A question was posed in the Instructional Technology Specialist Google Plus group about review for year end exams. There were a lot of great suggestions, so I thought I would compile them here, and maybe add some more of my own. The goal for most of these is to make the review process engaging and enticing to students.
Kahoot (+Kristina Wambold)- Quick multiple choice review game. Set up or find topics from the public listings, and run a game on the classroom projector. To spice it up, play with your kids and give them some grand prize for beating your score. I would post the winning scores on my Twitter accounts with the kids Twitter/Instagram handle attached.
Quizizz (+Patrick Reid) - Like Kahoot, but the questions appear on the student devices and questions are self-progressing. Also the memes that appear after each question also are pretty motivating.
Quizalize (+Charlie Gerancher) - This is a new one that I have discovered, but seems to become one of my favorites. Mainly because of the dashboard that is provided for the teachers as their students progress through the questions. Also, this one provides for team grouping. You can see how a team and individual students are doing and what needs to be reviewed again.
QR Code Scavenger Hunt (+Patrick Reid) - Make a series of multiple choice questions with the answers being QR codes. Each QR code will either tell them it was a wrong answer, or where to go for the next question. This one gets your kids up and moving, and is team building. The link provided makes this job way easier than I have done it before.
Flippity Quiz (+Mary Comer) - Create a series of questions and answers in a Google Sheet, then this script will create the results into a customizable Jeopardy style game board. I used this a lot for vocabulary terms that I had already created in a Quizlet. Works well for team play from 2 - 6 teams.
Some other ideas I had as I thought back of ways I have reviewed with my students.
Review Squares - This one goes back from an English Language Learners strategy. You print or share a series of boxes with the topics of an upcoming test. Then you give each student one minute to write what they can remember about any topic. While that student is writing the rest are reviewing their notes. The apparent goal is for the student to get more information/items on their paper, then the next team. The hidden goal is for the students to review their notes and notice details.
Slap It - Write or project key terms, topics or ideas from the subject matter. Give to students fly swatters. Have each student face away from the list of terms. Read off the question, the students turn to find the answer. While they are doing this their teammates can help by saying the answers, but they must stay in their seats. It gets heated quickly.
Congo Line Review - Have students create a question(s) and answer(s) to what they think might be on the test. Have students stand in two line facing each other. They then take turns asking and answering questions. Once this is done, one student at the end shimmies (yes they must dance with the provided music) to the end of their line down the center, and the rest of their line shifts down. The other line stands still and greets their new partner, and the question and answering continues.
When reviewing making it student centered, and questions being student created will give you greater success. Many of these will give you an idea of how students are prepared for the upcoming exams. Be sure to stop and take the time to go over and adjust your teaching when you see spots that need additional assistance. Any other ideas you would suggest? Any favorites that your students repeatedly request?
