Starting math class with a quick review game helps with student engagement and learning to build concepts upon one another.
Today I’m going to share an idea for a simple product that I use in my classroom in two ways. This special, versatile product is the scavenger hunt-style review game.
If you have never used scavenger hunts in your math classroom before, now is the time! They are perfect for getting students up and moving around while keeping them engaged on the task at hand. I love them.
The Traditional Review Game
You are probably familiar with the traditional review scavenger hunt game. The basic premise is that you hang problems around the room and students walk from sheet to sheet solving the problems on an answer page. A correct answer leads to the next sheet until correct answers eventually lead back to the original problem they started with.
Here are a few quick reasons I love the traditional style scavenger hunt review game:
- First, they are self-checking. Students know if they have made a mistake immediately because the answer they are looking for will not be found on any of the other sheets. This prompts them to come see you which helps you make a mental note of those needing extra help. Perfection!
- Next, students get to be active. A scavenger hunt is the perfect way to turn a boring worksheet into the best math class. Students love games that get them out of their seats and moving around the room. Even better — let them work with a partner!
- Finally, they can be played individually or in groups. Scavenger hunts are versatile in that everyone doesn’t have to start at the same place. If you have 10 different problems around the room, spread them out, and send your students in 10 different groups with different starting points. The process will work itself regardless of where they begin.
My twist on the scavenger hunt review game
I like to start math class each day with a quick 5ish minute review of what we talked about the previous day. Recently, I was brainstorming a new way to keep things exciting during review time. That’s when it hit me. Why not use a scavenger hunt?
Here’s how it works. I take the scavenger hunt cards and cut them out so only one problem is shown per page.
I make my scavenger hunts for this style to be about the size of a playing card, depending on the type of problems.
When it’s time to play, each student gets a card. If I have more students than I do cards, I pair them up accordingly. Sometimes I have more problems than students, so a few people have more than one. The key is to make sure all cards are in use.
I give each student an appropriate amount of time to solve the problem on their card. Then, I choose a random student to begin, and they read us their answer. Do not let them read the question aloud, only the answer. This ensures you can shuffle and reuse the same cards again.
If the student has the correct answer, the student who has that answer in the “Previous Answer” section of their card will then stand and read their answer. Play continues until all students/groups have taken their turn and we have made it through all the cards.
If a student gives an incorrect answer, we know because no other student has it on their cards. At that point, we take the time to re-work the problem as a class.
This game takes no more than 5-10 minutes at the start of class. It is the perfect way to refresh memories from the previous day. It’s also perfect for getting students warmed up for the new material. Win-win!
If you’re interested in trying this style game in your classroom, you can visit my TPT store and download one that suits your needs.
Let me know how this goes for you! Talk soon!