A short game can reset a class, reward good work, or fill the last ten minutes. These games need little or no prep and work in most subjects. Always check the teacher’s plan first. Use a game only after the assigned work is done, unless the plan says otherwise.
How to use games well in grades 6-12
- Tie the game to the subject so it counts as review.
- Keep it short. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty.
- Set rules before you start: voices, movement, and what happens if the game gets out of hand.
- Do not make winners earn grades or prizes you cannot give.
1. Four Corners
Materials: four signs, tape.
Label the corners A, B, C, and D. Read a multiple-choice question from the lesson. Students move to the corner of their answer. Reveal the answer and discuss. If students cannot move around, have them hold up one to four fingers.
2. Team Review Relay
Materials: board, marker, a list of review questions.
Split the class into teams. One student from each team comes to the board, you read a question, and the first correct answer earns a point. Rotate so everyone gets a turn.
3. Two Truths and a Lie, Subject Edition
Materials: paper.
Students write three statements about the topic they just studied, two true and one false. Partners guess the false one, then share with the class.
4. Vocabulary Draw
Materials: board, word list.
One student draws a vocabulary term on the board without using letters or numbers. The class guesses. Works well in science, social studies, and world languages.
5. Mystery Person or Term
Materials: index cards.
One student secretly picks a person, event, or term from the unit. The class asks yes-or-no questions, up to twenty, to figure it out.
6. Quiz-Show Board
Materials: board, marker.
Draw a grid with categories across the top and point values below. Fill it with questions from the lesson. Teams take turns picking a square. Keep score on the board and award points for correct answers only.
7. Category Challenge
Materials: paper, timer.
Name a category tied to the lesson, such as types of rocks or events of the Civil War. In two minutes, teams list as many items as they can. A team gets a point for each answer no other team wrote down.
Need more than a game?
Games work best as a reward, not a whole plan. For a full period of work, browse our free lesson library or read substitute teacher activities for grades 6-12. For more help keeping the room on track, see classroom management for substitutes.
Keep reading
- What to Do as a Substitute Teacher – where a game fits in the day.
- Substitute Teacher Survival Kit Checklist – the index cards and markers these games use.
- Sub Tub Ideas for Grades 6-12 – teachers can stock early-finisher games in the tub.
Browse free sub plans by subject: science, math, social studies, ELA, art, music and theater, PE and health, Spanish, French and German, technology, business and personal finance, CTE, speech, journalism and media, and advisory and study hall.