Non-Frontal Review
Techniques for the
Classroom
With Rivkah Dahan
March 2, 2011
Our Guest:
Mrs. Rivkah Dahan is the newly appointed Director of
Education for Hidden Sparks. A former mainstream and
special education teacher, She holds a Master’s Degree
in Special Education from City University of New York, is
a certified advanced trainer for the Nurtured Heart
approach, and has served as a mentor for The Jewish
New Teacher Project. She was the founding director of
Torah Umesorah’s Brooklyn Educational Resource
Center serving teachers and principals nation-wide, as
well as Director at the Teacher Center of the Jewish
Education Center of Cleveland. She is the co-author of
Creating a Learning Environment: The Ultimate Jewish
Teacher’s Handbook and is a nationally recognized
presenter.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Session Goals:
• Review the role of memory in learning
• Understand how games can help teachers
reinforce lessons and help students with
long term memory storage and retrieval of
information
• Develop a tool chest of review games and
techniques to enable students to enjoy
learning
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Overview of the Session
• Components of memory and their role in
reviewing classroom material
• The benefits of using review activities
• Solutions to some common challenges of using
review activities in the classroom
• Practical Goals for Activities
• Simple non-frontal review techniques &
strategies to help students improve their
memory skills.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
What is Memory?
“STORAGE”
LONGTERM MEMORY STORAGE
LONGTERM MEMORY RETRIEVAL
Retrieving facts, skills, and
experiences after an extended delay
•Recalling chunks of knowledge on
demand
•Recognizing information that you’ve
encountered before
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
“RETRIEVAL”
Storing information for recall at a
later time
•Filing information: store it, name it, &
be able to get it out when needed.
Long Term Memory Consolidation…
…Storing information for recall at a later time
A student who struggles with long term memory
storage might…
…Struggle to remember daily routines in school
…Have difficulty remembering the sounds and names
of letters
…Have difficulty learning new terminology, facts, and
procedures i.e. Steps in long division
…Have particular trouble with cumulative subjects
…Struggle to recall information even when given
recognition cues (like multiple choice options)
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Long Term Memory Access…
…Recalling information after an extended delay,
including facts, skills, and experiences
…Recognizing material, such as multiple choice
option or remembering a face
A student who struggles with long term memory retrieval
might…
…Have difficulty retrieving one half of a pair when
given the other half (such as definitions with terms and
names with faces)
…Be slow to recall facts
…Use incorrect procedure for a problem or situation
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Why Use Games to Review?
How review games benefit you and your students:
Games…
 foster cooperation among students
 individualize the learning process
 develop and reinforce learning skills in an interesting manner
 are intrinsically motivating
 get students to actively participate in the learning process
 free teachers to work with small groups or with individual students
who require special help and encouragement
 individual games enable students to work at their own pace
 allow for movement and activity
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Long Term Memory Strategies
• Use physical movement, activities, role-play and hands-on
learning to add a sensory element to cognitive activity.
• Review previous lessons/relevant material to trigger information in
students’ long term memory.
• Conduct oral and written reviews daily and weekly, to build &
associate learned concepts.
• Play review games that help memory – i.e. Concentration
(using numbers, words, symbols),
• Play word games i.e. “Scrabble,” “Password,” and
Jeopardy” to increase speed of retrieval.
• Create organizational activities for vocabulary words
(organized by prefixes and suffixes), chemical equations
(organized by type of reaction), math problems (organized
by problem solving method), etc. at varying levels of
difficulty.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Long Term Memory Strategies
• Have students:
• Create flashcards, study guides, & test questions.
• SAFMEDS – Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffled
• Work in teams, drilling each other on facts using
review activities.
• Write and submit questions they think will be on the
test and use them as the basis for a review game.
• Self-test information by using self-checking review
activities.
• Point out the importance of organizational structures for
learning/understanding and studying/remembering.
• Organize words and concepts in categories in a game
format.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
What are Some Challenges of Using
Classroom Review Games?
• “I don’t have time”
• “I’m not creative”
• “What about the student that can’t follow
directions?
• What about students who don’t remember the
information?”
• “I’m concerned about students becoming unruly”
• “I have 35 students – how can I play games?”
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
…games taking too much time away from
learning
…creating games with measurable goals that
meet your learning objective.
…playing games with large classes and
students getting unruly when they have to
wait their turn for too long
…playing games in pairs or small groups.
…not knowing how to use games to assess
student learning.
…making games self-checking. Have students
record their answers.
…students getting frustrated with the rules
or games requiring too much teacher
intervention.
…games creating unhealthy competition
among students.
