The Best Math Review Game

The best math review game is BINGO because it is easy prep, collaborative, and super engaging. Now before I lose you, trust me. This is not your average BINGO game. Read on for the prep, setup, and procedure.

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One of my favorite ways to review with students is by playing BINGO in small groups. My students find BINGO super fun, and what I love a lot about this type of review is that is structured. I share the expectations and guidelines with students before we begin, and then we just get to play. Students love being able to talk with others while doing their work. I love that they get to help each other out and reteach their peers – because let’s face it – I can’t be by the side of all 20-something students in the room.

· Ahead of time type up the questions you want students to review in a PowerPoint presentation – one question on each slide.

· Create a generic BINGO board (with nothing filled in the boxes) by making a basic table using Microsoft Word. Make enough copies so that each group gets one board. You can download my version here.

· Cut up little slips of paper and label each piece with the numbers 1-24.

· Set your classroom up into groups so that 3-5 students can work together.

· Do you love your TI graphing calculator? I use “randint” to have it give me a random number between 1-5. (I’ll explain why in a minute.) Not calculator savvy? No big deal. You’ll just randomly select a number each time.

· Allow students to choose their seats or using grouping cards to keep it random.

· If you have mini-whiteboards, give each student a whiteboard, eraser, and marker.

· Assign each student in the group a number between 1-x. x=the average number of students in a group. Some students may need to take one two numbers or some students may need to share a number.

· Pass out the BINGO boards. Make the middle a free space, then have them fill in the numbers 1-24 in any order in the remaining boxes.

· Project your PowerPoint and ask students to work together within their groups on the first problem. Advise them to work together, but not be so loud as to give away their answers to other groups.

· Give a time warning. Then use your TI “randint” or select a random number. The student who has been assigned this number in each group holds up their board. If they are correct, their whole group is correct. If they are wrong, their whole group is wrong. Forced collaboration! 

· Once you have determined which groups are correct and explained anything needed before moving on, flip the number cards you created and call out the number you see. Groups who got the question correct can cross that number off on their BINGO board.

· Because the BINGO board has random numbers instead of actual answers, you can reuse this plan over and over again by simply typing up a quick PowerPoint with 15-18 practice problems.

· I usually pass out Dum-Dums, pencils, or stickers for students who win BINGO.

You can make your own BINGO games or purchase 7th and 8th grade math versions here.