Object:
Each team tries to get the most number of points by correctly:
1. Identifying the speaker of the passage.
2. To whom the speaker is speaking.
3. Explaining the context/meaning of the passage.
Rules:
1. Six teams will be pre-determined by the teacher.
2. The first team to go will be determined by a die roll.
3. A random passage will be picked from a hat, and the team has exactly 1 minute to discuss the passage.
4. If they answer correctly, they earn a point.
5. If they answer incorrectly, a die roll will determine who gets a chance to steal.
6. If the same team is picked, that team gets another chance.
7. The stealing team gets 30 seconds do discuss the passage.
8. Each question has only one "steal" opportunity.
9. The play will proceed numerically so every team gets a chance to answer a question.
10. The team with the most points wins.
11. Each person on the winning team gets FIVE extra credit points.
12. In case of a tie, each team with the most points gets the credit.
Most of them enjoyed it, but some of them were frustrated by the competition element. The biggest problem was that one minute was WAY too long for the groups to confer. My master teacher though that with a little tweaking it would be an excellent way to study for this type of test.
Of course, I now question the purpose of this type of test. Do they really need to know these passages? Am I just giving a glorified plot summary/reading comprehension test? Sure, the writing portion of this unit will be analytical in nature, and there will be a performative assessment, but it feels like I’m just doing a variation of drill-and-kill. My master teacher is doing the same thing, but then again, she’s pretty old-school. I think I need to change my approach for the rest of the play.
I am getting headaches.
I never get headaches.
4 comments:
I never thought I'd give quizzes just to ensure that students read the material, but if that's what it takes to get them to read, I'll give them quizzes. Anything to get them to engage with the material! I liked your creative approach.
Yeah, the whole comprehension quiz thing doesn't sit well with me, but I'm finding it difficult to dig into the more interesting stuff (i.e., the themes, literary devices, and character development) because students are so put off by the language. In any event, I will certainly use a different approach next time I teach Shakespeare.
Thanks for your input.
Are you familiar with Shakespeare Set Free (published by the Folger Library)? It takes a performance-based approach and might give you some ideas. There's a book that focuses on Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Also, the Cambridge University Press editions of Shakespeare's plays have good teaching ideas and suggestions for student activities. Good luck!
Congratulations on the success so far. If being able to use/analyze quotes is a skill your students will need on their major written assessment, then I think your tests are respectable. Being able to break down a quote and explain it's meaning on a quiz seems to be an important skill especially when you're working with Shakespeare. I'm thinking you want your students to learn or get practice at using quotes/specific evidence to support what they want to say.
One thing I really like about your game is that you rely on the randomness of the roll of a die to determine who gets the chance to steal. That element alone makes the game a little more engaging because it makes things a little more unpredictable. I sure can't wait to use this review game on Othello.
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