Five Review Games to Play with Cheap Dry Erase Cubes

Y’all know I love me some deals, right?  

Well here is the deal for you!

I have seen these dry-erase cubes at Dollar Tree (no, I’m not afraid to give a shout out to the popular destination of broke teachers everywhere!). I have seen them off and on all year and now that we are in the season of Review Games, I thought it might be a great chance to bust them out.

Note: Amazon has ones that are nicer but pricier. Your choice!

Anyway, let’s talk about what to DO with these cheap little toys!

*Pro Tip: for these to work with minimal hassle, you probably want a thin-line dry erase marker AND you want to ask the dice rollers to touch the colorful parts of the dice (not smudging the dry-erase parts)

Here are Five games I came up with that can use the Dry Erase Cubes.  Can you think of any more?

1. 3 Branches Cubes: Write the three branches on the first cube (twice for each branch) and write categories of things kids will need to know about each branch (like “who?”, “one responsibility of the branch”, “term lengths”, “requirements”, “check another branch” and” how do they get the job?” on the six sides of the dice.

Put your kids in teams and give each team a dry erase board, a dry erase marker, and a paper towel. Have a different kid each time roll the dice and have the teams race to answer what the dice combination says, like “legislative term lengths” or “judicial - how do they get the job?”

2. Document Cube: Write the following questions on the cube: “Who wrote it (1pt)” “when was it written (1pt)”, “Why was it written” (2pts), “what’s the main idea” (3pts), “Causes” (2pts) “effects” (2pts).

Now, put an excerpt of a document on the screen or smart board. Have a kid roll the dice and everyone tries to answer as quickly as possible on their paper. Or, have each team have a dice and each team does something different with the document.

*Pro tip: if you’re going to play this game regularly, you might print up a sticker label and put it on the cube so it doesn’t get smudged and you don’t have to keep rewriting these!

3. Full Year Review: Put the name of each of six units on one cube (like Rome, Greece, India, Egypt, Israel, and Mesopotamia). Put a common topic from each unit on the other cube (like, important person, cultural achievements, geographic boundaries, traded with..., inventions, and underrepresented groups). Then, have the kids roll the dice in a small group and say (or find in their notes?) something that addresses both dice -- like “underrepresented groups in Rome were...  the plebians and slaves”.

4. One Cube:  Use one cube to distinguish between several parts of a single topic, like “political parties (with a different political party on each side), or influencing government (with two sides each that say “media”, “individual”, “interest group”.  Or, you could label the one cube with the parts of the florida and US constitutions (preamble, articles, amendments) and have the kids tell what’s the same or different with the US and Florida constitutions about that particular part.

5. Matching: I’m not a huge fan of matching, but it could get fun with four dice. Put the amendment topic/text on one cube and the number on another. Have them roll one dice to start and then keep rolling the other until they get the match.

I freely admit to having a tough week. I’m not sure that these are my best ideas. Can anyone come up with any more great dry-erase cube games? Please share! We all need new ideas at this point in the year!

BTW -- happy May! This is it -- the last month of school! You (and we) can make it! The end is in sight!

Have a great week!

-Tracy

Three Rs

I still remember doing a WHOLE lesson on the difference between slavery and indentured servitude. And then, the long-answer question on the test asked the kids to explain the difference. And THEY ALL BOMBED THAT QUESTION!!!!

WHAT THE HECK??!?!? I TAUGHT MY BUTT OFF!!!!

It can’t be that they’re ALL stupid (although I might have said something along those lines, purely out of frustration!).

And then, the inevitable question of “what do I do now?” arises. Do I review the concept quickly and hope that sticks when the “real” lesson didn’t? Do I go back and reteach the whole thing? Do I say “oh well” and move on with pacing?

Well, first, let’s talk about the difference between Review, Reteaching, and Remediation.

Review is spending a shorter amount of time just looking at the content again (re-view). It’s that study guide before the test, the review packet before the exam. It’s a game where we get to look at content from a while back. It’s where you tackle 3 months of content in one class period. Everyone needs review.

Reteaching is where the majority of kids didn’t get a concept and you need to try to teach it again, another way. Maybe you tried the first time with a reading and now you’re going to try a concept map. Maybe the first lesson was video-centered. This time, try a graphic organizer. Most kids probably need that lesson retaught.

*Note: Reteaching requires teachers to make pacing decisions. You WILL have to determine if you take less time on another topic to reteach this one.

Remediating is where you fix a problem, particularly student-by-student. To remediate is to try to address a problem -- like, if Student A didn’t get Concept B. Remediation is more student-specific and attempts to target a problem with a specific piece of content or a skill.. Remediation isn’t the same as reteaching, although they’re often mixed up together. Remediation is more targeted and more clearly defined.

Let’s look at the difference when we look at a one benchmark.

If I were going to REVIEW Civics Benchmark 2.4 (Bill of Rights), I would go back over the Bill of Rights, maybe including it in a review game or playing a video and asking kids to reflect after the video.

If I were going to RETEACH Civics benchmark 2.4, I might start with teaching the hand signals for each amendment (to engage tactile learners) and help the kids organize slips (with one amendment written per slip) into categories. I think I would finally give kids scenarios that had them applying the amendments to a particular topic.

