Scrabble tile
Pupils have to make as many words they can related to a topic using scrabble tiles. Then calculate how many points each word is worth! They can’t repeat letters- they can only use what is shown!
Scattergories
In teams, give pupils a letter and some categories of things to come up with that begin with that letter. If they think of an answer no one else has they get points (5 per word).
Press conference/Hot seat
Hold a ‘press conference’ where pupils interview either the teacher or another child about their knowledge on the new topic for 1 minute.
Keyword chop
Half of the class are given questions and half are given answers, or half given one word of a key term and the others the other half. Pupils must silently go around the room trying to find out who their partner is. Once they have found one another they can either see if they can …
Just a minute
Pupils have to talk for a minute recapping a topic without pausing or hesitating and no repetition is allowed. Great to play with a timer on the board, pupils can ‘buzz’ one another out should they do any of the above!
Guess who
Pupils are given a key word or character and in pairs (often stuck to their heads with a post it) They have to question one another to see if they can decipher the key term or idea. It is useful to encourage pupils to link learning together e.g. a hobby or place to live in …
Globingo
This is a kinaesthetic form of bingo where each child starts off with a board of questions (9×9 grid). The first person to get the 9 cards (with questions on them) completed by 9 different people wins!
Give me 5
Pupils are shown a category or topic. They have 30 seconds to write down up to 5 different answers and score 1 point for each correct answer plus a bonus of 1 point for any answer that is unique in your class (i.e. not suggested by anyone else).
Countdown
Give 9 letters and get pupils to make as many words as they can. If it works for the topic you are teaching, hide a key word in amongst the letters and see if anyone gets it!
Catchphrase
Key words (9) are placed in a 3×3 grid. Pupils describe as many words as possible on the board to their team mates in a minute to try and win. Behind the words is a catchphrase that there are bonus points for guessing!