Hey hey!

Hey all,

This blog was an excellent idea, and even though up until now I haven’t posted, I have been reading everyone’s suggestions. I used that mystery stories website the other day. It worked great! Here are some of mine:

1) 20 questions with the vocab that you have been learning throughout the year. This is better for reviewing EVERYTHING and not just one unit or one class. Otherwise, the guessing game will be too easy.
2) With my first years, I made us play Jenny McCarthy’s game show Singled Out to review physical characteristics and personality traits. For the high school/ early college age group, this can be a big hit. You dress up as Jenny McCarthy (haha, already a good time) and make up questions beforehand. Have one contestant be the one everyone wants to date and choose 5 or so others to step toward or away from the contestant as they agree or disagree with the statements involving whatever vocab you are studying. You can adapt the game to lots of different lessons. When someone reaches the contestant, they win the date. You don’t have to make them go on a real date, although that would be funny too.
3) Jeopardy!! (Do I watch too many game shows?) Seriously, this is a great group review game too.
4) When reviewing stories, I write key points of the plot on posters and make the students tape what happened on a timeline that I draw on the board. It gets everyone up and moving and thinking about what happened when.
5) To review a grammar lesson, split the class into two teams. Divide the board in half. One player from each team comes up to the board and holds chalk ready in their hand. You say a sentence (that involves recently learned grammar) and the students race to write the sentence correctly. The first one to get the sentence written correctly earns a point for their team. Team members are not allowed to shout what to do. If neither student gets the sentence correct, you can call “substitute” and another person from the team runs up and fixes the sentence. This rule keeps everyone paying attention. My first years LOVED it.

Ok, ask me a question if you have any! See you all soon!