I love game shows. Game Show Network was always playing on my family T.V. growing up. So, bringing game style assessments into my online classroom was inevitable.
Here are my top favorite game-based platforms that you can host games for live whole or small group participation in your online classroom.
Trivia Maker– This an awesome gaming making platform that helps you transform your online classroom into a game show! There are endless premade games (many made by teachers) and many templates to help make Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortunate, and Family Feud style games. There are two main accounts, basic (free) and premium.
Boom Cards– I love boom cards and they are best used them in small groups. Boom cards are self-correcting digital task cards. You can find boom cards (or boom decks) in various subjects. You can buy decks directly from the website or from TPT. You can create a class with a free account and assign students decks, and review reports. (Their Boom Live feature is in beta and is a screen-mirroring feature where students can play by a deck simultaneously.) There are 4 membership levels including a Start- free account to a Publisher account which allows you to create and sell your own boom cards.
Jeopardy Labs– is a classic! This website is one of my original favorites especially for whole class engagement. Jeopardy is a great way to assess for prior knowledge and for review at the end of a unit. You can create your own game using blank templates or search through games made by other people. Jeopardy Labs is free! For only a flat fee of $20, you can sign up for a lifetime membership for extra perks.
Bamboozle– is a great game platform for language learning for ESL students. There are thousands of premade games that are great for language learning. You can think of the games of as a deck of cards with pictures and GIFs that can build for your students. There are several game styles including Snakes and Ladders, Story Dice, Four in a Row, and their free “Baamboozle” grid. After playing games, you can create a pin and/or link and students can continue to practice with the same deck of cards. They off a free version and a paid Baaboozle + version.
Quizlet Live– is study game platform. Quizlet uses digital flashcards (or study sets) to help students study many subjects. It’s also great for ESL students. With Quizlet Live, students will participate in a competitive study game in real time. Start first hype up your students with individual live practice then later group them with the same study set to determine if they were actually studying! You and your students can see their groups (by animal names) on the leaderboard move across the screen towards a finish line as they earn points. It’s fun and collaborative!
Quizizz– This is another great game-based quiz platform. It best used with upper elementary, middle school and high school students. You create your own quiz or mix and match from premade quizzes in the library. You can create quizzes with different types of a test questions such as multiple choice, true/false, matching, etc. It also features a fun leaderboard. Performance reports are provided at the end of quizzes. What sets Quizizz a part from others is that you have the option to create slideshow lessons within the platform.
Blooket– Turn your students into “blooks” and host game-based quizzes. There are a variety of Blooket games in various subjects such as math, science, Spanish, language arts, etc. There are thousands of premade Blooket games. Your hosted games can be timed or achievement based. I like using the timed based feature during class. Students can earn virtual incentives as they answer sets. While hosting the game you can view how your students are performing live and students can see the leaderboard as you screenshare. After the game is completed you are able to view reports to help you plan for your next lessons. Free for teachers!
What is your favorite gaming platform?
Gamifying your classroom with any of these platforms will help to get your students engaged, motivated, build confidence, and encourage collaboration. Have fun!
