Explore 12 Modifying the Environment 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.

• In The BIG TERRIBLE Game, every team answers every question and earns unpredictable positive or negative points while trying to finish closest to zero.
• The TERRIBLE Game makes review wonderfully terrible as teams answer questions, uncover unpredictable scores, and use positive and negative points to get closest to zero.
• In FRAZZLED, teams answer questions to uncover mystery points, but one wrong answer or unlucky bomb can completely change the game.
• With SCOOT, students move around the room answering task cards, turning curriculum review into an active classroom game.
• In BUMP, correct answers earn students shots at the platform, where they can score even more points by bumping off opposing teams.
• TRASHKETBALL™ gets teams racing to answer correctly, then rewards them with shots at the trash can to score points.
• GRUDGEBALL combines question review with a battle for survival as teams fire cannons, sink opposing ships, and fight to be the last one afloat.

When it’s time to review, a little competition can go a long way toward getting students focused, participating, and having fun. Before long, students are cheering, discussing answers, and asking to play again—even when their team didn’t win. 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.

And it isn’t just something I’ve seen in my own classroom—research has found significant learning benefits from using educational games with students. See the research.