CATEGORIES

There was a study that showed pre-k children who knew how to play games were more successful in kindergarten. When you think about it, games help children learn to follow rules, take turns, and develop the executive function (task initiation and completion). This is good information to share with parents to encourage them to play board games and card games with their children rather than hand them their phone.

Alphabet Categories
Sounds, parts of speech, categories, rapid automatic naming, and multiple skills are reinforced with this game. When I introduced alphabet categories we played it as a large group game. Once the kids “caught on” we divided the class into two teams and played. Later, they enjoyed playing the game in small groups or with a partner.

Why? initial sounds, categories, rapid naming

What? poster board

How? You will need 2 sheets of poster board of different colors. Cut the poster board into 4” squares. (You will need 23 squares of each color.) On one color print alphabet letters. (Print “u & v” on the same card and “x, y, z” on another card.) On the other color print one of the categories below:

something in the yard               an animal

fruit or vegetable                      movie star

something in the kitchen          body part

river, lake, or ocean                 town or city

country or state                       a machine

type of transportation              a food

something you wear                an action

something in the zoo               a plant

a toy                                        a book

a song                                     a noun

a famous person                     a verb

something in the school         a game

a TV show                              a feeling

a color                                    an occupation

restaurant or store                  something that flies

Shuffle up each set of cards. Draw a card from the “letter pile” and a card from the “category pile.” Encourage the children to make the sound of the letter. Can they think of a word in the category that begins with that sound?

*When introducing this game, simply play it as a shared group activity and do not keep score. As children become more proficient, divide the class into teams and give points to the first team to come up with a word that fits the category. Children may also enjoy playing this game in small groups.

*Adapt the categories to the age and ability of your students. For example, you could use adjectives, adverbs, nouns, verbs, prepositions, mammals, etc. for older students.

Rapid Automatic Naming

Here 's an adaptation of "categories" that you can use to develop Rapid Automatized Naming. RAN is the ability to name letters, symbols, words, or objects in a quick and automatic manner and impacts reading fluency. 

Write categories on index cards, punch a hole in the cards, and attach to a book ring. If you’ve got a few minutes before lunch or while you’re waiting during other transitions you can flip through the category cards and see how many words children can “pop out.”

*Whisper - Let the whole class participate by whispering as many words as they can.

*Toss and Tell – Throw a beanbag around the group and each child must add a word to the category as they catch the beanbag.

*Brainstorm - Write words on the board as the students call them out.

*Think Time - Give older children 2 or 3 minutes to write all the words they can think of. You could also divide students into partners or small groups to do this.

FLIPPERS AND GONE FISHING

Think about skills that you want to reinforce and then turn them into one of these games.
Flippers

SKILLS: letters; sounds; math facts; contractions; antonyms, etc. 

MATERIALS: spatula, poster board, markers 

DIRECTIONS: Cut 3 ½” circles out of poster board. Write uppercase letters on one side and lowercase letters on the other. Place the circles on the floor or a table. Children name the letter on one side, and then flip it over to self-check.

Hint! Craft foam and corrugated cardboard also make good flippers.

More! Write words on one side and glue matching pictures on the back. 

Write children’s names on one side and glue their picture on back. 

Put pictures on one side and initial consonants or vowels on back. 

Put sets, number words, or math facts on one side and the answer on the reverse side. 

Write antonyms on opposite sides. 

Write two words on the front and the contraction on the back.


Gone Fishing
*Does anybody play this game any more? My class used to LOVE it! Bet yours will as well! 

SKILLS: letter recognition; high frequency words; numeral recognition, math facts 

MATERIALS: construction paper, paper clips, magnet, string, stick 

DIRECTIONS: Cut out fish from the construction paper similar to the ones shown.
Write a letter or word on each fish. Attach a paper clip or brad fastener to each fish. Tie a magnet to the end of a 20” piece of string. Tie the other end of the string to the stick to make a fishing pole. Children spread the fish on the floor, and then try to catch a fish with the magnet on the end of the pole. If they can identify the information on the fish, they may keep it.

 

MY MESSY HOUSE

This game can be adapted to a variety of skills. It’s an activity your students will definitely WANT to do over and over.


What? colored construction paper or card stock, spring clothespins, markers, scissors, string

Why? sight words, letters, numerals, shapes, etc.

When? Small group, learning center, partner

How? Cut clothes out of construction paper and write skills on them. Tie a string (clothesline) between two chairs. Spread the clothes on the floor as you say, “My house is so messy. Who can help me clean it up?” Children take turns choosing an item, identifying the information, and then hanging it on the clothesline.

*Put days of the week on the clothes for the children to hang up in order.

*Write numbers (1-10 whatever you are working on) for the children to put in order.

*Write words in Spanish on some clothes and words in English on others. Children hang up the ones that go together.

Click to download pattern shown below

for My Messy House

 

PEEKING PUPPIES

Self-check games where children get immediate feedback are a great way to reinforce skills. We want children to practice, but we also want to make sure the correct information is getting stored in the brain.

What? construction paper, markers, scissors

Why? words and pictures, upper and lowercase letters, antonyms, math facts and answers, etc.

When? Learning center, independent practice, take home game

How? Cut puppies out of construction paper. Bend down the ear. Write one thing on the puppy’s body and write the answer under the ear.

*These puppies are also great for second languages.

https://www.drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZGxkcDZmaFQ4UVU/view?usp=sharing


Sharks
Here's a similar self-check game you can make with sharks.

