Games can enliven your classroom.
Game No 1: Where are you? Subject : all subjects
This game is useful for revision in any subject.
Prepare a list of questions answered in one or two words. Write the question on one slip at the top but write its answer on some other slip . Write the answer at the bottom of the slip. When the game is to be used distribute the slips at random to the whole class. One student calls out his question .For example “ 34+45 where are you?” . The student who has the answer 79 on his slip says “ 34 + 45 = 79 I am here . 3x4 where are you?” That is he has read the question on his own slip and so the game continues . This is a game that can be used for all subjects.
Game No 2: Salute: Subject :Mathematics
For this game we need two students to come in front of the class. They have a pack of cards each. The pack must not contain face cards as queen , jack etc. The teacher says “Salute” . The students have to pick any card and hold it at their head as if saluting . Now the class multiplies the two numbers and gives that number so that the students in front have to guess the correct value of their cads .For eg if the cards are 3 and 8 , we say “24” The students have to guess as “ Is it 8? “Is it 4?” and so on till they are correct . The game is useful to introduce the concept of ‘Factors’ .It may also be used for subtraction and addition . It helps in developing skills of calculation.
Game No 3 : Snakes and ladders Subject: Civics or Science
This is the well known game adapted to class room situation. Make a snake and ladder board but with phrases as “ You ate carrots and got Vitamin A Go ten points ahead” or “ You ate road side food . Miss a turn” . Thus this game can be used to teach hygiene , balanced diet in Science or duties of an Indian citizen in Civics.
Game No 4 Housie:
Distribute normal housie tickets , but while calling out the numbers instead of saying “three and two--- thirty two” give a mathematical clue “ two raised to the power of five or sixteen times two” . The game may be played in other subjects as well . The teacher should prepare cards with words that are the answers to certain questions and read the question ..if the answer exists on a card the student crosses the word .Prizes may be allotted as in the normal housie game. Can be used for any subject as a recapitulation exercise
Game No 5 : Who am I?
Have a word attached to a cap. Put the cap on a students head so that he does not see the word. Let the whole class give him appropriate clues as “ This is the country of the longest river” “It is the place where pyramids are.’ Let as many clues be given and then the student guesses the word . Avoid guessing at first clue because the aim is to encourage as many clues as possible.
Game No 6 : Donkey donkey
Prepare cards with words that belong to a certain concept .Eg names of vertebrates . One card has one word. Distribute the cards among the students such that each gets an equal number not less than four or five. The teacher calls out “Mammals” If a student has a card with the name of a mammal he must drop it . Only one card to be dropped at a time. Any student dropping a wrong card has to pick up the whole lot of cards. The aim is to relieve yourself of cards as soon as possible . The game may be used for any subject involving classification eg Parts of speech , types of nouns etc
Game No 7 Match making :Distribute cards as in the above game . A student is to pull any card from his left hand neighbour and try to pair it with the cards he has . A pair made is to be dropped down . Eg Shark can be paired with eel as both are fishes. Try to complete pairs and relieve yourself of cards.
Game No 8 : Treasure hunt
Prepare a chart or use items scattered all over with clues that lead top the next item .Arrange in such a manner that at each spot the students learn something . For eg : for a lesson on types of plant habitat. Clue No 1 … Go to the lotus and find a clue attached to the part of the plant that floats on water. The clue will be placed on the leaf and will say “ First feel my surface and answer why the surface is waxy. Confirm your answer from the teacher and then go to the Vallisneria plant for the next clue “ If this part of my plant body was heavy I would have sunk down … In my friends who grow on land this part has to be really strong for anchorage… Which part of my body are we talking of ?” Thus the clues are in the form of riddles or activities and they lead to studying about adaptations in plants.
Game No 9 : Going on a trip … Geography
Spread a number of items of clothing , maps , plants ,currencies, pictures or miniatures of animals etc on the floor or a table . Let students pick up chits which are tickets to certain destinations . At the blow of a whistle they start to pick up whatever they will need to reach the place . The right map , clothes and currency. They must show it to the teacher . If a wrong item is picked they have to go and place it back. When the teacher says okay to the chosen items they go back and bring the plants , animals souvenirs in form of post cards etc from the place they have visited.
Game No 10 : Dressing up Johnny Geography
Distribute the class into groups . Each group picks their ‘Johnny’ . Each Johnny picks a chit . According to the place mentioned on the chit the group starts dressing up Johnny eg .. Arabia … Dress Johnny in white clothes. For Greenland .. he will need warm clothes. This game is for a recapitulation of all natural regions .It may be further developed by helping Johnny pack his tiffin etc.. where things grown in that locality should be included in the tiffin.
Game No 11 : Visiting the doctor
Divide the class in groups . Let one child be a patient . Give him a slip of paper to read his ailments eg “Doctor .. I feel very tired . My lips are pale . I fainted thrice in the last week” The group discusses what his problem is , tells him the problem with its causes and picks up items of food that he must eat. In this case it is anemia and the group must give him apple , leafy vegetables etc. Keep the pictures or actual items of food in a particular place.
Game No 12 : Number line game
Have students stand in a line to represent the number line ranging from say -10 to 10. Have other students pick a chit with a number on each chit . At the start of music all students that is except those forming the number line move . At the stop of the music they pair up with any other student . Add their numbers and stand behind the correct student on the number line. For the next round those who were the number line are now to play .
Game no 13 : Adjectives of quality
Have a paper attached to each students back . Let them move within the group and let their peers write words to describe them . Using these the teacher can introduce adjectives of quality.
Game no 14 : Fractions
The first one third of yak + the first two third of out . The next word is the last three fourth of care. The last word is the first one third of ground + the first half of eatery. Form your message.
Game no 15 : For teaching H.C.F
Have nos from 1 to say 50 written on slips . Have about 4 to 5 of such sets. Students pick a number each and collect its multiples . At the blow of a whistle pair up with any friend and compare your multiples . Pick the common ones and then find the highest for HCF. Have as many rounds of pairing so that each new pair helps the class to find the HCF for different pairs.
Game No 16 Musical chairs
Have some chairs. Put one noun on each chair. Let participants move to the music. When the music stops call out one type of noun eg Proper noun. Students have to quickly sit only on the chair with a proper noun. Those who sit on a wrong chair or are without chairs are out. Keep changing the type of noun you call out. You can also change the nouns put on the chairs.
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