I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to be sneaky with learning. If my students have no idea they are working their brains but yet they are fully engaged, I’ve reached my ultimate goal. Memory Games are the answer! Here are 5 ways to use Digital Memory Games in the Classroom.
When I was developing new activities for back to school this year, I created a virtual classroom with a lot going on. The idea was for students to study the picture and try to remember as much as possible. I made 3 “classrooms” for that original resource and I had some amazing feedback. One teacher even shared with me that she had parents joining in by the end of the week in her online classroom! (Yes, it’s that much fun!) Check out the video or steps below to learn how to play this game with your students. This video includes a FREE preview you can use with your class!
Digital Memory Games are really a simple concept. Students study a picture for an allotted amount of time and try to remember as much as possible. Some teachers set a timer and others play a song to help with keeping track of time. I’ve allowed students to jot down notes (a perfect lesson on how to write down observations quickly!)
The second step is to display the questions. There are 6 questions for each digital memory picture. Answers are under the moveable checkmarks. Pose each question, ask for student responses and then reveal the answer!
Lastly, take a look at the answer key picture to check your answers. Or, you could have students create their own questions to go with the picture and ask the class!
Now that you know how to play, you might be asking “But when am I supposed to fit this in? I have no extra time in my day!” I totally get it! Adding one more thing can feel so daunting when your day is already jam-packed. The good news is Digital Memory Games only take a few minutes! So they can literally fit anywhere. Here are a few ideas.
During Arrival
As students are trickling into your classroom, it can be difficult to find an engaging activity that they can join in at any time. Digital Memory Games are perfect to display as students are coming into your room. They can look at the picture even as they finish their breakfast or unpack.
Morning Meeting
Tired of having to plan morning meeting activities? Digital Memory Games are perfect! And there are 10 games per month so you can do them at least 2x per week. Read about more ideas for keeping your Morning Meetings fresh and fun here.
Transition Times
There are times throughout the day when you just need a couple of minutes to switch from one subject to the next. These games are perfect for a quick brain break after your math lesson or that awkward 5 minutes between lunch and recess.
Indoor Recess
Speaking of recess, raise your hand if you love indoor recess. Oh? No hands? ? If you need something that is going to give students the break they need without destroying your indoor recess activity cabinet, this is it! Or, for those times outside recess is cut short because it starts to pour down rain and you still have 10 minutes of recess left.
During Dismissal
Dismissal is my least favorite time of the day. I’m so done, the kids are wound up and it seems to drag on forever. Digital Memory Games will help calm the chaos of dismissal time.
Digital Memory Games are a lot of fun but that’s not the only positive. Your students will be working on SO many skills that they don’t even realize–working memory, attention to detail, vocabulary, and more! You can have them practice answering the questions in complete sentences. If you allow them to jot down their observations, they will become better note-takers. There is seriously SO much packed into one 5 minute activity.
Click here to check out Digital Memory Games
