|
 INTRODUCTION
TO GAMES Note:
I use the
word "Games" loosely here. Could be skits, puzzles, demos, cut
&
paste, etc.
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|
 Active
Learning
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If you
feel as if you are
doing all the work, not your students, try active learning!
This teaching philosophy gets your students moving. It has your
students use flash cards to learn the different models of the solar
system, cut and paste vocabulary, or perform skits to show the features
of the three main volcano types. Whenever you see an on these
pages, you'll find an Active
Learning
suggestion. My hat's
off to Louis
Mangione
for all his
inspirational training and wonderful suggestions!
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Team
Competitions
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Four teams
work great. Run a
team competition for about two weeks, then give prizes to the winning
team and start over with new teams. These teams can compete in such
games as "Show me the Mineral" or White
Board Review Competitions.
Merge teams into two bigger teams for Overhead
Races where only
two teams work.
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| White
Board Team Competitio
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This is a
basic Active
Learning activity
in my
classroom. We
have white boards,
cut out of one larger one bought at a local hardware store. I train my
students early on to move into four teams, send one team member to pick
up the white board, marker, and eraser, and assemble in one area,
placing the white board so they can work on it without other teams
seeing their answers. They are careful to wait for me to count down and
say, "Show me your answer!" so as to not tip off another team to their
answer. I run White Board Games frequently, at least twice a week.
Works great for the 13-15 year old bunch! I love to see their heads
together, working out good answers.
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Team
Relay Games (Overhead
Races)
|
Use two
teams. Prepare an
overhead transparency with a long line down the middle. Put the same
question, puzzle, problem, on each side. Teams line up on each side of
the overhead. Give each team one transparency pen of a different color.
The pen is passed down the line like a relay race baton. First person
in each line starts at the signal and gets to write down one thing
only. If you have sentences that need correcting, for example, they
only make one correction each. Then the pass the pen to the next person
in the line and go to the end of the line. It's totally "legal" for
team members to look at the other team's work. This often gets a team's
weakest member past their turn with some dignity. Good game for
requiring all the team members in the long line to pay attention to
what is happening so they know what to do next.
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SCIENCE
SAFETY GAMES
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Lab
Safety Equipment Hunt
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Make a
worksheet with photos
of safety equipment in the classroom. Have students walk around the
room, listing the location of each safety item shown on the worksheet.
Discuss by comparing their answers to an answer transparency. This
could be done with four teams or individually. .
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Lab
Safety Equipment Flashcard Game
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Play a fun
flashcard game
with partners. Each pair places their set on the table. scrambled
together. Then the teacher says, "Put your finger on the eye wash." Or,
"Put your finger on the equipment you would use to put out a fire."
Each student uses both pointing fingers, so one of the pair could get
both of the eye wash flashcards. When down to just a couple flashcards,
stop the game, count the piles, and shake hands with the winner!
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Find
Someone Who Knows Safety Hunt
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Have
students walk around
finding students who know the answers to questions related to science
lab safety. The "Someone Who Knows" must write the answer and sign
their name on the student's paper. Adapted from material submitted to Successlink.org
by Paula E. Young.
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Safety
Scenarios Game
|
Run off Safety Game
Scenarios in four
different
colors. Laminate. Run off your Science
Lab Safety Rules.
Click here for my rule pieces. Run four sets of these in
white. Laminate. To
play the game: hand out the same scenario to each team. Hand out a set
of Safety Rules Pieces. Teams put their heads together and quietly pick
out all the rules that were broken in the scenario. When a team is
done, they should say, "Done!" loud enough for all to hear. The teacher
writes down team numbers in order of finish. When all teams are
finished, the teacher quickly walks around the room checking for
accuracy. If first team finished is correct, they are in first place
and receive 4 points. If they miss one and the second place team gets
all correct, then they change places and points, etc. (Second place
gets 3 points, third place gets 2 points, etc.) I do only one Scenario
at a time, but you could do several if you have time.
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METRIC
SYSTEM AND MEASUREMENT GAMES
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Cool to
Rule Game
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Students
estimate the length
(or volume, etc.) of several items in classroom, then measure actual
items. Click here
for details.
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Metric
White Board Game
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Dictate
metric conversion
problems. One member of each of four teams writes the problem on the
white board and all team members help solve the problem without letting
the other teams see their board. Hold up answers when teacher asks for
them. Each correct answer gets a point. Called Show
Me the Answer here in
Missouri!
