Kahoots, PowerPoint Jeopardy Games, or the traditional Q&A paper review requires a good amount of prep on a teacher’s part. But what to do when you don’t have time to set up a review game? Create a review that is student-centered and fun without having to do more than give instructions and use a few supplies! The following are all inspired by getting to know you activities or party games.

Character Analysis Who Am I?

Materials: note cards

Students sit in groups. They secretly write the name of a character from the book on a note card and pass it facedown to the person on their right. They can hold it on their foreheads or just show the rest of the group and then put it facedown. Students take turns asking hypothetical questions. They way it becomes analysis is not that they are asking comprehension questions (like the traditional game), but creating hypothetical scenarios and asking what the character would do. Example:

Student with Romeo on forehead: What class would my character like in school?

Other student: Your character would probably like English. He’d probably enjoy writing the poetry.

Two Truths and a Lie

Materials: note cards

My middle school kids love this and I find it hilarious because it is just a true false quiz but they think it is so fun! (Note: there are two ways of doing this. One where they do it in groups and pass the cards with an answer key and one where they walk around and find people in the classroom.)

I assign chapters. Students get three index cards each and have to write two truths from the chapter and one lie. I review how best to get away with a lie (it should be partially true and specific). I request they put the page number down in case someone needs to check for accuracy. If groups, I divide the kids up in the amount of chapters I have and have them coordinate the answers and then create and answer key card after the number. They then pass the groups of cards from group to group, checking the answer key, and only using the book if they get them wrong. If my kids are doing this individually, I have them number the chapters on the back of one of the cards. Then I have them walk around the classroom, trying other people’s cards in pairs. They sign off on the chapter number. I require them to get two signatures per chapter.

Whole Book Heads Up!

Materials: note cards

Every Student has 5-8 note cards. Have students write words and phrases on their cards that have to do with the book. With the right prodding, students can do analysis ones. “Try to make it where one card is a symbol, one a character, one a theme, one a plot point, one vocabulary word, one a literary element, etc.” Have students in groups of three collect all the cards facing down in a stack. The students place the card on the forehead. The two other members have to give clues. The person with the cards on the foreheads have to figure out what is on the card. If they get it right, it goes in the “correct” pile. Give students 3 minutes and have each group report how many cards they got right. Switch by having the groups rotate cards and the next person in the trio be the one with the cards on the forehead. NOTE: a rule needs to be established that they slues need to come from the book. Students should not use rhyming or outside references to do the clues. Example, if a student has the word allusion for Full Tilt. The group mates should no say “rhymes with confusion” or “an example would be if I said ‘My hair is so crazy, you could call me Medusa”. It would need to be, “the literary element when Blake called another character Quasimodo.”

Whole Book Bingo

Supplies: Blank bingo cards (or just have the kids make their own by creating a 5x5 grid on notebook paper

Students fill in Bingo cards by requesting they write certain concepts for each letter. For example, B will be character names, I will be themes, N vocabulary words, G literary elements, O is objects from the story. As you walk around, glance at the cards to draw inspiration and call out elements where the BINGO blanks are the answers. Example from The Outsiders, “This a symbol of violence.” Or “This is the protagonist” Or “When Ponyboy tells Cherry about the night Johnny was assaulted and we are able to see what happened.” OR “This is a theme that would be supported by the actions of Johnny when he went in to save the children.” Because it is more about the review than the actual winning of the bingo, I like to let the kids discuss in groups with the directions to ask me if they seem unsure. After you have a kid win Bingo, inform the class that you will be doing a second Bingo for someone who has a filled up board or double bingo. That will keep the game going. I pass out little treats for the kids who win.

Student Led Socrative

Supplies: smart phones/ipads/laptops

Don't have the ability for every child to have a device? Have student partner up using phones! Divide the class up into small groups. Have groups come up with questions for the book. I like the rules where the team that creates the question get a certain amount of bonus points for every group they stump. This encourages them to create deeper, thoughtful questions. You can give them parameters as needed since Socrative lets you use multiple choice, true/false, or short answer. Open up a socrative session that is quick question. Each team presents their question, have students keep their own score, each team gets a point for every questions they get right.