Active Learning for 500!
Active Learning in the Classroom: Jeopardy
What is... Active Learning?
Active learning is a way for a student to take their education into their own hands. With this technique, students are able to participate in their learning rather than idly listening to the information being told to them. This way of learning lets them actively absorb the information given to them. Students are able to engage in the lessons by participating in activities on their own or with their peers. The involved learning style includes many benefits, such as:
- Team-building skills
- Increased motivation and engagement
- Higher retention rates
- Problem-solving skills
Jeopardy is a great way to enforce active learning in the classroom! This technique is based off of the popular game show Jeopardy!, which originally aired on March 30, 1964. The format most known to the masses, and the format used in this active learning technique, debuted in 1984. Jeopardy requires quick critical thinking and the ability to actively recall information. This activity may be played individually with small groups or in teams with the whole classroom. This aspect of the game allows for team-building opportunities, offering a sense of community in the classroom. The competitive nature of games in the classroom increases student motivation and engagement too! Jeopardy is flexible. The format allows for teachers of any subject to adjust it to any topic they may need.
To play, teachers can adjust the categories and questions to their desired topics and separate the class into teams. (Letting students pick their team names is a fun little treat too!) I've seen teachers make physical index card Jeopardy boards or project PowerPoints on the screen. Assign points to the difficulty of the question. Points can be tracked on paper by the students or on the board up front. Don't forget to answer in question format!
My Experience with Jeopardy
I feel like I've been in school for about 20 years at this point and out of the 7 different schools I've been to (including universities) Jeopardy never fails to show up. It was one of my favorite ways to review materials before tests. I was familiar with the format, so I felt confident participating. (My grandparents LOVED Jeopardy!) I was very quiet growing up, but this activity made me comfortable participating and interacting with the kids around me, especially if I knew the categories well. The immediate feedback of getting the answers right or wrong helped the information stick in my mind and I thought it was fun playing with everyone, so it never just felt like study.
https://helpfulprofessor.com/active-learning-pros-cons/
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteI love jeopardy as well as an active learning strategy. Growing up in school we played it before tests, and the teachers set it up through power point. Nowadays I bet there is an easier way to do it, but even website like Kahoot! is great for that type of quiz game style of learning. For kids that are competitive it is great and for those who have a harder time studying in the traditional way jeopardy can be a game changer.
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteJeopardy is something I love to implement in my classroom. It is an awesome active learning strategy that you can't beat because you can use it for any subject and differentiate as needed. Depending on how you structure it, students are discussing in their small groups, problem solving, and collaborating! Are you familiar with the website Jeopardy labs? It is an online Jeopardy template where you can make your own games in the Jeopardy format. There are also already made games other uses have uploaded. You just have to search for what you are looking for. I have used it a ton! I recommend it. https://jeopardylabs.com/
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteI too love Jeopardy! My favorite is Celebrity Jeopardy because I swear it's easier. I have use Jeopardy in my 4th grade class. The genius thing about this game is that you can use it for any subject. I used it for poetry, figurative language, social studies and a fun game about the teachers in the school. As a bonus, math is always involved for adding and subtracting points. Smart board have really changed this learning game as well. SO much fun!
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post! I remember playing Jeopardy in my science class in middle school. I was much like you, quiet yet if I knew the answer during the game I spoke up and interacted more with my classmates. I think that Jeopardy is a game that is here to stay in classrooms and will never be outdated for future generations.
Hi Monica,
ReplyDeleteYour experience is so valuable and I can't agree with you more: Jeopardy is a review game that is engaging and valuable for all ages and topics! I remember playing Jeopardy as a kid and loving the competition of it! Now as a teacher I love the buy-in that this activity gives to us teachers!