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Objective:
As an educator for close to twenty years, I’m always looking for ways to engage my students. However, with access to unlimited information, games and sources of stimulation for kids these days, figuring out how to engage students often feels like a losing battle. Although technology has many benefits for both teaching and learning, too much of a good thing can often leave us confused and exhausted. However, there are ways to educate our students that require little effort, but still provide a big reward.
Using games in the classroom is a great way to get students excited and engaged while limiting their on screen time. Games are also a great way to build community and increase students' self confidence. Plus, using games in the classroom can make your job so much easier.
Games can be used for phonics or vocabulary review. They can be used for fluency and comprehension practice. While some games require lots of time, others only need a few minutes to play either at the beginning or end of class. These games can be used for exit tickets or as a brain break for students. While some games may require a small purchase such as bean bags or mini traffic cones, most cost nothing to make.
The intent of this site is to provide middle school educators with games that encourage students to think about reading in a whole new way as they seek to explore words and think creatively. However, most of the games can be adapted for students of all levels and abilities.
No matter how you use them, students are guaranteed to enjoy!
A few things to note when playing games in the classroom:
Although we keep score during each game, there are NO prizes for the winner in my classroom (except when playing Bingo). The other games are simply for fun. They’re meant to reinforce a skill, to teach cooperation and to build a community of engaged learners. Surprisingly students seldom argue this fact. The opportunity to play is reward enough.
I like to rotate the games we use, rarely repeating the same game more than once in a month and often only using it once per year. This keeps the activity fresh and helps sustain the excitement for students.
Even though the games promote competition, students are encouraged to cheer for one another and help one another. After all, the whole point is for students to learn, not necessarily win.
About me
Christina is a middle school Reading Consultant and intervention teacher who enjoys reading (especially mysteries), trying new recipes (some successful and some not so much), playing board games (any version of Clue will do) and travel (mostly to beaches).
In her 20 years as an educator, she's learned that the key to good classroom management is all about building relationships and having fun with your students! Thus, you'll often find her playing the games featured here right alongside her class. And trust me, her competitive nature does not lend itself to letting the students win. To beat her, they have to earn it!
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