Engaging Activities for Reviewing
in the Classroom
By Shannon Ford, Jacqui Rempala,
and Rachel Sisterson
Game Shows!
1 Versus 100
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20 to 40 minutes
• Description: Based off of the television show
on GSN. One student verses “the mob.”
Student answers questions and has two
lifelines: poll the mob and trust the mob.
Student wins by eliminating all mob members.
Mob members win if student is eliminated.
Hollywood Squares
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: Half the class period
• Description: It’s the game of X’s and O’s. Break the
class into 2 teams. Each student needs to participate
by working out the problems. Randomly call on a
student from one of the teams who will pick a square.
The team will decide if the character from that square
is answering the problem correctly. If the team gets
the answer right then they get the square, if not, then
the other team gets it. Alternate which team chooses
a square.
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games/
Jeopardy!
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: Whole class period
• Description: Break class up into small groups.
Each student will be doing problems on separate
sheet of paper. Start with one group to pick a
category. If they cannot get the answer, then the
next group gets the chance to answer the
question. Alternate groups picking the category.
Final Jeopardy could really decide the winner!
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games/
Family Feud
• Prep Time: None
• Time allotted in class: 35 to 50 minutes
• Description: Great for identifying properties of
polygons or other content that requires
memorization. Same rules as the actual game
show except no Fast Money round. Class divided
into two families. Two students face off to
determine which families plays that round.
Template
Quick Fillers!
Sums of 3
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 10 minutes
• Description: On white index cards, you write
down 3 different equation problems. The
students will be put into groups of 3, and each
group gets one of each type of equation. Each
student will solve one of the equations. Then,
they will find the sum of their answers. The
first group to tell you the correct sum wins!
Writing Activities
• Prep Time: None
• Time allotted in class: 10 minutes
• Description: Writing in math?! Yes! Having the
students explain in words how to solve a
problem really helps them work on their math
vocabulary and how to communicate
effectively in math class. It also helps them
realize if they really understand how to solve a
particular problem.
..my favorite writing activity
• Is having students explain in words how to
solve an equation. Then have them partner up
and have them read to their partner how to
solve the problem. Their partner has to do
exactly what they are told. Students are
surprised on how much their words actually
matter in math!
Hangman
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20 to 40 minutes
• Description: Students are put in groups. Each
group tries to answer the question. If the
group is incorrect, they get a body part drawn
on their hangman.
Quick Quizzes
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 5 minutes
• Description: A good way to review a single
concept. This activity could be a class warmup or a nice wrap-up to the lesson. Just create
a timed power point and you’re ready to go!
Races!
Reflex Game
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20 to 30 minutes
• Description: Students are divided into two
teams. Two students compete at the front of
the room. A question is displayed. First
student to grab the eraser off the chair and
answer correctly gets a point for their team.
Flashcard Tournament
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 15 to 20 minutes
• Description: Good for identifying, classifying, or
quick math facts (questions should not require
students to work out problems). Student face off
using flashcards and first to say correct answers
moves up the line and loser moves down the line.
Provide enough opportunities for a student
starting at the bottom to get to first place spot.
Fly Swatter Game
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20-30 minutes
• Description: The class is divided into two
teams. On the board the answers are
randomly displayed. A student from each
team come up to the board and are given a
problem. The first student to correctly solve,
find and swat the correct answer wins a point
for their team.
Fly Swatter Application
• If you have a SMART Board, you could make a
PowerPoint presentation of the answers
where the answers are actually moving
around. This makes it a little harder for
students to find the correct answer, and now
when they swat the correct answer, the
answers will stop moving.
Telephone
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 15 to 20 minutes
• Description: Students are put into teams and sit in
columns. Problems are put on the board in a specific
order. The first person solves problem one and gives
their answer to the second person. This answer is used
as the starting point for the second problem and so on.
The team gets a point for a correct telephone message
(final answer) at the end. A way to earn bonus points
is if an individual team member does the telephone
individually and gets the correct final answer.
Race Game
Description: Each group gets 4
different cards. Each problem uses
the answer from the previous
question. The final answer from
each card creates the equation on
the final card that they need to
graph.
Prep Time:
Moderate to extensive
Time allotted in class:
5-25 minutes
First group to
graph the
correct equation
wins the game!
Graphing Relay
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 15 to 25 minutes
• Description: Students work in pairs to graph
provided coordinates. Connecting the plotted
points creates a picture. I put a riddle on the
board in the beginning and the picture they
created was a hint for the answer.
Hot Seat
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 20-30 minutes
• Description: The students are put into groups of 4-5. The
groups are arranged in columns. The student in the last seat
is in the “hot seat”. The person in the hot seat has to
answer the question given to them (via PowerPoint or
verbally). Once they have their answer, they pass it forward
(on a sheet of paper or white board). If the person in front
of them agrees with the answer, they continue to pass it
forward. If they do not agree, they pass it back for the
person in the “hot seat” to redo. The first group to have the
correct answer make it to the front wins a point for that
round. Then everyone in the group moves up one seat –
the person in the front moves to the “hot seat” in the back.
Digit Game
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: Whole class period
• Description: A nice end of the chapter review
game. Divide your class into teams with each
individual in charge of at least one number (0-9).