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Metric
Mania
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Great
practice using the
metric system! Click here
for entire lesson. Includes great Metric Mania Scavenger Game!
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Mini-Metric Olympics
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Click here
to download a pdf file with the entire mini-metric Olympics lesson
plan. Even provides the "medals!"
Highly recommended!
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Metric
Conversion Relay Race
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Divide a
transparency or an
area on the chalkboard in half. Divide students into two teams. Line
them up in team rows, either standing or sitting. First two players
race to board (overhead) and you dictate the problem for them to work
them out. First one done (& correct) gets two points for their
team. If second team gets it right, one point. Players go to back of
line. Repeat with a new problem each time until set points reached or
time limit reached. I also do this as a White Board Game with four
teams. Each team gets a white board and I dictate problems. They hold
up the boards when I say, "Show me the answer!"
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Scientific
Equipment Flashcard Game
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Place both
sets of scientific
equipment cards in front of each pair of students. Then say, "Put your
finger on the balance." Or, "Put your finger on the equipment you would
use to measure mass." Or, "Put your finger on the instrument that uses
grams for the unit." They can use both pointing fingers, so one of the
pair could get both of the eye wash flash cards. When down to a couple
flash cards left, count the piles, and shake hands with the winner. I
use this game right before their big measurement practicum. Helps them
remember to use the balance for mass (g) and the spring scale for
weight (N).
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Work
Formula White Board Game
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Dictate
work formula
problems. One member of each small group (I have four teams set up to
go at a moment's notice) writes the problem on the white board and all
group members help solve the problem without letting the other groups
see their board. Hold up when teacher asks for them. Each correct
answer gets a point. Called Show
Me the Answer
here in
Missouri!
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EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGN GAMES
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Experimental
Design Vocabulary
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A cut and
paste vocabulary
assignment. Cut out the definitions and past with the correct word.
Much more fun than the "standard" vocab sheet. The action of cutting
and pasting helps most students remember better! Click
here.
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Exp.
Design Vocab. Team Game
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Run a
completed "Answer
Sheet" off on four different colored papers. Cut out and laminate.
Teams must match the vocabulary words to the correct definitions. First
team done (and correct) wins!
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Bar
or Line Graph? Game
|
Give each
team colorful BAR
GRAPH and LINE GRAPH signs. Read an experimental title. Teams huddle to
figure out if the graph would be a line or bar graph. Team leader holds
up the answer. Discuss how we know when to use bar and line graphs.
What are the clues in the title?
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Experimental
Design Team Relay Games
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Prepare an
overhead
transparency with a long line down the middle. Put the same question,
puzzle, or problem on each side. Teams line up on each side of the
overhead. Give each team one transparency pen of a different color. The
pen is passed down the line like a relay race baton. First person in
each line starts at the signal and gets to write down one thing only.
If you have experimental designs that need correcting, for example,
each student can only make one correction. Then the pass the pen to the
next person in the line and go to the end of the line. It's totally
"legal" for team members to look at the other team's work. This often
gets a team's weakest member past their turn with some dignity. Good
game for requiring team members in line to pay attention to what is
happening so they know what to do next.
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Writing
Conclusion Paragraphs Game
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Read a
results sentence to
the teams. (I have four long-term teams set up to go at a moment's
notice!) Each team writes the conclusion sentences on a white board and
waits to raise their answer on teacher's request.
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MINERAL
IDENTIFICATION GAMES
(ALSO CHEMISTRY OF MINERALS AND PERIODIC
PATTERNS)
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Element
Flashcards
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The Element
Symbol Flashcards
have element
names on one side and the students add the symbols on the back for
points, using their Element Symbols List. If two students have free
time, I ask them to
quiz each other. Can also play a pairs game where both sets of
flashcards are in front of the pair. "Put your finger on the symbol for
Iron." They can use both pointing fingers, so one of the pair could get
both of the Fe flashcards. When down to a couple flash cards left,
count the piles, and shake hands with the winner.
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Element
Symbol Bingo
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Great fun!
Give out blank
Bingo cards
to
pairs. They can write in element symbols in the blanks. The quick way
to make tokens is to have students rip little
pieces of notebook paper.
I
use a packet of Element
Flashcards and
call them off at
random. The pair that calls, "Bingo!" must match symbols to my cards to
win. Prize is usually a piece of candy from my Candy Bucket.