 

 

https://www.drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljTTNTLWI0MEwwZ0k/view?usp=sharing

 

 

 

WILLY WORM

You can call this worm Willy or Wanda or Wilbur or Winnie, but whatever you name it your kids will call it FUN! It's simple to make and can be adapted for many different skills.


What? paper plates, markers, construction paper, scissors, glue

Why? letters, numbers, sight words, shapes, etc.

When? large group

How? Decorate one plate to look like a silly worm. On the other plates write letters with a marker. Place the worm’s head down on the floor. Pass a plate to each child. (You can do this in alphabetical order or randomly.) The first child comes up, puts her plate next to the worm’s head and says the letter. The second child says the letter on the first plate and then says her letter and adds it to the worm’s body. The game continues as children say previous letters and then add their letter to the worm.

More? Challenge children to add the letters in alphabetical order.

Sight words – Write sight words on plates and add to the worm as children read the words.

Numbers – Write numbers on the plates and put in order.

Second Language – Write words from a second language you want the children to learn. You could put English on the front and the translation on the back.

 

 

Musical Plates
Scatter the plates on the floor. Play some catchy music for the children to dance to. When the music stops each child finds a paper plate and picks it up. The teacher randomly points to various children to identify the information on their plate. Put the plates back down on the floor and continue dancing and picking up plates.

 

ZAP! BOOM! WIGGLE WORMS! STARS!

ZAP, BOOM, WIGGLE WORMS, AND STARS? 

Believe it or not, these are all adaptions of a classroom game that your students will love (and learn from) when you've got a few extra minutes.

SKILLS: letters; words; phrase cards; math facts; shapes, etc.

ZAP!

MATERIALS small can with a smooth edge (such as one from chips,
frosting, etc.), large craft sticks, markers, wrapping paper

DIRECTIONS Cover the can with paper and write ZAP! on it as shown.

On the bottom of sticks print words or other skills. On several sticks write “ZAP!” Place all the sticks in the can with the words towards the bottom of the can. Have the children sit in a circle. One at a time, children hold the can and pull out a stick and identify the word on it. When a child chooses a stick with “Zap!” on it, they return all their sticks to the can. Continue passing the can until there is one person left. 

Hint! If children can’t identify the information on their stick, let them “phone a friend” for the answer.

More! For older students, add sticks that say, “You get two turns.” “Take a peek.” “Loose a turn.” “Skip.”


BOOM! 

Write "Boom!" on several sticks and when children choose that stick they jump up and shout, "BOOM!


WIGGLE WORMS 

Write "Wiggle Worms!" on several sticks. Children stand and wiggle like a worm if they pull this stick.


STARS 

Glue stars to several sticks. If children choose this stick they get to keep it.

*You can also adapt this game for different holidays or units of study. For example, in October you could use skeleton stickers and the children could “shake their bones.” In January glue a snowman and they have to shiver.

IT'S JUST A GAME!

   

WHY PLAY GAMES?
All you have to say is, “Let’s play a game!” and you will naturally engage your students. But there’s more than PLAY going on with these games!

Standards – Sugar coat those standards by developing a game around the skills you want to reinforce.

Executive Function – Through games children can develop task initiation and completion because there is a beginning and an end. They also learn self- regulation and delayed gratification.

Active Learning – With games children can talk, interact with friends, and use multi-sensory materials.

Purposeful Practice for Automaticity – In order to master skills children need to repeat and practice them. Clearly, kids would rather do that with a game than with a worksheet.

Intentional Teaching – Teachers can create flashcard games, board games, or a variety of games based on any skill (letters, numbers, sight words, vocabulary, math facts, science or social studies, etc.) Think about skills in your curriculum and there’s the content for your game.

21st Century Skills – Children will naturally develop cooperation, collaboration, and communication as they share and play games.

Brain Research – The brain likes anything that is novel and challenging. Games add that element of fun and motivation to academic content.

Differentiated Instruction – Games can be adapted for specific needs and used for small group, independent, or take home practice.

Limited English Learners – Games can provide that visual and auditory connection in a non-threatening way.

Instructional Time – Take advantage of transitions and those few extra minutes during the school day by playing games.


HOW?
Look at your standards. What skills do your students need to master?
Are they struggling with any letters, sight words, shapes, math facts?
Be specific with the content you choose. Start simple and make the games increasingly complex. Remember, nothing succeeds like success.

WHAT?
construction paper, poster board, fun foam, file folders, scissors, tape, glue, hole punch, jumbo craft sticks, magnetic letters, markers, recycled materials, small toys and inexpensive items you can find in a dollar store

Tip!
You can make games yourself.
You can ask parents to make games for you.
You can share games and rotate them with other teachers.

WHERE?
Store games in zip bags, manila envelopes, pencil boxes, plastic tubs, or other containers. *Hint! Color code with stickers to indicate content area.

WHEN?
Demonstrate how to play the games and keep the rules simple. It often takes several times for the children to “get” a game. Model how to care for the materials and clean up.

Games can be used for large group instruction during transitions. They can be used with small skill based instructional groups. And, they can be used for independent practice.

Tip! Use games to motivate your students by saying, “If you work hard we will have time to play a game.”

*Try using “Brain Lotion” before playing games with pieces. (Take the label off a bottle of hand sanitizer and replace it with a label that says “Brian Lotion.” This will keep your games clean and germ free.)


ONLY YOU!

I can't do anything about the skills you have to teach, the checklists you have to complete, or the tests you have to administer, but over the next few days I can share some of my favorite games to make those standards "taste" better.  Remember that YOU add the magic!