It doesn’t matter if you teach online or face-to-face in the classroom. Games are a must for any classroom in any subject area. If you find yourself teaching online you know that playing the traditional games in the classroom can be difficult to translate into distance teaching and learning. I want to share with you a few digital games that can be played in any learning environment for any subject.
ZAP!
ZAP is a game I traditionally play in the classroom. I use a large foam board and library pockets to store index cards of the actions that need to take place during the game. On the cards, I write how points are given or taken away. When a team answers the question correctly, they walk to the board and select a card. This type of play does not translate well to online teaching. Students are not able to physically walk up and select a card.
Since ZAP is one of my students’ favorite games, I wanted to be able to play this game while teaching online. So I made the game digital. Now students can play this game from their seats in the classroom or online.
Dice Games
Dice games are a super fun way to review vocabulary, practice sentence creation, or to tell stories. They work great with partners or small groups, but they can also be played as a class. They are that versatile. It only takes a few tweaks to play online.
Mr. Potato Head
In my Facebook group, I shared a template that my deaf friend Shea Starr created Mr. Potato Head for online teaching. We are so lucky that she has allowed me to share this with the world. This one is a winner that all students of all ages love.
It is exactly as it sounds, students create a potato, banana, or watermelon head to win the game. This game is played in teams. Share the document as “anyone can edit” so students can manipulate it. Once it is done, you can change the document back to the original game by going to revision history so you are ready for the next class.
Conclusion
I hope these games will bring some excitement and creativity into your classroom. It does not matter if you are teaching remotely, online, in a hybrid model, or face-to-face, these games will work for you and your students. Don’t forget to share what you are playing in your classroom by tagging me @creativeASL.
Have fun and always include game time in your units of study.
Get your FREE ZAP digital game here.
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