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Patterns
of the Periodic Table Skits
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Small
groups of students are
assigned a pattern, such as: atomic # increases L to R; atomic mass #
increases L to R; metallic properties decrease L to R; Atomic radius
increase top to bottom and decreases L to R; Groups of elements have
similar properties (such as Halogens, Nobel Gases, Alkali Metals,
etc.); Period # indicates # of energy shells, Group # indicates # of
electrons in outer shell. Build a mental image in their minds
beforehand of the front of the room as a huge Periodic Table. The edge
of the chalkboard is Group 1A from floor to ceiling. Way over on the
other side of the chalkboard, is Group 8A. The Transition Metals are in
the middle. Have each group present their skit, letting the rest of the
students guess which pattern they are acting out.
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Periodic
Table Puzzle
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Select two
teams. Give each
team an enlarged version of the Periodic
Table. I enlarged
mine on our "Poster
Machine." Cut
this version apart by groups: Group 1A, 2A, etc. I include labels on
small cards: the Lanthanide and Actinide Series, the Periodic Table,
and the Transition Metals. Give each group the long strips and the
label cards, upside down on a table, and have each group turn them over
and reassemble the Periodic Table. First team done correctly, gets the
point.
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Food
Periodic Table Puzzle
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Give each
team a set of the Food Periodic
Table,
and tell them to put this
together like a regular Periodic Table. Students quickly discover that
the rules are different with a little help from you, that the numbers
and symbols don't help with assembling the table, something else is at
work here. Someone always figures out that the Periods (rows) are Food
Groups and the Groups (columns) are Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
Dinner(Supper), and Snack. There are two Question Mark Cards, like the
early Mendeleev Periodic Table. I ask the students to make predictions
about the Question Mark Cards. They have to list the Period and Group
and then make an actual Food prediction.
(KEY:
U =
Unhealthy, H = Healthy, S = sort of Healthy, Top Number = Fat Grams,
Bottom Number = Total Calories.)
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SNIFC
Game
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Run this
worksheet through a
"Poster Machine" or enlarge on copier. Make four different colored
sets. Cut each line apart, so they can be matched up. Give the strips
to each team upside down and when everyone is ready, say, "Mark,! Set!
Go!" First team done with arranging them in the correct order gets the
points. Can also give each student a jumbled copy to glue to paper. Click
here.
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Cut
& Paste Mineral Vocab
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Click
here
for a nice cut & paste mineral identification vocabulary review.
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Mineral
Vocab Team Game
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Run a
completed "Answer
Sheet" off on four different colored papers. Cut out and laminate.
Teams must match the vocabulary words to the correct definitions. First
team done (and correct) wins!
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"Show
Me the Mineral!" Game
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After the
Mineral
Identification Lab, review the names, uses, and properties of the
minerals with this game. Each team listens carefully to your clue, such
as: "Show me the mineral that has a hardness of 6," or, "Show me the
mineral that is Missouri's State Mineral," or, "Show me the mineral
that is used to make wallboard." Each team picks out the mineral they
think answers the question, sends a member up to the teacher, hiding
their mineral in their hand, then reveals the mineral when the teacher
says, "Show me the Mineral!" Point for each team that picks the correct
mineral. We play this daily during Mineral Week. They love it!
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Mineral
Bingo Game
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Print out
blank Bingo Cards
and have the students write in the names of the
minerals you are studying. Give each pair a tray of minerals. Then say,
"Match the mineral with a hardness of 6 on its name." Or, "Place the
mineral that is the main ingredient in talcum powder on its name." The
pair quietly puts the mineral on the correct name. When they get a
"Bingo," check to see if the names match the minerals. Great fun! I
have a big bag of wrapped candies for prizes. We play several rounds so
I can give out lots of candy!
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Virtual
Missouri Mining Map
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A Louis
Mangione
staple is The
Virtual Map. This is THE
BEST WAY I know to teach a map
and its locations to a group of
young people. Works for foreign language classes, history, geography,
science, you name it! Have your students stand. You sketch a map--I do
Missouri--in the air. NOTE: The teacher does this backwards so the map
is facing the right way for the students!! Sketch the map BIG. I do
from above my head to nearly the floor. Encourage the students to get
involved. The more they are actively involved, the more they learn. We
require our students to know the location of several minerals mined in
Missouri. With flat hands, we trace the location of coal (northern half
of Missouri), sphalerite (southwest), lead (southeast surrounding St.
