Pizza Box Jenga Game

You might remember that I’m subbing for our ESL teacher in the afternoons for a few weeks. She is an amazing teacher and introduced me to a simple but fun learning game!

She often uses it to review vocabulary, but the great part about this game? You can review just about ANYTHING with it!

To get started, you need a few pizza boxes and four times as many cups as pizza boxes. Some pizza places will be happy to give you a few fresh boxes as a donation, and any kind of plastic cup will do.

You’re going to stack them sort of Jenga-style- four cups holding up each pizza box. Ask a question to a student, and if they get it right, they get to pull a cup out of the stack.

Of course, you can pull out a few cups and have the tower keep standing. But after awhile…

… the tower falls!

If you want the game to go on longer, you can keep points for how many times each team makes the tower fall.

Of course, the kids LOVE when the tower goes tumbling everywhere! This is such a simple review game… perfect for those last few days before break : ) It’s also perfect for test prep in a fun, active way!

What kinds of things do you review before kids go on winter break?

Nonsense Words for the Upper Grades

Congratulations to the winner of my giveaway, Angela Victory! Angela, thanks for following, and check your email :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In other news... oops. I completely forgot I was guest blogging yesterday!



If you missed it (like me), go check it out at Buzzing with Ms. B. I posted about how to use nonsense words in the upper grades. Go ahead- read it, so that this post will make a little more sense.

My kids LOVED when we used nonsense words, in part because I took my last name and added "ington." And somehow, when these were not just made-up words, but words from the kingdom of Garwoodington, of which I am queen, it made them so much more fun.

Nonsense words don't have to be "kog" or "lat." Make them grow with the kids to reflect the unknown words that kids will face! Nonsense words are perfect for working on how to read multisyllabic words that combine digraphs, blends, prefixes, suffixes, and more.

Most weeks, I use chart paper to write at least a couple of nonsense words using our phonics pattern of the week, but nonsense words are also a great way to work on context clues and vocabulary skills.

Every once in awhile, I throw in a REAL word, too- and after they sound it out and figure out from context clues what it means, I surprise them by saying it's a real word. They love knowing that they just 'discovered' a new word and didn't even have to look it up!

In this freebie, I've included a short answer page, and then a short story with some comprehension questions and *four* nonsense words. I've even included one real word so you can surprise your class!

Pick up your freebie copy here and write in your own "kingdom" name!

I love using nonsense words because students think they're fun, but I can teach many valuable, authentic skills that ALSO apply to tests! Do any of you do things like this? Would you like to see more?

P.S. -- If you thought the "scubba" in my guest post was the word "cheesy"... you're right! :) Yayyyy!

P.P.S. -- Did you catch my post about Hats for Kenton?



Don't forget to sign up to help us cheer up a boy with leukemia (and his family!). And please help me spread the word on your blog, if you have one!

Vivid Vocabulary Vine Freebie, and Guest Blogging!

I'm guest blogging over at The Second Grade Superkids today, all about my vocabulary routine. I follow the same basic routine every week, because it's effective, involves movement, and the kids have fun, too. Check out my weekly routine for teaching vocabulary here!

Shh- I'm a day late to the party, but Krista is being so kind and letting me crash it. If you're here from her blog, welcome! :)

Outside of our daily routine, I encourage the kids to use and find the words, so I see a lot of kids running up to me with a book, saying, "I found the word relieved!!!" even weeks or months after we've learned that word.

This year, I want to encourage that even more, so I'm planning to make a Vivid Vocabulary Vine.

My plan? Hang up a plastic vine, hot glue frogs onto clothespins, and let kids put their frog on the vine if I "catch" them using or finding the word.

Now, I don't have it built yet, but here is the Google Image Search Copy/ Paste Model Masterpiece:

Easy, right? Especially if you have leftover sunflower garlands from your wedding...

and you can re-use last year's behavior clips. 

Plus, I love that it will hardly take up any space at all on my walls. Once I get it all together, I'll be sure to take pictures and share!

I plan on hanging this sign above it in my room! (Thanks to The 3 AM Teacher for this amazing frame! She is so talented!)

If you snag a copy here, please leave a comment!

(Edited to add: I linked up with Manic Monday at Classroom Freebies!)




How do you encourage your kids to internalize vocabulary and remember it for more than just a test?