Most students dread tests, but they love review games for tests!
End of the year testing can be stressful for kids (AND ADULTS!).
Review games have a way of easing the stress and anxiety of an upcoming test! They help students feel more prepared and confident.
Whether it’s state testing time (yuck) or you’re looking for some engaging ways to prepare for a classroom test, you’re going to love these five review games!
Here are some of my favorite review games for tests, whether you’re getting ready for state testing or an every day classroom test.
1. INSIDE OUTSIDE CIRCLES
Middle school students are naturally social and they love playing the inside outside review game because they get to interact with their friends.
This review game is super easy to and virtually no prep, especially if you have your students make up their own questions or use task cards.
Here’s how to play.
Split your students into two groups. The first group should make a large circle facing inward. The remaining students should each find a student in the circle to pair up (facing each other).
I like to give each student a task card or index card with a student generated question and give them 45 seconds to ask each other the question on the card.
I tell students that if their partner is struggling, they can coach the student to reach the correct answer.
When time is up, the outer circle students remain in place and the inner circle students rotate counter clockwise. This continues until they are back to their original partner.
Variation: Instead of positioning students in circles, try two straight lines. Line A stays in place and line B moves The last person in line B then runs to the front of the line to fill the empty space.
What I really love about this game is that each student will REALLY know their individual card since they have asked it several times over!
2. White Board Review Games for Tests
I love using total participation techniques in the classroom! White boards are a super easy way to assess student understanding and provide quick remediation for review as needed.
Covid modifications ideas: disinfect whiteboards and markers after use or use individual sheet protectors with a white paper inside.
3. Shark Bite!
This is a twist on the white board review where students work in teams to answer questions and earn points for each answer.
Correct answers are rewarded with point cards, but beware, some of the cards have a twist!
Pull a card that says “Shark Bite” and crazy things start to happen.
I have been playing this game with my students for years. My sixth graders really love it, especially since it’s a nice change to all of the online review games we usually play.
4. Task Cards
You can never go wrong with task cards in the classroom! They are such a fun way to review and the options are endless!
Students can review in small groups or individually, plus most cards are self-checking. This leaves you free to work with individual students to provide remediation.
Often I will tape the cards to the lockers in the hallway. This is a great opportunity for movement and social distancing.
You can read more about how you can use task cards in the classroom in this blog post “5 Ways to Use Task Cards in the Classroom.
5. Go Digital
This year digital games have become more popular than ever. There are more options being added every day. Quizizz, Blooket, and Kahoot are a few of the ones we’ve used this year.
Currently, Quizlet Live is one of my student’s absolute favorites. My rule is that a team needs to win twice in a row before they earn a prize (usually a vinyl sticker, Jolly Rancher, or a ticket for our school wide reward system).
