1
Directions: Create a listening tree filled with vocabulary or short answers. Read the words/questions and students try to follow to the correct place. Teacher asks students to raise their hands at the end. After the teacher does it twice then one student reads to the partner who tries to find the correct answer.
Example Questions: 1) What is 3-8. 2) What is the last step in Scientific method? 3) What is the capital of Brazil? 4)What is the correct spelling of their in the following sentence: Their shirts are untucked. 5) Which picture represents “Pan” in Japanese?
/ Start/ 5 / / -5
/ Conclusion / Hypothesize / / Conclusion /
/ Brasilia / / Rio de Janeiro / / Brasilia / / Rio de Janeiro
/ their / / there / / their / / there / / their
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Insightful Ideas: Have students create one at home.
Partner Activity (12)
Time: 20-30 minutes Type: Solving problems Grouping: Pairs
Grading: Classwork Rating: 3
Directions: Teacher creates a worksheet with about 24 questions into 6 sections A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, and B3. The four answers in A1 are the same to B1 (but in a different problem order) and the same applies to A2&B2; and A3 & B3. Partner A does the four questions in A1 and Partner B does the four problems in B1. Then they compare their answers. If some are different then they analyze their problems until they can reach a consensus. Then they continue with the other sets.
Example of just one set (with answers in { } )
Partner A / Partner BSET 1
1)Solve 3x + 6 = 12 {2}
2)Solve x – 2 = 10 {12}
3)Solve 2x = 12 {6}
4)Solve -3x = -12 {4} / SET 1
A)Solve 5x = 60 {12}
B)Solve 2x – 6 = 2 {4}
C)Solve x + 4 = 6 {2}
D)Solve –x = -6 {6}
Row Game (13)
Time: 5 minutesType: Quick questioningGrouping: Entire class in rows and columns
Grading: NoneRating: 2
Directions: The class needs to be seated in rows and columns or in groups. (If they are in groups then number them 1-2-3-4-5) Ask a row (or a certain number) to stand-up. Ask questions and allow the first person to raise his hand to answer. If he is right then he sits down. Eventually, only one person will be standing. His column (or group of students) must stand-up. Continue with questions. Eventually, one person will be standing and his row (or number) stands up. This continues
Insightful Ideas: The only problem with this game is that occasionally someone will always stand. Two ways to prevent this: 1) Ask a question like “who is the most handsome boy in the class” if a girl is standing with other boys or 2) Allow that student to answer any question even if his hand goes up last.
Horse Race (14)
Time: 5 minutesType: Quick questioning Grouping: About 5-6 per group
Grading: NoneRating: 2 Materials: Stuffed animal or baton or spaces
Directions: The first person of each group stands up. Teacher asks a question and calls on the first person to raise his/her hand to answer the question. If he gets it right then he sits down and the “horse” moves to the second person. The teacher asks another questions and chooses the first person who is standing up to answer the question. If it’s right then that person sits down and the next person goes. Play continues until the first group is able to have all of its members answer a question and gets the “horse” across the finish line.
Swat the Word (15)
Time: 10 minutes Type: Quick questioningGrouping: ½ class vs ½ class
Grading: NoneRating: 2Materials: 20 words/answers on whiteboard, 2 fly swatters
Directions:Place the 20 words/answers on the white board. Have one person from each team come to the front with the fly swatter. Teacher calls out a question/problem/definition etc.. and students “swat” the answer (up to three chances.) If they swat the word first then they get a point for their team. Play continues until everyone has gone once or twice.
Twisted Story (16)
Time: 5 minutes Type: Creative chuckleGrouping: Individuals
Grading: NoneRatings: F.L. and English: 3Others: 1.
Directions: Create a paragraph that could be funny if the right words were chosen. Prior to revealing the story, ask the students to give that type of word. After they have written down the words then reveal the paragraph. Sample type of words: adjective, noun, verb, vocabulary word, historic person, country, city, scientist, famous person of the opposite gender, type of number, etc…
Insightful Idea: Have students create their own at home.
Example: The teacher asks each student to write an integer, place, place, adjective, person of opposite gender, science equipment, past tense verb, emotion, person of opposite gender, and a rational number. Then the teacher places the following story on the overhead for students to read to themselves and then share with a friend.
When I was integer years old, I had to walk from place to place. I was adjective. One day, I saw person of opposite gender who wanted to borrow a science equipment. I didn’t have one/any so I past tense verb to the store and got one. (S)he was emotion. (S)he introduced me to person of opposite gender whom I will marry and have rational number kids with.
FL: Vocabulary, grammar, parts of speech Math: Types of numbers LA: Same as FL,
Sci: Lab equipment, zoology, biology, parts of the body, planets, SS: Famous people, geography,
Auction (17)
Time: 25 Minutes (5 for instructions, 10 for problem solving, 10 for bidding and going over answers)
Type: Answering questionsGrouping: About four teams in the class
Grading: Participation, extra-pointsFL:3+ Math:3 LA (grammar) 3 Sci: 3 SS: 3
Directions: Students are given about sixteen questions with answers (some correct and some wrong called “lemons”) to work on. Groups decide which answers are correct and which are wrong and select a spokesperson to bid on the questions they feel are correct. After about 10 minutes, the teacher brings the class together and allots 1000$ <kept track on the board> to each group. The teacher then starts the bidding for question one and the spokespeople bid on the question if they feel the answer is correct. The teacher records which group “bought” the question and subtracts that amount from their 1000$. The bidding continues for all questions. Then the teacher reveals which answers are correct (while going over them) one by one. Any group that bought a “lemon” question loses 500$ and a correct question. The team with the most correct questions wins. If two or more groups have the same amount of correct questions then the group with the highest amount of remaining money wins.
Insightful Ideas:
- To save time in the bidding, teacher should only go in increments of 50
- Students can be given the problems to work for homework
Example: Students are given the following questions and answers
1) What is the capital of North Carolina? (Charlotte)
2) How many eggs is six dozen?(72)
3) What is the atomic symbol of sodium?(So)