Review Game – Works for ANY Subject!

If you’re anything like me, you like to mix it up and have fun with your students.  Here’s a fun review game my students LOVE to play and it’s easy peasy, lemon squeasy!!

I divide my students up into groups of 2-4 and have them sit together – I sometimes put friends together and sometimes I mix them all up.

Using sticky notes, I write as many vocabulary words as I can from our unit of study. (One word per sticky)  It’s okay if you use the same word more than once because you will have different groups.  

I circulate the room and put a sticky on each student’s back / shoulder.  The  students in their group are allowed to look at the vocabulary words on each other’s back but they can’t say any of the words out loud.  Then, taking turns, the students ask “yes” or “no” questions to their group members to try to guess what the vocabulary word on their back is.  When all of the team members have guessed what their vocabulary word is, I circulate again and add more stickies.  Usually 5-6 rounds is good – but my students often ask to play longer!

I teach science and there is a lot of vocabulary associated with each unit… this is a fun way to get the kids thinking about “good” questions to ask to help them narrow down their thinking to get to their word.

I also teach ELA and have used this same technique during a novel study to review literary terms, characters, plot elements and more!  

At the end of the year when it’s time for what I call a “MEGA Review” I put the kids in groups and give each group their own pad of sticky notes.  They love to write vocabulary words for each other and try to outsmart each other – it’s a lot of fun!

If you’re looking for more ideas to help students study and review vocabulary and important concepts, check out the FREEBIE I have posted in my TeachersPayTeacher store.  Click the image below to grab a copy!  It’s another fun activity using sticky notes!!

I’ve also got a set of posters to help students learn the key words associated with test taking.  My students often need to review these terminology of test questions and these posters have helped. Click the image to check them out.