Using Games During Revision Lessons

Question:  Do you try and get students to remember subject content by reviewing a section with them and then trying the same old methods ie.  Getting students to make notes or mindmaps or try something different?  While I would be the first to sing about the merits of using exam questions, ramming question after question down students necks can be soul destroying and turns them off to the subject at the very point when you need them to be turned on.  

So this year (an I'll admit it helps that I've had my Y11's since Y7) I'm trying something different.   Before I carry on I will state that my Y11's are covering lots of revision content at home and during lunch time revision sessions.  What I have tried out quiet successfully, is using revision games during lessons.  Most of them are based around the students having information on a particular topic then playing a game were they answer questions on that particular topic.  Some of the games I have used are:

1. Snakes & Ladders
2. Battleships
3. Blockbusters
4. Revision Racing
5. Dice Boards
6. Card Games
7. 7 Monkeys
8. Treasure Hunt

If we keep trying the same old things, we'll keep getting the same old results, so take a risk, try something different and you might be surprised with the results!

Good look with the exams this year

Wall to Science GCSE Exam Success

Sticking with my mantra of 'if you keep trying the same old things you'll keep getting the same old results' I've had one last roll of the dice and tried something different to get my Y11s revising.  The problem with revision is that even this close to the exams, students still aren't sure what to do.  So what I've done is give my Y11s something simple to do every day.  The other problem with asking students to do almost anything is that they complain that it takes too long.  So to get round that problem I've made a example of each piece so I can tell students that none of the tasks take more than about 15 mins so isn't too difficult.  Below I've included a picture of my 'Wall to Success' .

If you want to download the revision instructions you can find them at:  Wall of Success

Good luck with the exams this summer

Classroom Displays

Ask yourself, does your classroom help you engage your students?  This is what I asked myself about 8 years ago when I got a lab to myself for the first time.  Unfortunately it was full of about 30 years worth of clutter, shelves with about 2cm of dust on and was generally un-inspirational.  So for the last 8 years I've endeavoured to put up as many thought provoking displays that can be used when teaching as possible.  Here are a list of things to think about before starting to put up your displays:

1. Choose a topic or area that is relevant to your syllabus  
2. Pick a few exam questions about that area
3. Decide what your students will need to know to answer these questions
4. How can you combine this into a display 

Below I've included some photos of displays I've put up, I hope it gives you some ideas.