If I were going to REMEDIATE Civics Benchmark 2.4, I would first check my data to see which kids struggled with that benchmark. Then, I would use formative assessment data from my class (I might need to make one) to see WHAT PART of the benchmark (or which benchmark clarification) the kids missed. Then, I would specifically create a lesson or a mini-lesson to address and fix that deficit. Maybe we would look at just the amendments they did NOT get -- maybe they got the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th. So we will work on the others (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)  in a small group, using the hand signals and having the kids illustrate those particular amendments.

So what do we do after the main teaching?

It depends on IF kids bomb, how MANY kids bomb, and HOW they bomb.

We adjust from there.

There’s no silver bullet. But there are plenty of ways to adapt to moments where kids don’t learn what/as much as you want.

Think about using review, reteaching, and/or remediation to help your kids tackle stuf they need to tackle.

As always, let me know how it goes!

Email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy

Review Dos and Don'ts -- and a game for the Brave

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year!!

Yes, it’s REVIEW TIME!!!

Yup! It’s the time of year when all your darling little classroom elves swear that they have never before seen that content you are reviewing form October!

I know that most people either love or hate review games. So, in the spirit of holiday lists, let’s look at some Review Dos and Don’ts.

DO: Do make it fun (kids are more likely to participate AND are more likely to remember what they’re reviewing)

DON’T: Don’t make kids do a giant packet. That’s boring and kids are less likely to do it (and less likely to actually learn anything from it).

DO: Use higher order thinking! If the assessment is all over the DOK, then your reviews need to be all over the DOK.

DON’T: Don’t give all recall-level review. Because then kids just memorize stuff short-term and they don’t actually learn it long-term!

DO: Do use the benchmarks to guide your review.   

DON’T: Don’t just give the kids the questions to study.  That’s dumb. They all get good grades and they don’t learn anything real.

DO: Do give them the topics/benchmarks and help them PRACTICE different levels of thinking with the topics/benchmarks.

Ok -- let’s check out a new Review Game. It is NOT for the faint of heart!

You’re going to need to buy a couple of flyswatters....

Prep:

1.      Create/compile a list of vocab terms – and examples or non-examples of each. These examples could be much like the stimuli on their assessment, quotes, excerpts, images, etc. (I wouldn’t use straight definitions because students will memorize them and it won’t be higher order thinking and it won’t help them much on their EOC or final)

2.      Post the words on a wall/bulletin board that kids can access.  (not your SMARTBOARD!). Hall might be a good option if your room is too small

3.      Put a tape line on your floor that The Swatters need to be behind, a foot or two   away from the wall.

4.      Divide class into two equal groups and line them up behind each other and sit or stand in order.

Play:

5.   Explain to the class that each team will have the first student in line “play” at a time. When they have completed their turn, out of the two teams, the first student to “swat” the correct answer gets the point for his or her team. When the student is done with his or her turn, that student goes to the end of the line.  

6.   All students in line need to listen to the example since they might get a different example for the same word. They will listen better if they know they’re hearing “clues” about a word they might get.

7.   Read the example or non-example to the group. (Be clear if it is a NOT example). The two students with the fly swatters listen to the example.

8.   The first student to swat the correct term gets the point for his or her team.

9.   The team with the most points wins.

Benefits of Swatter Game:

·         Students examine multiple facets of a concept or vocab term.

·         Students are listening to usage and application of their vocab terms and practicing using and applying those terms.

·         Active and engaging activity.

Watch Out For:

Ø Kids struggling to remember terms. Maybe let them use their notes?

Ø Kids acting up in line.  Maybe take away points for teams not listening? Or remind students that if the Swatter can’t hear the hint he or she can’t get the point.

Ø Kids swatting each other.  The child who uses a flyswatter on another child is instantly removed from the game, his team loses points, and you use the discipline consequence for that kid that you would normally use. Please don’t punish the entire class for one kid who acts like a fool.

Soooo ... Are YOU brave enough for the flyswatter game? If so, let me know how it goes!! Email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy

Taboo Review

So, my absolutely favorite board game is Taboo. There was a period of time when I was in college that my roommate and I played it.  All. The Time. At one point, one of us could give the clue “green” and the other would know that the answer was “Indiana Jones”.

If you’re not familiar with the board game Taboo, you play it in teams. One member of each team gets a card that his or her teammates cannot see. That person tries to give clues to get the members of his or her team to say the top word on the card -- but the clue-giver cannot say the top word OR any of the words listed below on the card. Those words are “taboo”. You can’t say them.

So we recently adapted this game for use as a Higher Order Review game... and discovered that half the internet has made versions for their content areas. Particularly, biology teachers seem to have made a bunch of cards, but I have seen some SS ones. Or, you can make your own.

But if you want to adapt this for your classroom, here you go!

Higher Order Review: Taboo

Prep:

1.      Create/compile a list of vocab terms – AND the words most associated with those terms. (ex. Enlightenment: Locke, Montesquieu, social contract). Make a card for each with the MAIN word at the top and the hints below. You can even have that one class that you have for three hours today make the cards for the other classes.

