Game cards provide categories such as “a ridiculous tabloid headline” or “a line in a random note.” This game is fun to have students play in literature circles or while reading a whole class novel, even as a fun game to play with independent reading books. Then, once students in the group guess, they should find and discuss a related quote from the text. Increase the rigor of this game by having students draw symbols, characters, plot, themes, elements, etc. I hope you’re ready because this post is chock full of fun games to play with a classroom in the middle school or high school English classroom. Games and learning (or demonstration of learning) aren’t mutually exclusive.Īnd, as my coworker says, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” To this, I respond that we need to be using all means necessary to meet students where they’re at. “Games are a waste of time,” some might say. “We’re not entertainers,” some might say. Most of the time, I use games in the classroom to build critical thinking skills and allow students to demonstrate understanding of essential English language arts skills. Other times, a quick review of subject-specific language is the focus. Group games can be used to promote (or re-establish community and connection between learners). Sometimes, I use group games to play with a classroom. Games in the classroom are one possible strategy I might use to meet a variety of learning goals. Then, I ask myself what format would be best for achieving that goal. What do I want students to know and be able to do? What is my goal for this lesson? On a small or large scale, I always begin with the end in mind. Overall, I’m always asking the question “ could it be cool?” because I want to find ways to give students choice and voice in the classroom, to be active rather than passive learners. Are you looking for games to play with a classroom community? Games in the classroom are a piece of a giant teaching puzzle in which I am finding a way to teach core skills, terms, concepts to diverse groups of students in a finite amount of time, with a district-required “core” curriculum, with the goal of making sure that all students are learning.
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