Grammar games for classroom use

Find a simplified version of this build-a-sentence grammar activity that you can use to get started here. Help students identify grammar skills in writing by asking them to go on a scavenger hunt for specific concepts. They can look through a common text or choice reading books. For example, you might ask students to find a sentence that uses an attribution tag with correct punctuation.

Teachers can guide this activity to keep the class well paced. Set a timer and give each group who finds an example a point in the game, not the grade book. If you prefer, students can play at their own pace. Just create a page of directions with space for students to write the examples they find in their reading. This approach frees you up to provide small group support.

Students will enjoy a light-hearted game of silent telephone, reminiscent of the telephone ice breaker game where players whisper ideas to their neighbors until the reaches the last player in line. In telephone grammar, the first person writes a grammar concept on a slip of paper and passes it to the next student. No talking allowed! The second student reads the paper, puts it on the bottom of the pile, and writes an example on the next clean paper. That student passes the stack to the next person, who puts the example on the bottom of the pile and writes the grammar term he or she thinks best applies to the example written by the previous student.

See below — the example also includes a connection sketch. The goal is to finish the game and have the original grammar concept emerge. If the end concept is different than the beginning, ask students to talk about why. Exploring perspectives will give you insight as to whether they are confused or if the examples do have multiple acceptable concepts associated with them. Troubleshooting: If students have issues selecting grammar concepts for the game, determine the topic for them at the beginning.

Takes too long to complete? Divide the class into two or three smaller groups to play. What is the takeaway? To…reinforce content? Grammar review should be fun, but not fluff.

Always check to make sure grammar games align to grade-level standards in order to establish the validity for using them. Looking for more engaging grammar review ideas? Here are a few grammar activities from Language Arts Classroom. Looking for engaging grammar games for middle or high school?

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I made up a sentence diagramming game that I call Diagramming Puzzlers. Check out how I did it with some Puzzler examples. Here are the steps. You can also use the puzzles from this page if you'd like. Think of a sentence that you'd like to diagram.

If you're stuck, it's fun to pick famous slogans, movie quotes, or facts. Diagram the sentence yourself to make sure that you know what you're doing! You can use this tool to help you, but don't rely on their diagrams.

They're not always correct. When in doubt, pick something easy! Give grammatical clues that can be used to solve the puzzle. Example: This sentence used to be the slogan for Sprite back in It is an imperative sentence. Write a sentence on the board and set a time limit. Students write down everything that they know about the grammar of the sentence. When the time is up, students individually share their observations.

If anyone else in the room has the same observation, they must cross it off their list. If they are the only ones who have made that particular observation, they get a point. I know that I listed sentence diagramming puzzles in idea number two, but you can also have a lot of fun just diagramming sentences regularly.

That's because diagramming is like solving little puzzles. I promise. Once you learn how to diagram, it really is like a game. I ask students to turn away from the board, so they cannot see the sentences. These two students will turn around, and RUN to the board searching for an appropriate example.

I then remove this example from the board and play continues with a new partner from each team! Have each team line up on either side of the room, so it is clear which student will go next in line. Also, be sure to have a quick safety and appropriate use discussion before playing.

I have had students take this far too seriously and run right into the whiteboard! They were okay, of course, but it was unnecessary and distracting. After teaching students how to combine sentences with the appropriate punctuation and these amazing conjunctive adverbs, I ask students to practice with this Tic-Tac-Know game.

On the projector screen, I will display two similar sentences that can be combined with a conjunctive adverb. I ask students to combine these sentences together with a fitting conjunctive adverb as independent practice. Then, I will display eight more sentences and ask students to do the same. In the past, this is where the lesson ended.

Students are given a traditional Tic-Tac-Toe board and asked to partner with a neighbor. As I reveal the answers to these sentences sharing possible conjunctive adverbs, and discussing these as a class , students that have created a sentence that applies these with the correct punctuation, can take a turn in the Tic-Tac-Toe board game.

If students do not get the sentence correct, they cannot mark the board with an X or an O. Then we continue to reveal the answers as student partners play their Tic-Tac-Toe board game. This Tic-Tac-Know board could be used in so many practice applications in the classroom! This game will get them working in collaboration with three peers, and incorporate movement into your lesson. To prepare for this game, you will need to purchase enough beach balls for each group of four in your classroom.

I simply went to party city and bought two packs of 8 mini-beach balls for a minimal investment. Then, I used a Sharpie to write common conjunctive adverbs into each section of the beach ball.