Concentration
Reading Game
Math Game

The purpose of EnTeam academic games is to create more peaceful and productive learning environments. The EnTeam scoreboard can be used to measure both individual and team performances in math, reading and other subjects.

Key Benefits:
• Kids learn more when they are having fun – EnTeam games are fun.
• Students’ behavior improves when their need for social interaction is being met.
• EnTeam games give the students a positive way to channel their socialization.
• Teachers can see and measure students’ progress with the EnTeam scoring process.

Learning Objective: Memorize factual material that can be printed on index cards in pairs such as:
• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Symbols and definitions for elements on the periodic table in chemistry
• Vocabulary definitions

This illustration of the game uses the chemistry example. You may download a PDF of the chemistry cards here. These work best printed on heavy card stock, so that students cannot see through the cards. However, if that is not available, you may print this design on the back to make the cards illegible from the back.

Game objective: Players work together to match each element with its symbol in as few tries as possible.

Sequence
1. Form teams of three or four people per team. Give each team a deck of printed cards in pairs. Let them look through the cards. Ask them to memorize the names and symbols of the elements. Ask them to shuffle the deck. Arrange the cards face down on the table without looking at the face of the cards.
2. When a player has a turn, he or she may turn over only 2 cards. If the cards match, the team earns a point. If the cards do not match, the player announces the name of the element on each card.
3. Move the matched cards off the table.
4. Then, the next player has a turn.
5. If necessary, s/he may look on the periodic table to find the names.
6. Then s/he turns the cards face down in their original places.
7. Then, the next player has a turn.
8. After everyone has a turn, make a tally.
The goal is to match all the elements with their symbols in the least number of turns.

Scoring methods (select the scoring method that supports the overarching objective)
• How many matches can two people find together in X tries (X could vary depending on the available time. For example, ten tries might be sufficient to determine a meaningful score.)
• How many matches can three or four people find together in Y tries (Y would be more than X because everyone needs to have enough tries to learn the pattern)

Structure a match either way:
• Use the round-robin score sheet and play three times
• Use group-best scoring and play twice.
Round-robin takes longer because you have to explain the score sheet and play thrice.

Overview
Students are grouped into teams with either three or four students per team. Students work in pairs or individually to create a list of ideas they glean from reading an article. Before reading the article, they are encouraged to write what they already know about the topic. Scoring is based on the number of ideas they write down.

Objectives 
• Strengthen reading comprehension skills.
• Improve time management.
• Build communication, cooperation, and teamwork.
• Connect the learning process and the impulse to socialize. Prepare for the games
 
Pick three reading selections. They should be about the same length and similar in reading level. Group the students into teams of 3 or 4 students per team. Arrange the room so students can sit together in pairs.

Sequence of the games:

Game one:
1. Give students time to write a Guess Page—a list of the ideas that they know about the topic and might be in the article. You may either allow them to skim the article and write the ideas they guess will be in it or give them the title and ask them to write what they already know about the topic. Two students work together listing ideas on a Guess Page.
2. They must hand in their Guess Page before the reading time starts. Collect the Guess Pages and hold them aside (to reduce temptation to add things while reading).
3. Give a fixed length of time to read the article and list the ideas they find in the article. An “idea” may be any information from the article such as:
• The main point of the article.
• A definition of a term described in the article.
• News about a person given in the article.
• Any fact or information given in the article.
• An interpretation or inference derived from the article.
4. Let students score a neighboring team’s sheets. Rotate papers clockwise around the room. Distribute Guess Pages. Give teams time to read and score the pages. Score one point for each correct statement. Score a second point for each correct statement that is on both pages. Optional: Have one team write ideas on the board. Return graded pages to their owners.
5. Let students record their own scores on their own score sheets. Post team scores on the board. Add team scores into one class score.
6. Process the experience. What worked well? How could you find the main ideas faster?

Game two:
1. Rotate team members as shown on EnTeam score sheets. Play as in game one.
2. Process the experience:
• Compared to the first game, what improved?
• How could you work together to find ideas faster?

Game three:
1. Rotate team members as shown on EnTeam score sheets. Play as in game one.
2. Summarize the experience. Compute grand totals for each team. Add team scores for the class score.
3. Ask processing questions such as:
• What worked well?
• Did scores improve between games 1 and 2? Why?
• Between 2 and 3? Why?
• What can you do to
• If we played this game again, how could you get a better score?

One EnTeam math framegame is “Too Many Problems to Solve.” Players work in pairs to develop strategies they can use to solve as many problems as possible within a fixed time period. Before the clock starts, the players have time to develop a strategy to maximize their score together. Strong students can improve their score by helping others to prepare to solve problems quickly.

After each round, students change partners and then play again. At the end of an EnTeam match, each student has an individual score and the group has a collective score. The individual scores show the level of cooperative performance by each student. The group scores show the performance of the group.

The problems may be arithmetic, algebra, geometry, etc.