Then Think About...
If you're concerned about...
Overcoming Stumbling Blocks
…test-driving the game before giving to
students. Providing clear oral & written
instructions. Making sure games are age
appropriate – challenging but not too
complex.
…making game rules fair & allowing ample
opportunities for all students to succeed.
…games being heavy to schlep and too
large to store.
…creating games out of paper or store games
in a movable bin that can be stored outside
the classroom.
…not being creative enough.
…listening to the rest of this webinar!
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Types of Games
Card Games
Board Games
Running/Moving
Games
Other
Uno
Candy land
Hopscotch
Connect the Dots
Headbandz
Chutes and Ladders
Fruit Basket
Go Fish
Sorry
Twister
Memory/Concentration
Trouble
Relay Races
War
Trivial Pursuit
Across the Sea
Old Maid
Checkers
Baseball
Skip Bo
Payday
Basketball
Bingo
Charades
Connect Four
Duck-Duck-Goose
Tic-Tac-Toe
Bean Bag Toss
Bananagrams
Bowling
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Skills
skill \’skil\ :
proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed
through training or experience
‫שמש‬
Recalling
Facts
Identifying
Matching
Sorting/
Classifying/
Grouping

Automaticity
w/Sequencing
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Comparing/
Contrasting
General Studies Activity Ideas - Samples
Identifying
Matching
Sorting
Grouping
Classifying
Sequencing
Recalling Facts
Comparing
Contrasting
Locate parts of
the body on a
picture
Match the word
to the picture
that has the
initial sound
Sort objects by
color/shape
Sequence the
stages of tree
growth
Count from 110, sing the
ABC's
B's and D's &
other commonly
confused letters
Identify parts of
a cell
Match the word
to its definition.
Classify animals
by habitat
Sequence the
lifecycle of a
butterfly
List the 7
continents
Compare and
contrast the
properties of a
rectangle and a
square.
Identify the
problems and
solutions in a
current or
historical event.
Match part of
cell to its
function
Sort food
pictures by
proteins &
carbohydrates
Sequence the
US Presidents
List the
character traits
of one of the
personalities
studied
Compare life in
Jamestown
during the
1600’s to life in
Jamestown
during the
1900’s.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Judaic Studies Activity Ideas - Samples
Identifying
Matching
Sorting
Grouping
Classifying
Sequencing
Recalling Facts
Comparing
Contrasting
Identify sound
that object
begins with
Match the food
to its bracha
Sort symbols by
yom tov
Sequence the
alef-bet letters
List the things
plants need to
grow
What's the
same and
what's different:
Rachtza
/Urchatz
Identify in
Match picture to
Hebrew what
pasuk/phrase it
one wears in
represents
different types of
weather
Sort pesukim by
who said them
Sequence this
week's ketiva
words
alphabetically
List the
Parshiot
in order
Hebrew
Reading: Same
sound/different
sound
Identify which
shevet each
bracha in birchot
yaakov was
given to.
Sort mitzvot by
Sequence the
those relevant in
events in the
Israel and
megillah/parsha
outside of Israel
List the things
that are
forbidden to a
nazir
Compare and
contrast the 10
dibrot in
Parashat Yisro
and
Va’eschanan.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Match the 39
melachot w/av
melacha or
toldah
Game Idea #1 – Egg Carton/Muffin Tin Toss
Players: 1-2 players.
Materials needed: Empty egg carton or muffin tin, 1 coin, 2
manipulatives, pen/marker
Setup: Write numbers in the bottom of egg carton. Put two
manipulatives in the egg carton.
Gameplay:
• The student closes the lid, shakes the egg carton, opens the
lid and notices where the manipulatives landed.
• The student multiplies the 2 #’s together & solves the
problem.
• Students take turns playing for 5 minutes scoring 1 point for
each equation solved.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #2 – Memory/Concentration
Players: 1 to 6 players.
Deck: Up to 52-card deck.
Object of Game: To collect the most pairs of cards.
Setup: Shuffle the cards and lay them on the table (or for larger cards lay
on floor), face down, in a pattern (e.g. 4 cards x 13 cards).
Gameplay:
• Youngest player goes first. Play proceeds clockwise.
• On each turn, a player turns over two cards (one at a time) and keeps
them if they match. If player successfully matches a pair, that player
gets to take another turn.
• When a player turns over two cards that do not
match, those cards are turned face down again and
it becomes the next player’s turn.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #3 - Graffiti Review
Players: Individual students or groups of 2-3 students
Materials needed: Chart pack paper & markers
Object of game: Write everything you know about a topic in a
limited amount of time.
