101 great classroom games

[...]... and the thrill of winning, we have created these games to include the best aspects of the genre for use in supporting positive learning outcomes 101 Great Classroom Games is about fun with powerful, positive results The Power of Games Let the Games Begin! Each game in this book is a “recipe for fun” with a purpose If you are new to using games in the classroom, this book makes it easy to get started,... those potential obstacles out of the way, now is the time to wave the green flag and let the games begin! ICONS KEY Language Arts General Fun Math Memory Social Studies Strategy Science Let the Games Begin! xv This page intentionally left blank 101 Great Classroom Games This page intentionally left blank General Fun Games for Any Subject Copyright © 2007 by Alexis Ludewig and Amy Swan Click here for terms... 4 101 Great Classroom Games Tips ᭿ Give credit to those who can think of another common thread for any given list ᭿ Add more than three items to your lists for those just learning the game or if you want to reinforce certain vocabulary or characteristics ᭿ Take the cards with you to play while waiting in line ᭿ Challenge players to think of additional groupings to use at another time General Fun Games. .. With that in mind, many of these games use common school supplies and can be implemented with little preparation, and that is a great place to start if games are new for your class For example, “Back Words” or “Shoebox” can be played while a group is waiting in a line, turning a fidgety transition time into an enjoyable bit of skill practice These are just two instances of games actually making more time... getting started with games, some educators may feel concerned about the psychological effects of competition and winning versus losing when games enter the classroom These are not trivial concerns, especially for students with disadvantages and handicaps With this in mind, most of our game designs include suggestions for variations to adjust for special concerns There are also games played just for... such as “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How?” Our games can actually provide a venue for success that is not easily available in more conventional classroom tasks Games offer the special combination of skill and a dash of good luck that can put the underdog in the winner’s circle Extra sensitivity to this factor can be noticed in the design of games with “instant win” sections on the boards and lucky...This page intentionally left blank The Power of Games The remarkable power of games to engage our attention is evident all around us Individually, and as a culture, we spend vast amounts of time, energy, and resources to watch and participate in games Athletes are well-paid, stadiums are lavish, video games are ubiquitous, and school calendars are arranged to make sure that... should be done secretly Teams will not know what their opponents have chosen until Part Three of the game Part Three uses a two-foot-long threaded rod and nuts that spin easily on it The chal101 Great Classroom Games lenge is to move the metal nuts the entire length of the rod as quickly as possible The team with the fewest bolts begins by placing all their bolts onto the rod The bolts should be tight... wish to reinforce The games are rated for noise level to let you know if the game is quiet and calm enough for a learning center or better for an active setting If a specific sort of game is desired, then the Grid Index to Games and the Skills Index to Games at the end of this book will be helpful in locating the activity that suits your purpose We understand all too well that classrooms are busy places... on different color paper for each skill ᭿ Draw a wide blue line across the slits to make them very easy for the players to see when they are setting up the game Decorate the edge of the box 101 Great Classroom Games Get in Line Players compete to put a set of cards in order, according to a characteristic, in the fastest time Age Range: 5 to 8 Skill Used: sequencing Number of Players: 2 to 8 Noise Level: .