Fun Science Class Review Games

Class review games help students reinforce key concepts in a dynamic way, encouraging deeper understanding and retention. They can also stimulate students’ competitive spirit and foster a sense of camaraderie among classmates. Below, I’ve outlined a variety of fun and educational review games for physical science. Each game is designed for different learning styles and classroom settings, ensuring that every student can benefit from the activity.

Here are some fun and educational games you can use:

Jeopardy

Setup:

Create a game board with categories and questions of varying difficulty. Each category should relate to a topic in physical science, like “Atoms & Molecules,” “Off-grid Solar Energy,” or “Electricity.”

Rules:

Divide the class into teams.
Teams take turns choosing a category and a point value.
The teacher reads the question associated with the chosen point value.
The first team to raise their hand gets to answer.
Correct answers earn the team points, while wrong answers could deduct points or allow another team to answer.
The team with the most points at the end wins.

Bingo

Setup:

Prepare bingo cards with answers to typical questions or key terms used in the class. Randomly distribute the cards to students.

Rules:

The teacher calls out definitions or descriptions instead of direct terms.
Students identify the term on their bingo card and mark it.
The first student to complete a row, column, or diagonal shouts “Bingo!” and wins.
Verify the correctness of the terms to declare the winner.

Who Am I?

Setup:

Write down names of concepts, famous scientists, or key terms on index cards. Tape these cards on the backs of students without letting them see their own card.

Rules:

Students circulate in the room asking yes/no questions about their identity.
They can only ask one question per classmate before moving on to another.
The goal is to deduce the concept or person on their card using the least number of questions.

Escape Room

Setup:

Design a series of challenges or puzzles related to the curriculum. Each solved puzzle provides a clue or a key to proceed to the next stage or to unlock a final box.

Rules:

Divide students into small groups.
Each group starts at a different puzzle station.
Students solve puzzles to receive parts of a final code or key.
The first group to solve all puzzles and “escape” wins.

Pictionary or Charades

Setup:

Prepare cards with terms or concepts from physical science.

Rules (for Pictionary):

Teams take turns drawing while their team tries to guess the concept.
No letters or numbers can be used in the drawings.
Each correct guess within a time limit scores a point.

Rules (for Charades):

Similar to Pictionary, but instead of drawing, students act out the concept.
Talking or using props is not allowed.
Teams guess the acted concept to earn points.

Quiz Show

Setup:

Prepare a list of questions, a buzzer system or a simple method for students to signal they want to answer.

Rules:

Divide the class into teams.
Ask a question to the entire class.
The first team to buzz in gets to answer.
Correct answers gain points, wrong answers might lead to a loss of points or a chance for other teams to answer.
The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Crossword Puzzles or Word Searches

Setup:

Create crossword puzzles or word searches that incorporate key vocabulary from the current unit.

Rules:

Distribute the puzzles to students.
Set a time limit for completion to add competitiveness.
The first student to correctly complete the puzzle wins.

Kahoot! or Quizizz

Setup:

Use the Kahoot! or Quizizz platform to create a digital quiz with questions on the course content.

Rules:

Students log in to the quiz using their devices.
Questions are displayed one at a time, and students answer via their device.
Points are awarded based on correctness and speed of the response.
The student with the highest score at the end wins.