Francois Mtns.), etc. I repeat the outline of the map and then fill in
the mineral locations. Then I just trace an area and ask the students
what mineral is located here. Works great!
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Mineral
Use Puzzle
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Click here
for a great game that involves finding your matching use or
mineral(rock) partner. This game is based on the Missouri Mining Map,
but could be easily adapted. Hand out cards, and let students walk
around searching for their partner. Thanks to Debra
Kerr for
this great idea!
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Minerals
and Mining in Missouri Game
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Make up a
"Jeopardy" type
game for team competition. About four categories is enough, 5 questions
per category. Arrange questions with answers in column underneath
flaps. A regular-size foam core board works great. Tape half an 8x11
sheet of paper on the top to make the flaps and put questions
underneath the flaps, answers underneath the questions. Kids love this
game! Email me
for more specific instructions.
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ROCKS
AND ROCK CYCLE GAMES
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Cut
& Paste Rock Cycle Vocab
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Click here
for a nice cut & paste vocabulary review. Remember: "big" kids
get
a lot out of this kind of "little" kids exercise!
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Rock
Cycle Vocab TEAM GAME
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Run a
completed "Answer
Sheet" off on four different colored papers. Cut out and laminate.
Teams must match the vocabulary words to the correct definitions. First
team done (and correct) wins!
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Rock
Cycle Puzzle
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Make
flashcards showing names
of different formation processes, arrows, types of rocks,
characteristics of different rock types. OR Put on
one piece of paper and
enlarge on "Poster
Machine" & cut out. Give to teams of students. They assemble
into
Rock Cycle Diagram with arrows showing formation processes and
characteristics matched to proper rock types. Have each team assemble
on a desk top and/or paste to newsprint. Click here for Rock
Cycle Puzzle. Refer
to Rock Cycle Notes for
proper placement of puzzle
pieces.
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Ride
the Rock Cycle
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(Created
by Stacy Baker,
Pleasant Hill School, Peoria, IL) "For this activity students roll a
die and travel through different stations to learn about the rock
cycle. After their journey, they use the information from the "trip" to
create a comic strip." Click here for Rock Cycle Worksheet. Click here for Rock Cycle Dice.
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"Show
Me the Rock!" Game
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After both
Rock Cycle Labs in
which your students have learned the three rock types and their
formation processes, review with this game. Each team listens carefully
to your clue, such as: "Show me the rock that is made of rounded
pebbles cemented by sand and clay (Conglomerate)," or, "Show me the
rock that is formed by heat and pressure and has medium to coarse
texture (Gneiss)." Each team picks out the rock from their lab tray
that they think answers the question, sends a member up to the teacher,
while hiding their rock in their hand, then reveals the rock when the
teacher says, "Show me the Rock!" Point for each team that picks the
correct mineral. They know this game, having already played the Mineral
version.
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WEATHERING,
EROSION, &
DEPOSITION GAMES
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Cut
& Paste Weathering Vocab
|
Magic
trick, almost! They
seem to remember their vocabulary better when they cut & paste,
instead of copying definitions! Click
here.
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Weathering
Vocab Team Game
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Run a
completed "Answer
Sheet" off on four different colored papers. Cut out and laminate.
Teams must match the vocabulary words to the correct definitions. First
team done (and correct) wins!
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Types
of Weathering Game
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Each team
holds two cards:
Mechanical and Chemical. Teacher reads a description of a type of
weathering, such as: formation of potholes in winter. (Mechanical) On a
signal from the teacher, team leaders hold up the correct card. Could
also offer BONUS point to teams who know the exact type, such as Frost
Action (Frost Wedging.) Great fun, especially if you have several
smaller teams and keep the action moving quickly.
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W.E.D.
Game
|
Similar to
Types
of
Weathering Game mentioned
above, except the teacher reads
headlines from recent newspapers, such as "Landslide destroys village
in South America," or "100 feared dead in Russian avalanche." Team
leaders hold up correct card identifying either: Weathering, Erosion,
or Deposition.
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WATER
SYSTEMS GAMES
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Global
Distribution of Water
|
Enlarge a
diagram of a pie
chart, showing the distribution of water worldwide. Make labels with
small cards. Hand to each team in a closed packet. "Mark! Set! Go!"
First team done correctly gets 4 points, etc.
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Water
Cycle Game
|
Enlarge a
nice diagram of the
Water Cycle. Make small cards with the labels. Hand to each team in a
closed packet. "Mark! Set! Go!" First team done correctly gets 4
points, etc.