2.      Print and cut  several decks of those cards so you can have several Taboo games going at once.

3.      Divide your class into 2 or 3 main groups and divide each group into two teams.

Play:

4.   Explain that each team will get one minute on the clock/watch/phone timer. During that minute, one member of the team will be the “Delegate” and will try to get his team to say the TOP term, WITHOUT using any of the hint terms below it. If he or she uses the word, a variation of the word, or one of the hint words, that card must pass and no one can get the point.  The Delegate must try to get his own teammates to guess the top word.

5.   When his team guesses one word, he may move on to the next card and continue until time is up.

6.   A member of the opposite team will be the “Checker and Balancer” and will look over the delegate’s shoulder to make sure he or she does not use the word, the hint words, or any variations. If the Checker and Balancer catches the Delegate using a “Taboo” word, that card is discarded

7.   Teams take one-minute turns until one team reaches a specified goal (10 points, for example)

8.   Discarded cards may be used again or not, depending on teacher preference.

Benefits of Taboo Game:

• Students examine multiple facets of a concept or vocab term.
• Students are listening to usage and application of their vocab terms and practicing using and applying those terms.
• Active and engaging activity.

Watch Out For:

• Kids struggling to remember terms. Maybe let them use their notes? Or a Word Wall?
• Kids cheating. That’s why we have a Checker and Balancer.
• Kids off task. Be sure to circulate and monitor both behavior and understanding.
• Kids arguing over “you said the word/no I didn’t”. Please be a careful monitor to make sure kids are playing fairly. You might strategically group kids so kids who tend to NOT get along are not playing directly against each other.

So, are you up for it? Or is it too taboo for you? (Pun points!) Can you play Taboo with your students to help them use higher order thinking for review?

Let me know how it goes! As always, I love to hear from you!

-Tracy

SWAT Team

So, It’s that time of year...  Time for review games!

A reminder -- none of our kids (NOT A SINGLE ONE!!) are going to take a low-level, facts-only, memorization EOC or exam. I can only speak for Social Studies, but I suspect we are not alone on this...

Our EOC and final exams are written on the rough guidelines of 20-60-20. Meaning, ROUGHLY 20% of the test is Level 1 thinking, 60% of the test is Level 2 thinking, and 20% of the test is Level 3 thinking.

Which means 80% (!!) of the test is NOT recall-level content.

So, if most of the test is higher order thinking, how can I use review games -- WITHOUT dumbing the review games down to lower level?

Well, I have a couple for you. Let’s start with the rowdiest one, just for fun.

And, ummmm, you’re going to need two flyswatters and some masking tape.

Higher Order Review: Swat Teams

Prep:

1.      Create/compile a list of vocab terms – and examples or non-examples of each. These examples could be much like the stimuli on their assessment, quotes, excerpts, images, etc. (I wouldn’t use straight definitions because students will memorize them and it won’t be higher order thinking and it won’t help them much on their EOC or final)

2.      Post the words on a wall/bulletin board that kids can access.  (not your SMARTBOARD!). A hallway might be a good option if your room is too small.

3.      Put a tape line on your floor that The Swatters need to be behind, a foot or two away from the wall.

4.      Divide class into two equal groups and line them up behind each other and sit or stand in order.

Play:

5.   Explain to the class that each team will have the first student in line “play” at a time. When they have completed their turn, out of the two teams, the first student to “swat” the correct answer gets the point for his or her team. When the student is done with his or her turn, that student goes to the end of the line.  

6.   All students in line need to listen to the example since they might get a different example for the same word. They will listen better if they know they’re hearing “clues” about a word they might get.

7.   Read the example or non-example to the group. (Be clear if it is a NOT example). The two students with the fly swatters listen to the example.

8.   The first student to swat the correct term gets the point for his or her team.

9.   The team with the most points wins.

Benefits of Swatter Game:

• Students examine multiple facets of a concept or vocab term.
• Students are listening to usage and application of their vocab terms and practicing using and applying those terms.
• Active and engaging activity.
• Fun can increase serotonin, which can improve memory, pride in work well done, and confidence.

Watch Out For:

• Kids struggling to remember terms. Maybe let them use their notes?  
• Kids acting up in line.  Maybe take away points for teams not listening? Or remind students that if the Swatter can’t hear the hint he or she can’t get the point.
• Kids swatting each other.  The child who uses a flyswatter on another child is instantly removed from the game, his team loses points, and you use the discipline consequence for that kid that you would normally use. Please DO NOT punish the entire class for one kid who acts like a fool.

If it were me, I think I might use Civics 3.1 & 3.2 and post the various forms and systems of government and then give examples, descriptions, or connections for the kids to swat.

Are you brave enough to give two kids fly swatters -- and let LEARNING and REVIEW happen? Can you write a few examples and descriptions that use higher-order thinking? Are you BRAVE enough to try this game?

If so, email me and let me know how it goes. You’re welcome to send pix of  the game if it’s as hilarious as it was at a PCSB middle school this week with the Three Branches Tree.... Email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy