Explore 34 Checks & Balances review games designed by a teacher to engage students and reinforce curriculum. When students are having fun, they forget they are reviewing, making games a great way to practice Social Studies.

• GRUDGEBALL combines question review with a battle for survival as teams fire cannons, sink opposing ships, and fight to be the last one afloat.
• In TRASHKETBALL™, students compete to answer questions quickly and correctly to earn chances to shoot and score for their team.
• BUMP gets teams racing to answer correctly, then gives them a chance to score points by knocking other teams off the platform.
• With SCOOT, students move around the room answering task cards, turning curriculum review into an active classroom game.
• In FRAZZLED, teams answer questions to uncover mystery points, but one wrong answer or unlucky bomb can completely change the game.
• The TERRIBLE Game rewards correct answers with positive or negative points that students can strategically assign to their own team or their opponents.
• The BIG TERRIBLE Game keeps the whole class involved as up to eight teams answer together and watch their scores swing above and below zero.

A good review game can completely change the energy in the classroom and get students excited to practice what they’ve learned. Students who normally sit back during review often jump into the action, working with their teammates and getting caught up in every question and result. Once students know another game is coming, winning becomes a reason to pay attention, practice, and make sure they’re ready for the next one.

Games may feel like fun to students, but research shows they can be serious learning tools, with measurable benefits for achievement, retention, and engagement. See the research.