What is the tool?
The tool I am focusing on is the murray.k12.ga.us game template website. This tool is a website off which you can download free game templates for games such as Jeopardy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and Wheel of Fortune and customize the questions to fit your content! Kids are made to feel as if they are on a game show while learning at the same time!!!
How can it be used?
Teachers can take information from any content area such as Language Arts, Science, Math, Social Studies, Physical Education, Art, Music, etc. and make learning and reviewing into a game! The teacher simply goes to the website, saves the desired game template, and then opens it up on his/her computer and adds in questions that are relevant to the students' area of study. The process of personalizing the PowerPoints is very easy and quick once you have done it a few times. The website is especially useful if the class has a Smartboard. Being able to play on the Smartboard allows the teacher the freedom to move around the classroom without having to sit behind the desk and click the mouse.
Teachers can also decide to use this website and the PowerPoints outside of the school by sending home a disk with/emailing the personalized PowerPoint template(s) to the parents and students so they can review at home. I think that doing this would especially come in handy for parents who want to help their children but do not speak English. The teacher could also simply include the website in an email or newsletter to parents and then they could help type in questions, spelling words, math problems, etc. for the different review games.
What are some advantages of the tool?
The game templates off of this website serve as an excellent way to review!! Teachers are able to plug in any content from Math and Science to Music and Art and give students a more visual way of reviewing information. Not only is it an effective way to review but it is very fun for the kids! I have used the "Jeopardy" game and "The Pond" game several times in my lessons and the students really seem to remember what they review in both of these. Their competitive natures help them to all try their hardest, which makes it much easier for them to remember. I have noticed that even the students who do not normally answer questions aloud are raising their hands during these games. Not only does this website have a great variety of game templates, but it also gives links to many other wonderful game template websites.
What are some limitations of the tool?
One of the obvious limitations is that you have to have Internet and a computer to access it. Another is that it is a little tricky to figure out how to edit at first. It did not take me long at all to figure out but it took a couple of my supervising teachers several tries to edit the template.
What is the audience for this tool?
This tool can be used by teachers, students and parents!
Where can you learn more about it?
http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/teacher/kara%20leonard/Mini%20T's/Games/Games.htm- The actual game template website (the link does not seem to be working...try copying and pasting it into the window).
My opinion on the tool...
I know this tool is great for the classroom because I use it and other websites like it all the time! Not only that, but the teacher I help end up liking it and using it too. I have even used websites like this as a study tool for myself with certain content areas. Both the typing and the actual review help me to remember the information presented. I only wish I knew how to create these templates so I could make up my own!
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