Setup: Spread out or post chart paper at stations around the room
(wall, desks, floor). Each piece of chart paper is given a title/topic.
Gameplay:
• Each group starts at a different piece of chart paper
• Students write everything they know about topic at that station.
• After 30 second or 1 minute interval – students rotate to next
station
• After students have gone through all topics, gather
papers
• Read results as a class
• Correct and complete information on pages
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #4 – First Things First
Players: 2
Deck: 8 cards
Materials needed: 3x5” index cards, answer key
Object of game: Be the first team to discard the 2 cards containing events that are not
relevant to the topic and then arrange the remaining cards in chronological order.
To Prepare Cards: Create for each pair of students 1 set of 6 cards containing events that
occurred during a particular historical time period and 2 cards that contain random historical
events.
Gameplay:
•
On the “go” signal, each pair places cards face up on table/floor in front of them.
Students remove non-relevant cards & putt remaining cards in chronological order.
•
Once all cards are sequenced, students use the answer key to check for accuracy.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #5 – Simply Kosher
Players: 2-4 players
Object of Game: Sort items by category
Materials needed: 2 shoeboxes (1 labeled “Kosher” the
other labeled “Non-Kosher”), 2 bags containing plastic
animals or flashcards with photographs of animals
Gameplay:
• Students take turns choosing items from their bags
and placing them in the correct shoebox.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #6 – Duck, Duck, Goose
Players: 4 to 6 players or Whole class.
Materials needed: Lists of categories
Object of Game: Help students review
Setup: Students sit on the floor/chairs in circle facing inward.
1 student in each group is “it”.
Gameplay:
• Kids sit in a circle facing each other.
• One person is "it" and walks around the circle tapping people's heads and saying whether
they are a "duck" or a "goose".
• The "goose" gets up and chases "it" around the circle.
• The goal is to tap that person before they are able sit down in the "goose's" spot.
• If the goose is not able to do this, they become "it" for the next round and play continues.
• If they do tap the "it" person, the person tagged has to sit in the center of the circle. Then the
goose become “it” for the next round. The person in the middle can't leave until another
person is tagged and they are replaced.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #7 – Human Board Game
Players: 2-6 players
Deck: 12-24 cards
Materials needed: construction paper/card stock, marker, cube-shaped box covered
contact paper. Glue black circles or numbers to box to resemble a large die
Cards: Create the game board using posterboard or construction paper size numbers for
the students to stand on. This is the game board.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of multiplication/addition facts.
Object of game: Be the first player to reach the end of the “board”/ Review
multiplication/addition facts
Setup: Lay cards face up on floor in front of each team .
Gameplay:
• Players line up in front of “board”.
•
Players take turns rolling the die, and walking # of spaces on die.
•
Players must complete the math equation (either multiply, add, or subtract) created
by the number they stand on and the number they rolled on the dice. i.e. 5 (number
spun on die) multiplied by 8 (8 is on the square). If player lands on occupied space,
player on space moves back 3 spaces.
•
Incorrect answers move back one space. (Rules can be added or deleted depending
on your class)
•
Winner is the first player to reach the end of the game board.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Sample Activity Ideas – Judaic Studies
Do this on your own:
•Choose a subject.
•Think of one activity for each
skill that you can incorporate
into a game for your class.
RECALLING
FACTS
SORTING
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Students will match
Students will sort
Students will list
a picture of a creation to
pictures of objects onto
what G-d created on
the # of the day on which
the day they were created.
each day.
it was created.
IDENTIFYING
SEQUENCING
COMPARING
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Students will compare
Students will identify
Students will
sequence
What was created
pictures in the order in
first day to what G-d said
on Day #6.
which they were created.
after the 3rd day.
Learning
Objective:
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
MATCHING
what G-d said after the
Additional Game Resources
• www.Chinuch.org Chinuch.org is a website on which
Jewish educators can share curricula, instructional ideas
and best practices. The site also has a forum that provides
an opportunity for teachers of students with special needs
to discuss current issues in the field, get advice from other
professionals and network with other teachers and
parents in similar situations to theirs.
• Dr. Sivasailam Thiagarajan (Thiagi, for short) is a well
known expert in the area of learning games.
http://www.thiagi.com/games.html provides 100’s of free
games and activities that engage participants & keep them
interacting with each other and with the content.
