“Who wants to be a Millionaire?” History review game

This review game is based on the popular new game show of the same name.  It pits one student from the class against ten multiple-choice questions. As the questions ascend the questions become more difficult.  The student is picked from the rest of the class by being the first to correctly answer a question.  This contestant gets three lifelines to assist in answering the questions: 1. By a show of hands, the class gives what multiple-choice answer they would choose, 2. Contestant gets to ask one specific member of the class for help, 3. The 50/50 lifeline erases two of the four multiple-choice answers.  The student can use a lifeline only once so they should use them wisely.  More than one lifeline can be used on a question.  The game is won when the student answers all ten questions with no incorrect answers.  If a question is missed the contestant’s turn is over.  After four correct answers the contestant is guaranteed a prize (to be determined at teacher’s discretion i.e. bonus points, candy, pop, etc.).  After seven correct answers the contestant is guaranteed a better prize.  Ten correct answers equals the grand prize (again at teacher’s discretion).
 

Jeopardy Review

Jeopardy review is played just like the Jeopardy gameshow with 5 categories with one Daily Double for the first round and two Daily Doubles for Double Jeopardy.  Daily Double’s allow the team to bet the equivalent of their score or the highest value on the board ($500 for first round and $1000 for Double Jeopardy).  In Final Jeopardy the team bets equivalent to it’s score.  This review game should be played in teams to promote whole class participation.  A variation involves adding a critical thinking question that would be available to every team to answer for the same amount as the question. Adding a critical thinking question allows for more class participation and a higher level review.  Remember that all answers must be in question form.
Example- Question: This Rough Rider changed the office of the Presidency.
Answer:  Who was Theodore Roosevelt?
Critical Thinking Question (for everybody): How did Roosevelt change
the office of the Presidency?

Scrabble

Students are asked to build on one word (preferably the unit of study, i.e.  The Great War).  The students would then, individually or in groups, add on to the word/phrase using events and names from that unit.  Students will have to explain the significance of each person/event to get credit.  Scoring consists of 1 point per phrase or name (with explanation).  Have students do their Scrabble board on a transparency and display and explain their names and phrases.
 Example -  P
       e
The Great War
s
h
assassination
n
g
 

Hollywood Squares

Nine volunteers from the class can either choose or will be given a name of a celebrity (Michael Jordan, Madonna, Bill Clinton, etc).  The rest of the class is split up into two teams: X’s and O’s.  The game is based on tic-tac-toe.  A representative of each team is given the chance to answer a question.  The first to correctly answer the question gets to start the game first.  The representative chooses a celebrity who then answers a question.  The representative has to decide if he should agree or disagree with the celebrity answer.  The rest of the team can help the team representative with the decision.  If the representative answers correctly the team sign is placed in the square.  If an incorrect answer is given then the opposing sign is put in the square.  The opposing team is then given a turn.  After both team representatives have answered one question then another team representative is picked from each team.  This continues until one team has three in a row (diagonal, across, or up and down).

Basketball

This game is played with a tape ball and a garbage basket. The class is then broken up into two teams.  A team representative from each team gets the chance to answer a question (face-off).  The first representative to answer correctly gets the chance to shoot.  The team decides whether to shoot close (1 pt), medium range (2 pts), 3-pointer (3 pts) or The Equalizer, which should be across the room, (5 pts).  After each shot, two new team representatives face-off with another question. If the question is incorrectly answered by both teams than a new representative is picked and play resumes.  The game should be played with a time limit or to a pre-determined score.

21

The same rules as Basketball apply in 21 except that the first team to exactly 21 points is the winner.  If team scores more than 21 points than their score reverts to zero.  If a team misses their shot, then the opposing team, with a correct answer, can choose to take the Challenge shot and take the same shot that the other team missed.  The value of the shot then doubles (i.e. The Equalizer would become a 10 point shot instead of 5).
History Scategories
The class is broken up into teams.  The teams are then given a list of categories appropriate to the unit of study.  A letter is picked through a roll of the Scategory die.  The teams must then pick words and names from the unit of study that start with the letter that was rolled.  Each team then works to find unique answers which each count as one point.  If two or more teams have the same answer than no points are given for that answer.

Family Feud

The class is split up into two teams.  A team representative tries to win control for their team by being the first to list an answer to a particular question.  (i.e. Name the original 13 colonies).  Each correct answer is worth five points.  However, if the controlling team fails to list all of the parts of the question then the opposing team gets a chance to steal the question.  If the opposing team answers correctly than they get the total amount from the question.  If the opposing team does not answer correctly than the controlling team retains all of the points from the question.  Three rounds are played in this way.  The leading team at the end of the three rounds gets to play the final round.  If the team lists all of the answers to the last question than they are awarded a prize (up to the discretion of the teacher).

Stock Market

Give each student a set amount of money to “invest”.  Every day students will be able to check progress of their stocks through a computer or the newspaper.  The student with the most money at the end of the predetermined time period is declared the winner.

What if…

Students are broken into groups and are given a what if… question  (Ex.  What if JFK had not been assassinated?).   The groups will discuss their question together and than each group will present the answer to their what if… question.