Andy

December

November

11/15/11

Use of the Dinger Game for review of the American Revolution

My special education U.S. History I resource room class is studying the American Revolution. After the traditional lecture and note taking activities we play the "dinger game" to review each section. This game consists of students answering questions given to them by me orally. One student has a bell, and must ring the bell if a right or wrong answer is given. Depending on the the answer the students will ring the bell multiple times for a right answer and only one time for a wrong answer. They are not allowed to use notes or a text. Score is kept for right answers and points are subtracted for wrong answers. The person with the bell, "the dinger" only has to determine whether the answer is right or wrong. That person gets a point for each correct answer and loses points the same way the other students do when answering the question outright. People can steal and points can be taken away for failing to follow the rules. For the dinger to win that person must have at least five more points then the other students because they have an opportunity to gain points with each question. The other students must wait their turn or steal when a person answer is incorrect. The dinger does not gain points on steals. The kids like the game and it is an easy quick review. Somehow the bell adds something to the game that the kids like. We do this often and we break the instruction into small blocks that these kids can absorb. Finally when I assess for the whole unit we play an extended game of dinger to reinforce already learned material.