• SAFMEDS Instructions can be found at Indiana Designs
Equitable Access for Learning’s website
www.idealindiana.com/mods.asp?id=85&sectionID=138
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Some Final Thoughts –
Activity Ideas for YOUR Class
Think of one game/activity that you can
play with your class tomorrow that will
reinforce one skill.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Upcoming Hidden Sparks Without Walls
Sessions
Tuesday,
May 17, 2011
Assessment and Differentiated Instruction, with Dr. Jane
Gertler
For more information visit: www.hiddensparks.org
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Contacting Hidden Sparks
Contact Rivkah Dahan:
RIVKAH@HIDDENSPARKS.ORG
Contact Hidden Sparks:
www.hiddensparks.org
margaret@hiddensparks.org
(212) 767-7707
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
About Hidden Sparks
Hidden Sparks is a non-profit fund whose purpose is to help children
with learning differences reach their full potential in school and life.
Hidden Sparks develops and supports professional development
programs for Jewish day schools to help increase understanding and
support for teaching to diverse learners.
Guided by a philosophy that by helping schools meet the needs of
children with learning and behavioral differences, ultimately all
students will benefit. Hidden Sparks’ programs combine professional
development in learning and positive behavioral support, guided
classroom observation and one on one coaching. The Hidden Sparks
model and program is currently in 21 Jewish Day Schools/Yeshivot in
New York and 7 in Boston, through a partnership with Gateways:
Access to Jewish Education.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Comic Relief - Memory
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Brainstorming
Get those gaming juices flowing!
How many games can you think of in each of these categories?
Card Games
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Board Games
Running/Moving
Games
Other
Classroom Games Cheat Sheet
Preparation for games is imperative to their success. A teacher should be thoroughly
familiar with a game before presenting it to a group. In conducting games,
remember the following key words:
ORGANIZE
STATE
the players before
the game begins.
how the game is played.
ASK
PLAY
if there are any questions.
...instructions
with a minimum of interruptions
STOP
the game when the students
are still having fun.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Motivation is the key to success, and the teacher/facilitator is the key to motivation.
S/he must always present the games enthusiastically and intelligently.
Sample Activity Ideas Planning Sheet
Do this on your own:
•Choose a subject.
•Think of one activity for
each skill that you can
incorporate into a game
for your class.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
SORTING
RECALLING
FACTS
MATCHING
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Students will sort
Students will recall
Students will match
IDENTIFYING
SEQUENCING
COMPARING
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Learning
Objective:
Students will identify
Students will
sequence
Students will compare
What is Memory?
Mentally juggling information while using it in some
way
Briefly registering new information
•Actively using the information
•Memory for keeping things together in your mind while it is
being used.
•Being able to hold different pieces of information and use
them at the same time.
•Can be seconds, minutes, or hours
•The process of taking information coming in and filing it in
long term is active working memory.
•Only lasts for seconds
•A very small space to hold information
•You need to decide quickly “save or
delete”
“STORAGE”
Retrieving facts, skills, and
experiences after an extended delay
•Recalling chunks of knowledge on
demand
•Recognizing information that you’ve
encountered before
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
“RETRIEVAL”
Storing information for recall at a
later time
•Filing information: store it, name it, (&
be able to get it out when needed).
Game Idea #1 – Egg Carton/Muffin Tin Toss
Players: 1-2 players.
Materials needed: Empty egg carton or muffin tin, 1 coin, 2
manipulatives, pen/marker
Setup: Write numbers in the bottom of egg carton. Put two
manipulatives in the egg carton.
Gameplay:
• The student closes the lid, shakes the egg carton, opens the
lid and notices where the manipulatives landed.
• The student multiplies the 2 #’s together & solves the
problem.
• Students take turns playing for 5 minutes scoring 1 point for
each equation solved.
Variation:
1.
2.
Write vocabulary words in egg carton/muffin tin. Player 1 tosses coin into egg carton/muffin
tin & observes where coin has landed. Conjugate the 2 words listed. Give yourself a point
for every correct answer.
Play continues with players taking turns tossing coins and conjugating words.
Judaic Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: alef bet,
Lower Elementary: holiday dates, biblical dates, months of year,
identify rashi letters, beurei milim
Upper Elementary:
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
General Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: numbers, colors, abc, shapes, symbols
Lower Elementary : math facts, contractions,
Upper Elementary: history dates, vocabulary words, science terms
Game Idea #2 – Memory/Concentration
Players: 1 to 6 players.
Deck: Up to 52-card deck.
Object of Game: To collect the most pairs of cards.
Setup: Shuffle the cards and lay them on the table (or for larger cards lay
on floor), face down, in a pattern (e.g. 4 cards x 13 cards).
Gameplay:
• Youngest player goes first. Play proceeds clockwise.
