Math Baseball

• Math baseball is an fun, engaging way to get students reviewing their math skills. This game is played indoors or outdoors. In an outdoor situation, set up a baseball field with bases and a pitcher's mound. Divide the class into two teams. The team at bat send batters to home plate just like a real baseball game, the other team is set up in the infield and outfield. The teacher stands on the pitcher's mound and gives the student at bat a math problem to solve. If the student solves it correctly, the student moves to first base, if the student is incorrect, he is out. After three outs, the teams switch positions. To keep the field in the game, if the batter gives the incorrect answer, give the field the opportunity to answer the question for a point. As students answer questions correctly, their team earns a point. Besides using math problems, this game works well with review questions for reading, science and social studies, too. To play indoors, arrange the desks in a classroom shaped like a baseball diamond and allow students to move around the classroom.
  
  

Getting to Know You

• At the beginning of the school year, it is important for not only the teacher but, the students to get to know each other. The Getting to Know You Game is done by having students either sit or stand in a circle. The first person says his name and something special about himself. The next person introduces herself and something special about herself and then turns to the person who previously introduced herself and repeats their name and what they said about themselves. This continues all the way around the circle until the last person is responsible for introducing himself and everyone in the circle. Students enjoy this activity along with challenge of remembering what everyone has said. Be prepared for a lot of giggles.
  
  

Mix, Mingle and Match

• This game is a fantastic way to introduce or review a science concept. Students each receive a card with a picture, word or definition. Students then get up and circulate around the classroom until they find students whose cards belong in their group. For example, one student has a photo and a lead pencil, another student has the chemical element symbol for lead and another has the verbal definition and examples of lead uses. Once the groups find each other, the teacher, as leader, will go group by group allowing them to tell the class about how their group relates to one another.
  
  

Four Square Fun

• Four Square is easily adapted for math, language arts, science and social studies. Put students in groups of four. Each individual student is given a square sheet of paper which has been broken up into four squares. Students will number the four squares one through four. With math, students are instructed to create their own math word problem and write it in square one. Students then pass their paper counter clockwise and the student will then write the same word problem he created in square two of his neighbor's paper. This continues until the student gets his own paper back. As soon as students received their own paper with the four unsolved problems, students race to solve all four problems correctly. Students enjoy this activity and it also adds a higher level of rigor in Bloom's taxonomy as students are creating questions and applying knowledge.