Advantages and disadvantages

This is a high energy, fast-paced activity that gets the whole class involved.

Create an imaginary boundary down the middle of the classroom with an equal number of students on either side.

Divide the groups up into “thinkers” and “runners”.

Assign the terms “advantage” to one side and “disadvantage” to the other.

Write on a dry erase or chalkboard subjects that have advantages and disadvantages like: technology, zoos, canned goods, etc.

Determine a time limit for the game.

Thinkers will come up with words to describe either the advantages or disadvantages of the subject, tell a runner the word who will then dash to the board and write the word.

The team with the most ideas within the time limit wins the game.

To get further instructive use out of this game, have the students write an essay about the advantages or disadvantages of one of the subjects.

Even if you work in a classroom with furniture fixed in place, making it difficult to accommodate games like this, there are always workarounds.

For example, you may take the class outside or use the space at the front of the classroom.

Games that require movement and teamwork can be extremely effective so it pays to use classroom space effectively or think up innovative ways to help students move around while producing the material.

Do not be discouraged by the physical limitations of your classroom but enlist your students in trying to find solutions to these problems.