Test review games are the perfect way to review test material. Students love games where engagement soars far more than when completing worksheets, and there’s real learning happening during the fun review activities. You’re gonna love these low stress test prep review games that you can add to your test prep activities.
Bingo
Test review games are plentiful, but one of the most effective is Bingo. Either get a blank Bingo sheet or pre-fill one. My preference is to copy a few pre-filled for those students who struggle with filling in 24 squares. I then list 24 words on the board and most students copy the words in whatever order they prefer, leaving a space for FREE in the center.
Read off the clues. Students place a marker on the answers with an item you’ve provided: beans, math cubes, etc.
When a student believes they have a Bingo, the first caller is the one whose answers I’ll listen to. The student reads off all their answers. If there’s one error, I don’t identify it but tell them that something is incorrect. Then I’ll take the next voice I heard. If no one gets a Bingo, play continues. This goes on until there’s a good Bingo!
Grab these other engaging ELA test prep activities that are low stress and fun!
Read this blog post for even more engaging review games for kids.
Test review games should include Gallery Walks
Gallery walks are a great way to get students up out of their seats and working together. Post test review questions on larger pieces of paper (8.5 x 11) around the classroom. Give each question a letter from the alphabet, and make it obvious. Under the question, post an answer with a number on the page, but not the answer to the question above it.
Give each team and answer document (or give each student an answer document so they’re all responsible for writing down the correct answer). Together, students must search around the room for the answer to each question. Once an answer is found, students jot down the number of the answer or the answer itself on a paper numbered with the numbers from the question papers. Check out the blog post below.
Read about 6 more engaging test prep games that really work.
Headbands
Another favorite of the test review games is Headbands. Either use elastic headbands or a strip of construction paper stapled to fit a student’s head. Create cards with testing terms written on them. Either partner up students or use whole class or in small groups.
The student whose turn it is stands facing the other students. A card is drawn, and without looking, the headband wearer either puts the card on their forehead (without looking at it) or sticks it in their headband. Other students can also do this for the wearer.
The object is for the student to guess the word based on the clues given by other students, but the answer can’t be mentioned in their clues. Once the answer has been selected, or after a pre-determined about of time, students switch positions. You can add points for correct answers, or not.
You can also set a timer and have a student stay as the guesser the entire time, switching cards each time they answer correctly. At the end of the time, tally correct answers and a new student comes up to play. Winner is the student with the most correct answers. Check out the free test prep resources below.
Grab this free ELA Test Prep Vocabulary unit that you can use all year.
Task Cards
Task cards are so versatile, and they can have just about any topic out there. One of my favorite ways to use task cards is to tape them up around the room and then partner up students. Specify a set amount of time. On “Go”, students may go to any card and work together to come up with an answer. Each student should have an answer document and a pencil.
Task cards are perfect for centers, partner work, and individual work, and they’re great for games! You probably have sets already in your classroom. If not, find task cards here for figurative language review and text organization work.
Quizzes.com
Add your own questions or choose from the Quizzes library. This self-paced option is perfect for review.
Kahoot
You can add your own questions or choose from the Kahoot library. You can control the pace of this game and give quick mini-lessons between questions. This fun, interactive game is always a favorite!
Trashketball
Trashketball is one of the great test review games. Pose a question. Students write their answers on separate papers. If a student is correct, they may crumple up their paper and toss it into the recycling bin (or trash) for points. You can play this with several teams, and 1 player from each team gets the opportunity to answer the question. Either teams can consult on the answer or not, you choose.
You can also use a soft Nerf-type ball for doing this instead of using paper. Have several on hand so you reduce the amount of time needed to retrieve the ball for the next player.
Jenga, (yes, Jenga) is one of the great test review games
You can play this in groups or as a whole class. In the whole class scenario, you only need one Jenga game and one set of task cards or questions. If you choose groups, you have one Jenga game and one set of task cards or questions per group.
Students must answer a question correctly in order to take out a Jenga block from the tower. In groups, one student in the group holds the answer key and lets the contestant know if the answer is correct. If it’s incorrect, that student doesn’t take a block and the next student goes. With the entire class, the teacher holds the answer key. When a group is correct, they take the block back to their group.
The winner is the team with the most Jenga pieces when the stack falls.
Connect Four
Want one of the highest engagement test review games? Have task cards on hand. Draw a grid of six rows and seven columns on your whiteboard. Divide the class into two teams. Each team gets a specific color of marker and a specific color of sticky notes.
Hand each team a task card or question. They work together to come up with the correct answer. One representative from the team brings the answer to the teacher. If the answer is correct, the team can put a sticky note in a square on the grid.
The goal is to get four sticky notes in a row. The challenge is that the other team can be blocked if the winning team decides that’s the best spot for the sticky note.
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