At the beginning of a school year, students are often nervous because they do not know each other yet. Spencer Kagan, author of "Cooperative Learning," suggests helping students get to know each other with a ball toss game. Have students stand in a large circle so that there a few feet separating each student. One student should toss a ball to another student in the circle, and say, "Hi. I'm Matt. What's your name?" When the other student catches the ball, he should say, "Hi, Matt. I'm Mark," and then pass it to another student. Play continues as long as the ball stays in the air. If it is dropped, the group has to start again. Keep trying and playing until every student has had a chance to introduce himself.
Students learn valuable skills such as teamwork and patience when they have to work together. If a large space such as a gym or cafeteria is available, students can work on their cooperative skills with a four corners game. Paste posters of four different colors on each corner of the room. Have the students stand in the middle of the room holding a ball. Yell out a color that is on one of the corners. Students must move the ball together toward that corner, and on the way to the corner, every student must touch the ball. For instance, they could kick it to each other or pass it while running, making sure everyone gets a chance to pass. Once they reach one corner successfully, call out another color. They cannot do the same movement with the ball twice. Encourage them to be creative in how they will get the ball to travel.
Before a test or quiz, give students time to review together. Showdown is a fast-paced game that also helps students learn and remember their review concepts. Divide students into groups of four, and have each student get out a piece of paper and pen. Ask a review question, and ask students to secretly write their answer on their paper and flip it over. Then say, "1, 2, 3 Showdown!" Students should then flip their papers over to see if the other students in their group also have the same answer. If not, allow them to discuss which answer is the correct answer.
A game of vocabulary bingo allows students to learn and review new words. Have students create a bingo board by dividing a piece of paper into five equal rows and columns. The middle box is a free space. They can write their current vocabulary words in the other 24 boxes. The teacher should say one definition at a time, and students can cover the words with pennies as their definitions are called. The student who gets five words called in a row is the winner.