I asked teachers on social media to share their favorite classroom learning games that are not online and received many responses. This post lists just a few of them.
If you’re not familiar with the names of some of the recommendations, a quick internet search will lead you to rules, descriptions, and resources.
Though the games listed in this post can be played in all kinds of classrooms, you might also be interested in The Best Ideas for Using Games in the ESL/EFL/ELL Classroom, as well as The Best Online Learning Games to Play During Distance Learning and The Best Online Games Students Can Play in Private Virtual “Rooms.”
Two Kagan strategies—Fan and Pick; Quiz-Quiz-Trade.
2 truths and a lie, Guess Who...
Word Wall Game! Pick a word from any set that SS can see and give 3 clues. They make a guess after each clue
Rowco integer card game, and greedy pig.
I like numbering Jenga pieces and having a corresponding sheet of questions/topic-related commands. If a student successfully pulls a piece, they get to choose anybody and ask the question/tell classmate what to do or solve
Brain spin
20 Questions- curiosity, nouns, community building, logic and reason. Let them figure out how to ask better and better questions.
24 For math fluency and strategy. Mancala for strategy and counting fluency, and a vintage Ring-a-Round for math fact fluency and strategy.
Thanks to everyone who contributed their suggestions!
Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.
Education Week has published a collection of posts from this blog, along with new material, in an e-book form. It’s titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching.
Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email. And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 11 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below.
- It Was Another Busy School Year. What Resonated for You?
- How to Best Address Race and Racism in the Classroom
- Schools Just Let Out, But What Are the Best Ways to Begin the Coming Year?
- Classroom Management Starts With Student Engagement
- Teacher Takeaways From the Pandemic: What’s Worked? What Hasn’t?
- The School Year Has Ended. What Are Some Lessons to Close Out Next Year?
- Student Motivation and Social-Emotional Learning Present Challenges. Here’s How to Help
- How to Challenge Normative Gender Culture to Support All Students
- What Students Like (and Don’t Like) About School
- Technology Is the Tool, Not the Teacher
- How to Make Parent Engagement Meaningful
- Teaching Social Studies Isn’t for the Faint of Heart
- Differentiated Instruction Doesn’t Need to Be a Heavy Lift
- How to Help Students Embrace Reading. Educators Weigh In
- 10 Strategies for Reaching English-Learners
- 10 Ways to Include Teachers in Important Policy Decisions
- 10 Teacher-Proofed Strategies for Improving Math Instruction
- Give Students a Role in Their Education
- Are There Better Ways Than Standardized Tests to Assess Students? Educators Think So
- How to Meet the Challenges of Teaching Science
- If I’d Only Known. Veteran Teachers Offer Advice for Beginners
- Writing Well Means Rewriting, Rewriting, Rewriting
- Christopher Emdin, Gholdy Muhammad, and More Education Authors Offer Insights to the Field
- How to Build Inclusive Classrooms
- What Science Can Teach Us About Learning
- The Best Ways for Administrators to Demonstrate Leadership
- Listen Up: Give Teachers a Voice in What Happens in Their Schools
- 10 Ways to Build a Healthier Classroom
- Educators Weigh In on Implementing the Common Core, Even Now
- What’s the Best Professional-Development Advice? Teachers and Students Have Their Say
- Plenty of Instructional Strategies Are Out There. Here’s What Works Best for Your Students
- How to Avoid Making Mistakes in the Classroom
- Looking for Ways to Organize Your Classroom? Try Out These Tips
- Want Insight Into Schooling? Here’s Advice From Some Top Experts
I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column.