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PLATE
TECTONICS GAME
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"Show
me the Answer" White Board Game
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Review
parts of the Study
Guide by putting students into small teams. Each team uses their white
board to answer a teacher question. They keep their white boards hidden
until the teachers says, "Show me the Answer!" Great fun!
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Types
of Plate Boundaries Skit
|
Divide
your students into
three groups. Each group is given the task of developing a skit
illustrating their assigned boundary: diverging, converging, or
transform/sliding. You can add further requirements such as: show
movement magma/lava, show resulting features, show direction of
movement. Video tape the presentations.
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Name
of Plates Games
|
Enlarge a
world map showing
the major and minor plates. Make labels of those you require them to
memorize with small cards. Hand to each team in a closed packet. "Mark!
Set! Go!" First team done correctly gets 4 points, etc.
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EARTHQUAKE
GAMES
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Seismic
Waves Slinky Demo
|
Click here
for one website that discusses how to demo seismic waves. Basically,
use a compressional wave for P-waves, a side-to-side "snake" motion for
S-waves, and up-and-down wave motion for L-waves.
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Seismic
Waves Skit
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Have each
student act out one
of the three types of seismic waves. P-waves repeat this sequence: take
two steps forward and one step back; S-waves repeat this sequence: take
two steps to the right, then one step forward, then two steps to the
left, then one step forward; L-waves repeat this sequence: take a step
forward, pause, jump twice, take another step forward, pause, jump
twice. Have the entire group begin at a starting line. If the students
don't "cheat," the P waves should arrive at the finish line first,
S-waves second and L-waves third. Good demo!
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Seismic
Waves Matching Team Game
|
Click
here
for a quick team game, where each team has nine pattern pieces to fit
into a puzzle, which shows the main characteristics of each wave.
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VOLCANO
GAMES
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Volcano
Skits
|
Assign
groups one of the
three main types of volcanoes: composite, cinder cone, or shield.
Require each group to illustrate the following in their skit: the slope
of their volcano, the type of eruption, and the type of lava. they
cannot talk, but can makes noises, especially to make the eruption
noises. Everyone has to participate for full points. Let the rest of
the class guess which one is being presented instead of having a group
announce it. I've seen some great stuff with this assignment and I
think they remember them better.
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Volcano
Matching Game
|
Run off
four sets of
different color cards. One set is the names of the three major volcano
types. Another set is a description of the type of eruption. The third
set is the type of lava. The fourth is the type of slope. Make enough
for four teams. On the mark, teams match the cards into the three
different groups.
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GEOLOGIC
HISTORY GAMES
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Relative
Aging Team Games
|
A good way
to introduce the
concept of rock sequencing is to present each step with a separate
sketch. We usually just give students the finished product and many
students have trouble with seeing how the finished diagram came to be.
Here are a couple of good sequencing games. I give each team the four
sketches along with 4 sticky notes. They have to put the sketches in
order and put a sticky label with each sketch explaining what cause the
change in each sketch. Click here for the first game and click
here for the second game. These are in worksheet form
but can be easily
converted into game pieces.
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Half-Life
Skit
|
Have the
entire class stand
up in the center of the room, all huddled together. Then touch the
shoulders of students and have them step out of the "huddle" and stand
around the outside of the room. Eliminate half at a time. As each
"half-life" is completed, pause and ask them what just happened. You
can either tell them what you are doing. or continue on, taking half
out each time, and pausing for them to figure it out. How many
half-lives to completely "decay" our class? If one half-life takes
about 1 minute, how "old" is the class?
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Geologic
Eras Team Game
|
Click
here for
the game pieces. Run off
on colored paper and cut out. I cut out the Eras and the
characteristics separately, then have teams assemble them in order with
corresponding characteristics. I also have sketches showing humans and
other large mammals, dinosaurs, one-celled life, fishes (copyrighted)
that I also run off as game pieces. I hand out the pieces clipped
together and when they open them, I don't tell them what to do with the
pieces. "Figure out what to do." They do a great job with this! Gets
them up and moving and thinking as a team!
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Geologic
Eras Skit
|
Assign
each team of students
a Geologic Era and give them 5 minutes to come up with a pantomime
illustrating at least two geological and two biological events from the
Era. No words or sound effects this time! Have the other students guess
which Era is being dramatized. Good way to review the main geological
and biological characteristics of the Eras.
