Game Based Learning: Engaging Students through Play

As second semester has officially begun, there are many great new units and projects taking shape in classrooms throughout the Junior High and High School. A few units worthy of highlighting are transpiring in Mrs. Burton's Junior High English classes.

Students in Mrs. Burton's eighth grade English class are learning to write persuasive essays. The first step of this process is to learn to recognize, discuss, and debate both sides of an issue. These students are learning to do just that while playing the Persuasive Game, a teacher-created game where students roll to determine if they have to argue pro or con on various controversial topics. After determining their argumentative roles, students then have to prepare a two minute argument which leads to an open discussion of both sides. Next, students will be assigned a topic for their first persuasive essay. Optimistically, these eighth graders are gaining valuable experience to help them with their writing.

Mrs. Burton has also been engaging seventh grade English students by allowing them to practice their ELA skills with several teacher-created games. Students continue developing their current lessons of emphasis through games that cover a variety of topics. Some of these topics include the following: irregular verb usage, parts of speech, spelling, vocabulary, possessive apostrophe use, comma usage, synonyms, and many more. These games are proving to be a great way to practice and review skills that students are learning and applying to their writing each day. 

Great job Mrs. Burton on reaching your students in a way that is engaging, challenging, and memorable for all!