•
On each turn, a player turns over two cards (one at a time) and keeps them if they
match. If player successfully matches a pair, that player gets to take another turn.
•
When a player turns over two cards that do not
match, those cards are turned face down again and
it becomes the next player’s turn.
Judaic Studies Ideas:
Early Childhood: pictures/words, alef bet letters
Lower Elementary: chumash words/translations, prefix-suffix/definitions, holidays/dates,
print/script, yachid/rabim, beginning of tefilla/end of tefilla
Upper Elementary: words/definitions, word/shoresh,
General Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: upper case to lowercase letters, picture to initial consonant, numbers,
patterns, shapes
Lower Elementary: states/capitals, print/script, math facts, questions/answers
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Upper Elementary: explorer/discovery, historical event/date, body system/organs
Game Idea #3 - Graffiti Review
Players: Individual students or groups of 2-3 students
Materials needed: Chart pack paper & markers
Object of game: Write everything you know about a topic in a
limited amount of time.
Setup: Spread out or post chart paper at stations around the room
(wall, desks, floor). Each piece of chart paper is given a title/topic.
Gameplay:
• Each group starts at a different piece of chart paper
• Students write everything they know about topic at that station.
• After 30 second or 1 minute interval – students rotate to next
station
• After students have gone through all topics, gather
papers
• Read results as a class
• Correct and complete information on pages
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Game Idea #4 – First Things First
Players: 2
Deck: 8 cards
Materials needed: 3x5” index cards, answer key
Object of game: Be the first team to discard the 2 cards containing events that are not relevant to
the topic and then arrange the remaining cards in chronological order.
To Prepare Cards: Create for each pair of students 1 set of 6 cards containing events that occurred
during a particular historical time period and 2 cards that contain random historical events.
Gameplay:
•On the “go” signal, each pair places cards face up on table/floor in front of them. Students
remove non-relevant cards & putt remaining cards in chronological order.
•Once all cards are sequenced, students use the answer key to check for accuracy.
Judaic Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: alef bet, 10 makkot, order of passover seder,
Lower Elementary: parshiot in each sefer, parts of tefilla, 12 shevatim,
months of the year
Upper Elementary: Kings of Yisrael, Kings of Yehuda, 39 melachot,
timeline of Jewish History
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
General Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: Abc’s, daily schedule, seasons, days of week,
months of year, Human Alphabet
Lower Elementary: lifecycle of a butterfly, US presidents
Upper Elementary: government chain of command, food chain, states
that joined the union
Game Idea #5 – Simply Kosher
Players: 2-4 players
Object of Game: Sort items by category
Materials needed: 2 shoeboxes (1 labeled “Kosher” the other labeled “NonKosher”), 2 bags containing plastic animals or flashcards with photographs of
animals
Gameplay:
• Students take turns choosing items from their bags
and placing them in the correct shoebox.
Judaic Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: holidays, colors, shapes, letters, seasons,
Lower Elementary: fathers/sons, families, Hebrew grammar rules,
brachot, ‫הווה‬-‫אמהות עבר‬-‫ שבטים‬,‫עשו‬-‫ יעקב‬,‫נקבה‬-‫זכר‬,
Upper Elementary: 10 commandments listed parshat yitro &
v’etchanan
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
General Studies Variations:
Early Childhood: colors, shapes, numbers, texture, pictures,
seasons, clothing, fruits/vegetables, magnetic/non-magnetic
Lower Elementary : mammals/amphibians, customs/country
Upper Elementary: geographic regions, climate, pros & cons of
being in North/South during Civil War, monarchy/democracy
Game Idea #6 – Duck, Duck, Goose
Players: 4 to 6 players or Whole class.
Materials needed: Lists of categories
Object of Game: Help students review
Setup: Students sit on the floor/chairs in circle facing inward.
1 student in each group is “it”.
Gameplay:
• Kids sit in a circle facing each other.
• One person is "it" and walks around the circle tapping people's heads and
saying whether they are a "duck" or a "goose".
•
• The "goose" gets up and chases "it" around the circle.
• The goal is to tap that person before they are able sit down in the "goose's"
spot.
• If the goose is not able to do this, they become "it" for the next round and play
continues.
• If they do tap the "it" person, the person tagged has to sit in the center of the
circle. Then the goose become “it” for the next round. The person in the middle
can't leave until another person is tagged and they are replaced.
© 2011 Hidden Sparks
Variations: Rhyming words (cat, bat, mat, CAKE), Yom Tov articles (shofar,
machzor, honey, SUKKAH), dikduk words (rotzah, rotzah, rotzah, rotzeh), Initial
consonant words (bat, ball, bill, CAT)