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Telephone with an active learning twist!

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Telephone with an active learning twist!

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I was thinking about how students can engage with writing, specifically by creating proper sentences. The engaging part of the game is to have the whole class play the traditional game telephone, but the sentences built have to have a clear and complete meaning. Therefore, the person who starts the sentence must follow the appropriate terms to create a clear and complete sentence. After the sentence is finished the last person will write it on the board. Then the game will go on and the following sentences must be in relation to the first sentences. Once 8-10 sentences are up on the board, each individual will go and fill in the appropriate grammar for the sentence.

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The game of telephone is a classic ice breaker and party game. It's easy to set up and a lot of fun to play. You and your friends will try to pick a word or phrase, “pass it on” by whispering it to someone next to you, and have fun seeing how much it changed during the game. All you will need to play is a couple of friends, a word or phrase, and a quiet whisper.

1. 1

Get everyone in place. Although the game of telephone is simple to play, you will need to arrange the players in a way that supports the game. Have everyone stand in either a line or a circle. Players should be spaced far enough apart that they won't overhear the word when it isn't their turn.

Proper position is important when playing telephone. If people aren't in some sort of order, they won't know when it's their turn.

2. 2

Start the game. Choose a person to start the game. This person will think of a word and whisper it to the person next to them. The word should be an uncommon one as the idea is to see how much it changes by the game's end. Once the word has been told to the next person, they will whisper it to the person next to them.

Alternatively, choose a word with three or more syllables, such as: extraterrestrial, planetarium, or encyclopedia.

Base the difficulty of the word on the age of the audience. What might seem difficult for a 5 year old would be easy for a 12 year old.

If this is for school, consider using one of the vocabulary words that you are studying. You can also use a term from a science class.

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3. 3

Continue whispering the word. Players continue listening to the word and repeating what they think they heard to the person next to them. This is done until the last person in the line or circle is told the word.

4. 4

By the end of the game, every person should have heard the word or phrase.

5. 5

See how much the word changed. Once the last person hears the word or phrase, they will say what they think they heard out-loud. This is compared to the original word that the game started with. This is the moment when all the players get to learn just how much the word or phrase changed through their "telephone line".

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1. 1

Say a word or phrase only once. An important rule for the game of telephone, is that you can only say a word or phrase one time. Repeating the phrase will only help to clarify it, going against the point of the game. Only allow those playing one chance to whisper the word or phrase on their turn.[1]

This will force the players not only to speak clearly, but to also listen carefully.

2. 2

Pick a unique word or phrase. The fun of telephone is to see how much a word changes throughout the game. Picking a simple or familiar word will make the game too easy, allowing the word to be heard clearly. Instead, it's a good idea to pick a difficult, long, or unique word to use when playing telephone.[2]

Choosing the word "dog" is probably a poor choice, even for young children. Something like "bayou" might be a better choice.

Using the word "misanthropic" could be a challenging choice, and suitable for older children.

3. 3

Let only one person know the word. It's important that no one but the person starting the round of telephone knows the word being used. If other players know the word, they will be able to repeat it with ease.[3]

Always keep the word a secret to ensure that it ends up being changed by the game's end.

Sometimes, the word does not get changed at all by the last person. This means that the players are really good at listening (and honest about not changing the word).

4. 4

Always whisper. You will need to whisper a word or phrase to a person during the game of telephone. Whispering helps in two ways; keeping the word a secret and making it hard to interpret correctly.

Keeping the word quiet can make it more likely that it will end up being misheard and wildly different from the starting phrase.

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1. 1

Play in teams. Playing telephone in teams can add a fun competitive edge to the game. Teams will each play the game in same manner, with one person starting the game off and the players whispering it down the line. However, one player is chosen to whisper the same word to both teams. The goal is to see which team can end the game with the word being closest to the original.[4]

Words that are closer will generally sound more alike or be a variation of the original word.

Words that are farther apart from the original will generally have wildly different sounds and meanings.

For example, you may start with the word "benevolence". One team ends the game thinking that the word was "beneficent", while the other team got "detriment". In this case, the team who said "beneficent" would be closer to the original word and win the round.

2. 2

Try the "rumor" variation. In this version, players are required to make changes. Even if you hear the phrase correctly, you must add one or two differences. This will result in huge changes to the original phrase the game started with. For example:[5]

If you started out with "Mary had two white cats," the next person might say: "Mary had two black dogs." The third person might say: "Mary had one black-and-white dog."

3. 3

Increase the difficulty. If you are finding that your team is able to keep the word or phrase close to the original, you can try making the game harder. Try picking new words or phrases that are more difficult to hear correctly. Keep some of these tips in mind when trying to make the game of telephone a bit more difficult:

Pick longer words or phrases. The more you say, the harder it will be to pass on to the next person. You might try using "Squirreled" or "Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?".

Pick words that aren't often used. For example, "magnanimous" isn't said often and may cause players to mishear it.

Use random words that don't have context. For example using "tower, nose, zircon" would make it much more difficult to guess what was said without the context that normal phrases would have.

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Question

What if we went down the line and the word never changed?

Just start the game over again. If this keeps persisting, mix up the order of the players. Also, make the word or phrase more difficult.

Question

How do people cheat in telephone?

They can change the word on purpose or they can try to hear what the first person whispers.

Question

So isn't this quite similar to Chinese whispers?

Yes, they are the same game given different names. I believe that Chinese whispers is Commonwealth English, while the Telephone Game is American English.

Question

How we pick a winner?

There is no winner. The last person in line says what they heard out loud and they sometimes mix up the order, causing everyone to laugh. If they get it right, start again but if they get it wrong, you can go back and figure out who messed it up by asking everyone what they heard. The results are pretty funny.

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About This Article

Article Summary X

To play the telephone game, start by having everyone stand in a line, making sure people are far enough apart that they can’t overhear other players. Next, have the starting player think of an uncommon word, like planetarium or dictionary, and whisper it into the ear of the person standing next to them. Then, continue having people listen to the word and whisper it to the next player until everyone has heard it. Finally, see what everybody thinks they heard to see how the word changed as it went down the “telephone line.” To learn how to play telephone in teams, scroll down!

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The game of telephone is a classic ice breaker and party game. It’s easy to set up and a lot of fun to play. You and your friends will try to pick a word or phrase, “pass it on” by whispering it to someone next to you, and have fun seeing...

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She had me at low prep,engaging, and adaptive!

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Review Games Students LOVE | Elementary, Middle, and High School

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When engaging students, considering inexpensive rewards to have in the classroom can help motivate students to remain engaged during an active learning lesson! Being aware of what specific students may like that are out of the ordinary is always helpful to be aware of as well! Creating a chart that includes specific inexpensive items  such as specific snacks or other items a certain student would become motivated and engaged in the lesson can be a reliable resource for any teacher!

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Rewards for your students don't have to cost a lot. Here are ten your students are sure to love!

1. PENCILS - I'm always surprised at how popular pencils are (I even give pencils away at my house on Halloween and kids will pick them over my stash of good chocolate candy!).If you are headed toward the dreaded fill-in-the-bubble sheets, make sure the pencils you are giving away are #2. I have a canister of plain to wildly decorated and holiday theme pencils for students to choose from.

2. 3. HIGHLIGHTERS - The various dollar stores have good prices on highlighters, but I also keep an eye out for great back-to-school sale prices. I buy the assorted color multi-packs and students get to choose one color.

RUBBER STAMPS - Rubber stamps can be found for cheap in many of the craft stores' clearance bins, along with other prize ideas.

4. STICKERS - A sheet of stickers, especially stinky stickers, never goes out of style, no matter how old your students are. I even like putting them on papers I grade.

5. COUPONS FOR FREE FOOD - This takes a little more effort on my part, but I go to local restaurants and ask if they will donate coupons for a class reward. You'll be surprised at how often they say "YES!" A drink or milkshake, a breakfast sandwich or a two-for-one meal coupon are always appreciated.

6. SMALL TRINKETS FROM ORIENTAL TRADING COMPANY - I wait for Oriental Trading Company to have sales and free shipping codes and then I fill my cart with leis and great reward little trinkets like key rings that can adorn backpacks, small hand-held puzzle boxes, glow sticks, and inflatable microphones. To help me keep track of my receipts for tax purposes, I create a folder in my email for each tax year and when Oriental Trading emails me my receipt, I move the email into that folder. When it's time to prepare taxes, I just print out all of my receipts and give them to my accountant (any by accountant, I mean my husband!).

7. FOOD or DRINKS - For many middle school students, food or drink is the ultimate prize. But, this depends a lot on your district's policies. You can provide a coupon for a free ice cream in the cafeteria, a pack of chewing gum, or other inexpensive candy. You can even bring in doughnuts or bring in homemade or home baked cookies as a top prize.

8. +10 POINTS COUPONS - These coupons are always in high demand! Just print or write "+10 Points Coupon" on a 3x5 index card. To use, the student simply signs the coupon, staples it to a previously graded assignment, and returns it to you.

9. DROP ONE HOMEWORK TICKET -These tickets are also highly valued! Just print or write "Drop One Homework" on a 4x6 or 5x8 index card. Students use them when they have a homework or overnight assignment to finish. The card is labeled with the assignment, signed by the student, and turned in for a 100.

10. BOOKS - I love letting students pick books as rewards. Books are expensive so to get them cheaper requires some work. I collect gently used books from people in my neighborhood, I scour the local libraries semi-annual book sales, I go to Scholastic Warehouse sales and fill boxes of books for a fraction of the regular cost, I visit used books stores (there's one a few towns away from me that sells books for $.99 and lets me fill a box for $15), and I use Donor's Choose to fund new books.

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Inexpensive Rewards Middle School Students Love

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Rewards for your students don't have to cost a lot. Here are ten your students are sure to love! 1. PENCILS - I'm always surprised at how popular pencils are (I even give pencils away at my house on Halloween and kids will pick them over my stash of good chocolate candy!).If you are headed toward the dreaded fill-in-the-bubble sheets, make sure the pencils you are giving away are #2.

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"Tip #1 -Tell stories that relate the lesson to real life. I didn’t tell the same story to my 7th graders as I did my GED student with two kids. Relate the lesson to things your age group might experience.

Tip #2 -Give work in smaller amounts. Giving a packet of work is different than giving a worksheet every day. I packet of work my look like a very daunting task for a 4th grader to complete. Try giving one-sided worksheets, that can be completed in-class, one at a time.

Tip #3 -Sequence work and new information with the easiest answers first. If you start a worksheet or an assessment with the hardest question and answers, students will give up altogether and lose interest. They want to feel successful even if they get stuck on a few hard questions, they can see they have achieved the majority of work.

Tip #4 -Let students turn in uncompleted work. It’s better to know what they are getting, instead of nothing at all. You might have student that has 14/20 questions complete but did not turn it in because they didn’t complete all of it. Then it’s just sitting in their desk, backpack, or binder. A student will lose interest because they feel overwhelmed because they are behind and still have a worksheet they didn’t complete and turn in. Essentially, always grade what students have, completed or not."

B. (2021, September 2). How to Engage and Motivate Students in the Classroom. B like Bianca. Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://blikebianca.com/how-to-engage-and-motivate-students-in-the-classroom/

View the link to learn more tips and tricks to motivate unmotivated students!

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After reaching out to almost 1,000 teachers from various grade levels and content areas, the number one teacher challenge they have: How to get students engaged or motivated in the classroom?

I'm going into my 10 th year teaching middle school. Before that I usually taught at alternative schools, where "at-risk" at-hope students would attend. Often when I tell people this, it's like they get a sense of relief. Almost as if they are saying, "Better you than me!" I do get a lot of "God bless you! Or "That's a tough group." Some of these comments are even from teachers!

I never take anything to heart. Remember, I'm a middle school teacher...you can't be too serious or take anything too seriously. But if I were an outsider looking in, I would completely understand their comments. I know many are thinking, how do I manage these middle schoolers. Especially since the majority of my students tower over my small 5-foot frame. And even thought I wasn't the best middle school student back in my day, I just needed a little engagement.

