Classroom Jeopardy: The Best Tool for Topic Review

If you’ve been playing Jeopardy in the classroom, have you been saving your game boards? And we don’t only mean to use as teaching tools on the same topics next year. Because in our experience, Jeopardy game boards are good for much more than just one day of play. They can be returned to, refreshed, and even assigned as take-home activities throughout the year. Below, we’ll dive into the details of turning old game boards into review tools. Read on to find out if this could be an efficient learning method for your students (and a total time-saver for you, too).

The Benefits of Jeopardy Game Templates as Review Tools

Before we look into the review itself, let’s touch base on the benefits of Jeopardy itself. The game of Jeopardy is filled with opportunities for educational, social, and emotional growth. Some of the most notable benefits of Jeopardy for kids include:

• Improved student engagement
• Higher rates of school satisfaction
• Boosted retention rates
• Strengthened problem-solving skills
• Heightened teamwork and leadership skills

When we’re thinking specifically about topic review, Jeopardy game templates stand out because:

• They’re premade and easy for teachers to take out when they need them
• They reintroduce topics in a fun and motivating fashion
• They give students something to look forward to when scheduled on a regular basis (monthly, after each unit, before exams, etc.).

So, the benefits show that Jeopardy helps introduce new information and review it. It’s a solid teaching tool no matter what the subject material looks like (or how long ago it was introduced in the classroom).

Four Ways to Use Jeopardy Topic Review

Now it’s time to dive into not why, but how to use this game as a topic review tool. Four of our favorite methods for reviewing information with Jeopardy game templates include:

#1: Review Days

This is the most commonly used placement for Jeopardy review in lesson plans. Block off a whole class period for your game, calling it a “review day.” These days may work well:

• At the end of a lesson or unit
• At the end of a month, quarter, or semester
• Before midterms or final exams
• On days when students need a “brain break.”

On review days, bring up a Jeopardy game template for your whole class to play together. You can use past boards created in PowerPoint or use an online tool like Factile, where all questions can be stored in banks for future Jeopardy games) to make things easier.

Once your board is pulled up, break into teams. Each team will work together to answer questions. Keep track of team points on your whiteboard or with the help of the Jeopardy game maker you choose.

Pay attention to the answers that are answered incorrectly more than the ones that come easily to students. These may be areas that need extra review before exam day.

#2: Small Group Learning Sessions

If you have a large class or simply want to provide more active learning for each student in your class, it may be worthwhile to try playing Jeopardy review games in small groups. First, break into teams in the way that works best for you. If you don’t have much experience making student teams, break your class up into 3-4 groups by:

• Random — Use an online generator like ClassTools to show you’re being fair every time. Or for a simple, old-fashioned technique, “number off.” Count your students out in teams of four by walking through the room and assigning numbers, “1, 2, 3, 4… 1, 2, 3, 4…” until all students have a number. Tell students where in the classroom to go for each number to form the teams.
• By subject mastery — Make groups of students who feel like they could take the exam today, students who need a little more practice, and students who feel they are struggling with the subject matter. Let students tell you where they’re at with the material to ensure they get the help they need. The group that has mastered the material already may speed through questions, while the other groups may take their time to look up answers or ask you questions between rounds.
• Student’s choice — If your class is able, let them break into groups on their own. They may surprise you by being more engaged when they’re given the opportunity to work alongside their friends.

While students play, consider walking throughout the classroom and checking in with each group. Are they enjoying the game? How are they feeling about the content they’re studying? Do they need extra practice before their upcoming exam, or are they ready to take the test as soon as tomorrow? These quick check-ins will help you learn just as much from the review sessions as your students (even though you’re learning about what your class needs while they look back at past subject matter).

#3: Individual Quiet Time

Did you know Jeopardy doesn’t have to be a competitive group game? It’s fun to play as a whole class, but students will also enjoy competing against themselves. To assign Jeopardy for kids during individual learning time, use an online tool to switch the format of your game.

Factile, for example, offers:

• Multiple choice rounds
• Flashcards
• Memory match
• And quiz bowl.

You can create each type of game with the same question banks you’ve used in the past so no extra prep work is required.

Each of these game styles can be played individually or in partner groups. Students can access them from smartphones, tablets, or computers. Be sure to set boundaries beforehand to ensure everything runs smoothly during class time:

• If students are using smartphones, only the Factile site is allowed to be open.
• If students are playing in partner groups, they need to keep their voices to a whisper and stay on task to continue working together.
• Students must review questions from the specific question bank you’ve assigned.

Similarly to group games, walk throughout the room to see where each individual learner or partner group is at with the material. How much do they remember from past lessons and units? What do they need from you moving forward?

#4: Assigned as Homework

Homework time may not constitute as “in the classroom,” but it’s an ideal window for reviewing Jeopardy, flash cards, and memory match games nonetheless.

Why? Because students are more likely to get their homework done if it’s enjoyable. This is especially true of review material, which is easier to skip out on compared to a unit worksheet or writing assignment.

Research also shows that game-based learning is more effective than traditional studying methods. Game-based learning has provided increased engagement and participation, more satisfaction with learning experiences, stronger critical thinking skills, and overall cognitive growth in studied students.

To assign Jeopardy for kids, set up a game in advance and share the link with them. This game could be:

• A full Jeopardy game template (from a past unit) for them to work through on their own or with a family member
• Your Jeopardy questions turned into flashcards or a game of memory match (both of which are as easy as the click of a button in Factile).
• Made up of information from one unit or a full-year review session.
• Mandatory homework or an optional study activity.

Before you assign Jeopardy review as homework, consider the following:

• Whether or not all of your students have access to the devices required (remember that tablets, smartphones, and computers are all fine for sites like Factile).
• Whether or not all of your students have access to the internet.

If the answer to either of these questions has the potential to be “no,” Jeopardy is going to be better left as an in-class review activity for your students.

If the answer is “yes,” consider sending Jeopardy home as homework as often as once per week.

Using Factile to Create a Jeopardy Game

If you’re ready to add Jeopardy to your classroom review toolkit, consider signing up for a free Factile account today.

Some of Factile’s top features for review sessions include:

• Create and save question banks throughout the year
• Turn question banks into Jeopardy game templates with the click of a button
• Create and share custom games, as well as play public games on a wide variety of topics or create new games in seconds with the help of AI
• Save up to 3 games at a time
• Play with up to 5 teams.

If you’re ready to enhance your Factile experience, the affordable “Pro” version gives you access to even more review-friendly features:

• Unlimited saved games
• Play with up to 100 teams
• Downloading and printing answer keys for additional studying
• Using question banks as multiple-choice tests
• Other game styles, such as Memory Match, Multiple Choice, and Flash Cards
• Adding InLIne math equations to questions
• Fun features like thinking music, custom game colors, and team mascots
• And more more.

All in all, Jeopardy game templates can serve as excellent review tools long after the initial game has been played. Be sure to consider this learning style for your students as you wrap up lessons and units throughout the year. And don’t forget to sign up for your free Factile account to make the process easier!