Put problems up on the board to solve – each
answer cannot have any repeated digits. When
the student has an answer with the digit that
they are assigned, they walk to the back of the
room with their digit. The first team to get their
answer held up in the correct order gets the
point.
Relay on Board
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 10 minutes
• Description: Students are placed in teams.
Problem is written on board (once for each
team). A student from each team goes to
board to complete first step then tags next
team member to do the next step and so on.
Student Led!
Know/Help Game
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20 to 40 minutes
• Description: Students start in middle of room.
Question is displayed and if student knows
answer or how to solve, goes to the right.
Unsure students go to the left. Teacher pairs
up students from both sides and they explain
to each other. Can also add an extra practice
problem once the first is explained.
Exit Slip Carousel
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 30 to 50 minutes
• Description: Students were asked to write 3
questions they still had the day before activity. I
took questions that could be answered using
examples and put them around the room.
Students had to answer the questions using
examples to support their conclusions. The
groups rotated around the room every 5-8
minutes.
Groups of 3
(doesn’t really have a name)
• Prep time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20-30 minutes
• Description: divide the class into 3 groups. One
group will be up at the board. The second group
will be standing right behind the group at the
board, and the third group will be sitting down at
their desks. The students at the board and desks
will be given a problem to work out. The students
standing behind the students at the board are
only to offer help if the students at the board ask
for it. Groups rotate after each problem.
Jigsaw
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: whole class period
• Description: Students are put into groups. Each
group is assigned a particular topic/problem.
Their goal is to become an expert on that
topic/problem. Then one person from each
expert group is put together to create new
groups. Now, each person in the group is an
expert on their particular topic and are
responsible for teaching it to the rest of the
group.
Post-Quiz Jigsaw
• Prep Time: Extensive
• Time allotted in class: 30 to 50 minutes
• Description: I formed groups based on experts
and novices. Try to get each student to be an
expert at something in the group. Students
tally who got problem incorrect on a chart and
expert explains problem. Students make
corrections on sheet provided and all do the
new practice problem.
Stations
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: Half class period – whole
class period
• Description: This activity would be a good review
and get students working together. Pick a variety
of problems from the chapter, with one problem
on one piece of paper. Break your class up into
groups, and each group starts with one problem.
They work together to get the answer. After
several minutes, rotate the problems around.
Mathematical Mile
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 30-50 minutes
• Description: An adaptation to stations.
Students do 4 “laps” of the classroom in
groups while completing stations that have
specifically themed problems. After each lap
the group checks their answers with the
teacher and start the next lap until correct.
Scavenger Hunt
• Prep Time: Moderate to extensive
• Time allotted in class: 20-40 minutes
• Description: An adaptation to stations. There are
stations put up around the room. At each station,
there is a problem with multiple choice answers.
The answer they get for the problem tells them
which station to go to next. They should visit each
station only once – if not they made a mistake
and they have to find out what it is before moving
on. The first to complete the hunt, wins!
Miscellaneous!
Dance Math Revolution
• Prep Time: Minimal (none)
• Time allotted in class: 10 to 20 minutes
• Description: On paper students create two
parallel lines and a transversal. PowerPoint
has different angles and students use fingers
to point to those on the paper. You can also
place tape on the ground and have students
use their feet to point to the angles, too.
DMR!!
Bracket Tournament
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 30 to 50 minutes
• Description: Students compete in pairs.
Students preset in a bracket and compete on a
displayed problem. Pair that gets it correct
moves on and other pairs goes to loser’s
bracket. Ties faceoff in a multiplication fact
speed round.
Puzzle Proofs
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: 10 minutes – whole class period
• Description: A good activity applying theorems into 2
column proofs. Break class up into pairs or small
groups. If you want this activity to be short, then give
the groups all the same proof. After everyone is
finished, discuss how they placed the statements and
reasons throughout the proof. If you would like this
activity to last longer, hand out different proofs to each
group and have them present their answer to the class.
MATHO
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: Half class period – whole class
period
• Description: A fun review for a single concept or an
entire chapter. Each student creates a 5 by 5 grid with
#1-24 randomly placed throughout the boxes (free
space in the middle). Every student works out the
problems individually. Call on students at random to
answer. If they answer the question correctly, then
they pick a number to cross out. If they do not have
the right answer, then call on another student. If they
get 5 in a row, then they win.
Mathsketball
• Prep Time: Moderate
• Time allotted in class: Whole class period
• Description: A basketball review game. You will need a
ball and a hoop, as well as placing tape on the floor to
decide what a 1, 2, or 3 point shot is. Break students
up into teams. Every group needs to work out each
problem. If the team up gets the correct answer, then
each member decides if they want to try for a 1, 2 or 3
point shot. If they make the shot, then the team gets
those points. If the team up did not answer the math
problem correctly, then the next group will answer and
have a chance to shoot for points.
Pig Races
• Prep Time: Minimal
• Time allotted in class: 20 to 40 minutes
• Description: Students are put into groups and
assigned a pig. Groups answer a question and
submit answer to teacher. If group gets the
question correct, their pig moves to the next
checkpoint in the race.