Games have always been my ultimate go-to for mastering skills, especially when it comes to test prep. Fond memories of my school days are flooded with the thrill of playing educational games. As a teacher, weaving games into lessons not only amps up the excitement but also sneaks in learning effortlessly. And hey, who doesn’t love a chance to step into the shoes of a game show host every now and then? Dive into these test prep review games and inject some serious fun into your teaching routine!
“Students on the effects of games on student achievement showed that, on average, using academic games in the classroom is associated with a 20 percentile point gain in student achievement.”
-Robert J. Marzano
Top Tips for Test Prep Review
- Include your students in the question-creation
- Pair games with pre-made task cards
- Teach test-taking strategies
Bingo
Bingo is such a versatile classic. You could include vocabulary words, keywords, math problems or concepts–the options are really endless! In high school, we played “Element Bingo” in Chemistry class. Create Bingo cards with content-related terms, concepts, or questions instead of numbers. Students can mark off the squares as you review the material, either through traditional methods or interactive activities like flashcards or group discussions. This method reinforces their understanding of key concepts while making the review process more engaging and interactive.
Download Free Editable Bingo Gameboards
Test Prep Tic Tac Toe
Explicitly teaching test prep strategies is crucial! Play Test Prep tic tac toe. I have included a free passage with multiple-choice questions. Students work with a partner to read and answer the questions. While they are completing this activity, they use different test-taking strategies. Then, the partners take turns identifying the strategy they used and covering it on the tic-tac-toe board. Download this activity for free here.
Stump the Genius
This is one of my absolute favorites! I actually learned this game in high school psychology class. After a chapter or unit, our teacher had us create 3-4 questions using the text. Then, three students were chosen to sit in front of the class. These are the “geniuses”. The idea is to take turns asking one of the geniuses a question. If they get it right, they stay at the front of the room. But, if you stump the genius, you take their place. Play continues for a set amount of time. The students are the geniuses at the end of the game are the winners!
Classic Games
Don’t reinvent the wheel! If you have indoor recess games, pair them with some questions. Students must answer a question correctly before making their move. This works perfectly with Sorry!, Jenga, Trouble, and Candy Land work great. Invite students to bring in a game from home to share. Or, even better, have kids make their own board game.
Jeopardy
Playing Jeopardy as a review game with your class is a fantastic way to make learning fun and engaging. To set it up, create a game board with different categories related to the topics you’ve covered in class, assigning each category a point value.
How to play:
Divide your class into teams, and take turns selecting questions from the board. When a team chooses a question, they must answer it within a specified time frame. If they answer correctly, they earn the corresponding points; if they answer incorrectly, another team has the chance to steal the points. The team with the most points at the end wins. Jeopardy encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and friendly competition, making it an excellent review tool for any classroom.
Digital Connect 4
To play Connect 4 as a review game using a digital board, follow these steps:
- Set Up the Digital Board: Choose a digital platform that allows you to create or simulate a Connect 4 game board. This could be a digital whiteboard, an online gaming platform, or a custom-made Connect 4 app or website.
- Divide Students into Teams: Divide your students into two teams.
- Review Questions: Prepare a set of review questions related to the topic or subject you want to review. I love to use a set of premade task cards.
- Game Rules: Explain the rules of Connect 4 to the students if they are not already familiar. Each team takes turns answering review questions. When a team correctly answers a question, they get to place one of their colored discs on the digital board. The goal is to connect four of their colored discs in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally before the other team does.
- Answer Verification: After each team provides an answer, verify whether it is correct. If the answer is correct, allow the team to place their disc on the digital board. If the answer is incorrect, the opposing team has a chance to answer the question and take their turn.
- Strategic Thinking: Encourage students to strategize and think critically about where they place their discs on the board. They should aim to block their opponent’s attempts to connect four while also working towards their own victory.
- Continue Play: Continue playing until one team successfully connects four of their colored discs in a row or until all review questions have been answered.
- Debrief: After the game, take some time to discuss the review questions and answers with the students. Reinforce key concepts and address any areas of confusion or misunderstanding.
By adapting the classic game of Connect 4 into a review activity with a digital board, you can make the review process more interactive, engaging, and fun for your students while still effectively reinforcing learning objectives. Download a digital copy of the Connect 4 board.
Kahoot
If you have never played Kahoot, now is the time! Or maybe you have just forgotten about it with all of the other academic demands. Kahoot is one of my favorite test prep review games!
Sign up for free at GetaKahoot.com Then, choose from their free library of quizzes. Or, you can create your own! Your students connect their devices by entering a code in the app or on the site Kahoot.it . Once everyone connects and creates a team name, you are ready to play! The questions and multiple choice options are projected on the board and students answer on their devices. After everyone has answered, it shows the game results. This game is super interactive and fun! My students BEG to play!
Blooket
Have you ever used Blooket? It’s a super cool online tool where you can use pre-made quizzes or create your own for different subjects. It turns your questions into an interactive game.
Students can join games individually or as part of a class session, competing against each other or working collaboratively to complete challenges and earn points. Blooket incorporates elements of gamification, such as leaderboards, rewards, and customizable themes, to keep students motivated and engaged.
Celebrity Elimination or Last One Standing
I love this game because it is motivating but students are necessarily competing against one another. So, if you have a highly competitive class, this is great!
How it works:
- I Googled pictures of celebrities/cartoons I knew my students were into and placed their pictures in the game template. One time I asked them to pick 3 random celebrities and I chose from those.
- Everyone had their own whiteboard and I wrote a problem on the board.
- Each student solved the problem. Then I picked a student at random to check their answer. If they got it right, they went up to the board and put an ‘x’ in one of the boxes under one of the pictures.
- Once a celebrity had 3 x’s, I crossed of their picture and that celebrity was “out” of the game.
- The last celebrity standing was the “winner”.
Grab this free game template to make your own version!
Test prep with review games makes a not-so-fun activity into an engaging experience. Incorporating games into test prep review doesn’t just make studying more enjoyable; it can also significantly enhance learning outcomes. By infusing creativity and excitement into the review process, students are more likely to retain information and feel motivated to excel. These 9 game ideas serve as a testament to the power of interactive and engaging learning experiences. So why stick to the traditional methods when you can transform your classroom into a dynamic arena of fun-filled learning? Try out these game ideas, and watch as your students thrive and succeed!
Are you looking for more test prep ideas? Check out the BEST test prep activities for elementary students.
