Classroom Games for the End of the Year

Classroom Games for Maximum Achievement

Games are a great way to introduce concepts, reinforce standards and engage students in learning. There are whole class games, quiz games, projectable PowerPoint games, board games and so many more.

Games can be excellent informal assessments, project culminations, and center activities. 

There are 100s of studies regarding the benefits of games in the classroom.These studies showed that, on average, using academic games in the classroom is associated with a 20 percentile point gain in student achievement. This is a relatively strong finding (Robert Marzano, 2008).

How to get the most out of games:  

• Don't make the stakes too high. Students like to compete but don't like to be embarrassed. Create teams to ensure equality in answers. 
• Switch teams up during the year so that everyone experiences their share of winning and losing.
• Target academic content - like the games below - from literacy to social studies to math - make sure the games you use are learning opportunities.
• Debrief after play. Since the whole point of games in the classroom is to provide students the opportunity to examine content in an engaging environment - don't forget to recap - allowing students to highlight what they've learned. Take the time to reinforce important elements.
• Have students journal after gameplay. This provides them with meaningful opportunities to reexamine knowledge.

Games are a powerful tool to examine difficult content - any content - while engaging students and raising achievement.

Know more great classroom games - share them in the comments below.

10 Answers - 20 Questions Only Better US Colonial History - Board and PowerPoint

Fast-paced quiz game - 2 versions: paper "board game" for groups, center or whole class play.

Students are given 10 answers - one at a time. With each clue students have the opportunity to guess the person, place or thing related to the topic. Gameplay generates maximum participation for students at all levels. 10 Answers is engaging and super fun with learning happening almost by accident.

The Clickable PowerPoint version is great for assessment or to team up your students and have a fast-paced quiz round. Perfect for bell-ringers, filler, assessments, to learn facts, to reinforce content, as a center activity, for distance learning practice and more.

This unique game is ideal for any age students who study US History – from 5th to 12th grade.

It is fun, engaging, provides fact-testing and reading practice. Critical thinking is a must as students use clues to determine answers.

Group play and individual play instructions are included.

End of the Year Activity Mystery Game for the Whole Class

The end of the year is the perfect time to pull out this mystery activity game. Students use the detective skills of listening and the process of elimination to solve the mystery of who took the test. Perfect whole class game, let the fun begin.

Games 4 Learning

Games 4 Learning has 100s of games for all ages - from math to brain teasers to puzzles to board games  - there is something for everyone.

Multiplication Freebie

Free End of Year Math and Literacy Games: Summer Activities Packet

Summer Freebies 

1  Haystead, M. W., & Marzano, R. J. (2009). Meta-Analytic Synthesis of Studies Conducted at Marzano Research Laboratory on Instructional Strategies. Englewood, CO: Marzano Research Laboratory.

Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti