You know those great little games that you put into your Reading and Math Centers? The ones that get your kids all excited and can now play independently after teacher demonstrations and play time at centers?
What do you usually do with those games when they've finished them at centers? Some of you probably file them away again. Some of you might even admit they get stacked up in a corner somewhere until you have time to put them away . . . like at the end of the year!
Here's what I like to do with those games:
I leave out 2 tubs in my room - 1 for Language Arts and 1 for Math. When we have moved past a skill and are done using a game (usually file folder or little bagged game) I put it into the tubs. I teach my students that they can come back to play these games after they've finished all their current work (and any unfinished work they have left over from the past). Not only is it a motivator for my students, but it's also a constant review!
I go through the games from time to time and take some out or replace some for more current review skills. The 2 biggest perks here are that 1) they already know how to play so it's independent work, and 2) it keeps past skills fresh in their minds!
I also put a few other items in the tubs to keep the kids practicing like flash cards and copies of a QWERTY texting keyboard for students to practice "typing" their spelling and sight words. I used this great ipad/iphone freebie from Mrs. Gilchrist's Class!
Happy "Game-cycling"!
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