When I was in 7 th grade, my math teacher was teaching us a lesson in which part of the lesson was showing us a how he practiced spinning his pencil around his thumb. Now, for this ELA teacher, math isn't my strongest subject. But I connected to that lesson and still can't forget how one of my good friends kept practicing spinning his pencil around his thumb until he was able to do master it.

My 7 th grade math teacher did what all teachers must do: keep students interested.

Motivate the Unmotivated

The truth is, I've been applying this same method for all my classes since I started substitute teaching back in 2006. It has worked for all grade levels, all content areas, and even with young adults when I taught GED classes. It's not about doing tricks, although I've known some teachers who do, and it works for them but it involves creating your own way to motivate and engage students that is comfortable for you too.

To give you some strategies, these are four tips I'm sharing so you can keep your students interested, engaged, and motivated to learn.

Student Engagement Strategies

Tip #1 -Tell stories that relate the lesson to real life. I didn't tell the same story to my 7th graders as I did my GED student with two kids. Relate the lesson to things your age group might experience.

Tip #2 -Give work in smaller amounts. Giving a packet of work is different than giving a worksheet every day. I packet of work my look like a very daunting task for a 4th grader to complete. Try giving one-sided worksheets, that can be completed in-class, one at a time.

Tip #3 -Sequence work and new information with the easiest answers first. If you start a worksheet or an assessment with the hardest question and answers, students will give up altogether and lose interest. They want to feel successful even if they get stuck on a few hard questions, they can see they have achieved the majority of work.

Tip #4 -Let students turn in uncompleted work. It's better to know what they are getting, instead of nothing at all. You might have student that has 14/20 questions complete but did not turn it in because they didn't complete all of it. Then it's just sitting in their desk, backpack, or binder. A student will lose interest because they feel overwhelmed because they are behind and still have a worksheet they didn't complete and turn in. Essentially, always grade what students have, completed or not.

If you can apply these tips to even just a few students it will truly to set the classroom dynamic and build your classroom culture.

If you are interested in learning more engagement, motivation, and inspiration tips, please check out:

Reach More, Teach More, an eBook that will seriously help you teach smarter, not harder. You will find your students are learning, doing, and engaging all the while motivated.

Here is what some teachers have to say about Reach More, Teach More!

"A lot of teaching tips, not just for students but for teachers as well, great value." -Darla H., Pennsylvania, 2nd grade teacher

"I loved the personal perspectives! It applied a greater knowledge from someone that didn't have the same school upbringing as I did, and how it shapes teaching styles." -Ashlee T., California, 5th grade teacher

Reach More, Teach More is perfect for teachers looking to engage, motivate, and teach instead of putting out classroom disruption fires all day long. You will find:

Actionable strategies, tips, ideas, and interventions to apply to everyday lesson plans to get over classroom management and engagement hurdles.

Designed for all content areas and grade levels

Proven, practical, and personal advice from a current teacher that has worked with various student backgrounds and grade levels.

Reach More, Teach More contains even more valuable information about keeping your students' interest levels high. You'll be seeing more students engaged and motivated to try more of what you are teaching in no time!

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How to Engage and Motivate Students in the Classroom

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After reaching out to almost 1,000 teachers from various grade levels and content areas, the number one teacher challenge they have: How to get students engaged or motivated in the classroom? I'm going into my 10 th year teaching middle school. Before that I usually taught at alternative schools, where "at-risk" at-hope students would attend.

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This article is helpful, because it utilizes twitter as a learning tool for middle grade students. It involves an open discussion within a closed digital environment (Twitter)  This will show you why social media and open forums for a classroom can continue to keep your students engage by utilizing technology. I leave you with this quote from the article to help gain a better understanding of the value of this teaching method, "The guided use of open forms of social
media in school offers new ways for students to access,
engage with, and make sense of the world around them,
both within and outside of their classroom walls."

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Social Emotional Support is so important to incorporate into your classroom as a teacher. I plan to create an affirmation station in a private area of my classroom. That way students can express themselves freely in an area where no one is judging them but themselves and it will help students be honest with themselves and how they feel and hopefully let others know how they feel too.