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WEATHER
AND CLIMATE GAMES AND PUZZLES
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Composition
of Air Team Game
|
Enlarge
the pie chart from
the above worksheet. Print out the pie chart without words, in color.
Print out the words separately. Cut out. Give to teams. Say, "On your
mark! Get set! Go!" Each team assembles the pie chart correctly and
raises hand when finished. Thanks to Debra Kerr for brainstorming this
game with me!
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Composition
of Air Team Skit
|
Make quick
calculations
before assigning this skit. Calculate 78% of class and assign them to
Nitrogen; 21% to oxygen; 1% to argon. Assign the 1% to one student even
if less than 1% of your class. A catch-their-attention way to
illustrate the trace gases, is to ask the 1% student to take off a shoe
and throw it to the side to represent carbon dioxide and the rest of
the trace gases. You can add more impact to this skit by asking the
entire class to assemble themselves into a giant pie graph in the
middle of the floor. Have a pile of labels and percents on cards that
each section has to grab to label themselves. Thanks to Debra Kerr for
brainstorming this with me!
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Layers
of the Atmosphere Game
|
Enlarge a
chart showing the
layers (unlabeled) of the atmosphere. I copied a student's sketches
from the above
assignment
and enlarged and cut
them out. Each team must place the sketches in the correct layers of
the atmosphere, such as: meteors in mesosphere, person in troposphere,
geese in the tropopause. Great fun!
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Atmosphere
Mania Team Game
|
Similar to
Metric Mania. Good
review of all the different facts you'd like your students to remember
about the Layers of the Atmosphere! Click
here.
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Layers
of the Atmosphere Speed Game
|
Give each
team a colorful
chart with all the layers and pauses listed. I set the timer for 5
minutes and the teams must list as many characteristics as they can for
each layer. Have the team choose the Recorder to write it all down. The
rest of the team looks up as many different things as they can from
their assignments. The Recorder just writes. You can make it trickier
by giving points for correct characteristics, but subtracting for any
wrong facts. Keeps them on their toes!
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Layers
of the Atmosphere Flashcards
|
Run off
simple cards with
layer names on one side. Have the students write important information
on the other side, even add small sketches. Or use index cards and have
students write layer names on the one side. This helps prevent them
from seeing the answers through the paper. You can do all sorts of
quick review games using these cards. Put them in order from the ground
up. Put your finger on the layer you live in, the layer where meteors
are found, the layer that contains ozone, etc. Students turn the card
over to check their answer.
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Heat
Transfer Team Review Game
|
Click
here for
a quick team game that
gets their heads together with some peer teaching thrown in for good
measure. Quick but potent learning!
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Heat
Transfer Team Game
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Click
here an
example of a cut-apart
game. (You'll need more pictures.) Give a packet of these sketches and
have them separate into three piles with sticky note labels: radiation,
conduction, or convection. Great fun to listen to them debate the game
pieces and teach each other!
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What
is Climate?
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A good
way to
introduce the concept of Climate. Small groups or pairs come up with a
definition on newsprint. Post where all can see. Or have each group
write on chalkboard in different colors. They arrive at a group
definition by consensus. Post this for all to see. Main rule: can't use
the book's definition! In fact, try not to let anyone open the
textbook! Later discuss the definition of climate from the book.
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Climate
Controls Review
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Cut out
pictures from magazines or go high-tech and capture images of various
climate controls, such as: very snowy scene (latitude), mountain scene
(altitude), harbor with ocean view scene (nearness to large body of
water), island surrounded by water scene (ocean currents), desert scene
(center of large landmass), jungle scene (latitude), etc. Ask each team
of students to identify which Climate Control is most at work in each
scene. They can write answers on sticky notes. Good team game!
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Worldwide
Climate Zones Activity
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Make 3
different color sets of laminated cards: 1 set of cards with the 11
climate names, 1 set of cards in a different color with descriptions of
the 11 climates, and a third set of cards with the parts of the North
American Continent areas that match the 11 climate zones. I gave the
students copies of the Koppen Climate Classification
System to match
Climate Names with
Descriptions and, also using their World Climate Zone Map, asked them
to match the climate types with different areas of the North American
Continent.
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Climagraph
Game
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Print out
several climographs
of the United States. Have student teams match them to short climate
descriptions. Good thinking exercise. Students really have to think how
yearly temperature & precipitation trends would look on a
graph. Click here
for a climograph of Nashville. Print out
climographs such as this one, minus the name of the city and the
latitude/longitude information. Have them match to the correct climate
name/descriptions. The correct one for Nashville is: Subtropical Moist:
warm to hot summer, cool winter, precipitation all winter. You could
also have the students separate the climographs into marine (low yearly
temperature range) and continental (high yearly temperature range) by
looking at the temperature line graphs.
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CLOUD
GAMES
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Cloud
Flashcards Game
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Have
students get out their CLOUD FLASHCARDS. Work in pairs so there are two
pictures of each
cloud in front of the pair. Say, "Put your fingers on the cirrus
cloud." Since each student can use both pointing fingers, one student
could win both cirrus cards! Play until only a couple cards are left.
Have pairs count their cards and shake hands with the winner!
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Cloud
Matching Game
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Run off
copies of Symbols and
Abbreviations,
Associated
Weather,
and Cloud Pictures, so each cloud type has a
picture card, a symbol
card, an abbreviation card, and an associated weather card. Have teams
separate the cards into matched piles for each cloud.
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ASTRONOMY
GAMES AND PUZZLES
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Virtual
Human Compass
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Turn your
students into a
giant compass by forming a large circle along the outer wall of the
classroom. Ask them to point to North. Assign North to the student
standing at the North point. Talk about how North is designated both 0o
and 3600.
Repeat for all the main compass points and NW, SW,
SE, SW. Pick different compass points, such as 90o
and ask
the students to point to the point. Also give odd numbers such as 95o
and ask them to point to that spot. Thanks to my dear friend, Amanda
George, for this great idea!
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Virtual
Human Night Sky
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While in
your "Human Compass"
formation, review altitude, also. Have the students point to the zenith
of the sky, which is 90o
azimuth. Point to the nadir of the
sky, which is under your fee, directly opposite to the zenith. Point to
the horizon, which is 0o
azimuth. Point to 45o
azimuth. Then combine azimuth
and altitude. Ask such
questions
as, "Where in the sky is 0o
altitude, 90o
azimuth?" (on the horizon, due East) "Where in the sky is 45o
altitude, 180o
azimuth?" (halfway up, due South) Once you
feel they have a working idea of altitude and azimuth, give them the Astrolabe
Lab.
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Star
Wheel Game
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Fun game!
Divide students
into teams. Each team separates into halves and goes to opposite
corners of the room with their game cards and star wheels. Give each
team half a stack of cards. The cards are either quick sketches of
about a dozen basic constellations or the constellation names. You give
them all a puzzle to solve and the teams have to match their answers to
get a point. If the answer is Orion, both the name and the sketch have
to be chosen. Have team "runners" bring the answer card, hidden from
view, to you on a signal, then show you the cards all at once. I color
code them so matching teams are easy to see. Blue constellation
sketch-blue constellation name = 1 point. I use simple questions, such
as, "Which constellation is rising (or setting) at 7 p.m. on December
10th?" or "Which circumpolar constellation is overhead on June 15th?"
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H-R
Diagram "March"
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Having
trouble teaching your
students how a star "moves" through the different parts of its life
cycle and how they change position on the H-R Diagram? Tape a giant H-R
Diagram on the floor. Or chalk it out on the parking lot. Include the
X-Y axes, the Main Sequence diagonal, the Red Giants and Red
Supergiants, and the White Dwarfs. Have students label dim and bright,
hot and cool, and draw arrows to show increasing temperature and
brightness along the axes. Use hockey pucks (or anything else that
won't roll or blow away) to put some actual stars on the diagram. Have
various students walk themselves through the life cycle of the sun and
various other stars. Have them "drop off" the Diagram as they become
Black Dwarves, or Black Holes, relating a star's fate to its initial
mass.
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Moon
Phases Flashcards
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An
important objective: to
recognize all eight moon phases AND be able to relate each moon phase
to the relative positions of the sun, moon, and earth. I usually start
with these flashcards. Label them, This alone is a challenge for most.
I put a transparency up and have them refer to their textbooks. Then
the FUN starts! We play the "Put Your Finger On" Game; separate into
like phases, arrange in order as if they are moving around the earth,
etc. Click here
for one version of moon phases flashcards.
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Moon
Phases Skit
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Assign
each team a different
moon phase. Require the team to act out the moon phase for the other
teams to guess. They must include the Earth and the sun in the skit.
This makes them show the relative positions of the Earth, sun, and
moon, which is a state requirement here in Missouri.
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