The Terminology Relay Game

Instructor Directions Version 1

Setup:

• Create a worksheet key (download the example above) to identify the terms you’ll use in the activity.
• Write one term per index card and shuffle the deck of cards.
• Place the complete set of term cards at the front of the room (face down).
• Break students into teams of three to four people.
• Give each term a copy of the activity worksheet (download a sample above).
• Explain the game to student teams.

How to Play

• One student from each team walks to the front of the room and selects one card holding it face down without looking.
• Once every team representative has a card, say “Go” and the students return to their teams.
• The student holding the card reads the definition list and decides which definition matches the term on their card. They write the term into the matching blank on the worksheet and tag the next student on the team.
• The second teammate grabs a card and matches it to a definition on the worksheet without help from teammates and tags the next student on the team, and so on until the instructor calls “Stop” and the round/game concludes.
• Teams hand over their discarded cards and worksheets (this prevents cheating where students fill in blanks from memory instead of matching terms to correct definitions). The instructor verifies the team’s cards and correct answers.
• Each team member receives 1 extra credit point for every four correct answers.
• Optional: Verify card/term combinations and then hand back worksheets. Conduct a lightning round where teams have one minutes to fill in as many blanks from memory as they can. Ask teams to hand in their worksheets and give students one extra credit point for every four terms they identified correctly.  

Instructor Directions Version 2

Use this version if you feel that the pressure of Version 1 might be too much for some students.

Setup:

• Create a worksheet key (download the example above) to identify the terms you’ll use in the activity.
• Write one term per index card and shuffle the deck of cards.
• Place the complete set of term cards at the front of the room (face down).
• Break students into teams of two.
• Give each team member a copy of the worksheet (download a sample above).
• Explain the game to student teams.

How to Play

• One student from each team walks to the front of the room and selects one card holding it face down without looking.
• Once every team representative has a card, say “Go” and the students return to their groups.
• The team reads the definition list and decides which definition matches the term on their card. The term is written into the matching blank on both individual worksheets.
• Students place their matched cards off to the side and retrieve a new card from the deck.
• Teams continue until you decide that time is up.
• Use the discarded cards and the key to provide the correct answers while students score their worksheets. Clarify any terminology that students find confusing.
• Give students 1 extra credit point for every two terms the team identified correctly.
• Optional: Conduct a lightning round where students work alone to fill in as many blanks from memory as they can for one minute. Ask students to hand in their worksheets and give students one extra credit point for every two terms they identified correctly.  
• Optional: At the end of the game allow students to take home the worksheet and complete it by the next class. Give students one extra credit point for every three terms they identify correctly.