KAHOOT and Class Games

I remember my Old Testament teacher in high school used to have our class play a big review game before every test. He would simply divide us into two teams and one member from each team would walk down to a table where he placed a bean bag. He would ask a question and the first student to grab the bag and answer it correctly gained a point for their team. I still vividly remember getting into a little bit of a tussle with my friend Chris over the beanbag as we both simultaneously grabbed it as a question was asked “Who was king of Land of Shinar? “Nimmmmrod, I yelled as my friend Chris and I fought for the beanbag. It was fun, exciting, and something different.

As a teacher, I have always been very iffy about playing review games or having competitions in class. The few times that I have done it, I have felt that the students focus so much on winning the game and not on the content. I also have felt that too much time is spent on the logistics of the game and not actually on the learning objectives. For example, it felt like I was often the referee and not a teacher. I did not like this so I made the decision not to play review games during class.

I remember my math methods instructor told us that he did not agree with competitive games in class because he did not want any students leaving the classroom upset that they lost. I used his advice combined with a few experiences that I have had with class games in the past to avoid playing review games in class. Overall, I just did not want to play review games and avoided them.

I first learned about KAHOOT while working with another soccer referee instructor. We were preparing to teach a clinic that re-certifies referees and he showed me the program. I thought it was the coolest thing and knew that teenage students would love it. Teenagers love competition and using their cell phones so why not mix that in with the learning. Another great bonus to it from my eyes was that it was simple and very little time would have to be wasted going over the rules and game logistics.

I immediately began using it as a means of reviewing material at the end of lessons and also as a way of preparing them for new lessons by going over important terms and concepts. As I expected, the students loved it and student engagement was nearly 100%. I tried not to use it everyday as I did not want it to lose its luster, but I used it in class on a regular basis. Students routinely have asked me if we are playing KAHOOT in class as they enter the room.

Many teachers use quiz games and fun activities as a way of reviewing past material with students. Playing a game of KAHOOT the day before a test is an excellent way to get the students reviewing past material and thinking about what might be on the test. This is great, but utilizing these tools such as KAHOOT can be expanded beyond that.

Here are a couple of ways to use KAHOOT to enhance your lessons:

• Create a KAHOOT for a new lesson with new material. After each question is presented have a brief discussion extending on the question. For example, the KAHOOT question might be: “Which food listed is the most nutrient dense?”. Then after they answer, you could go over the definition of nutrient density. You could also have a note sheet prepared for the students and they could take notes as they play KAHOOT.
• Use KAHOOT prior to a lesson as a way to gauge their current knowledge. This data will give you a good idea of what they have already learned about and what they may know very little about. You may be surprised and can adjust your instruction based on the results.
• In health class, I often use KAHOOT for sensitive topics. It relaxes the students a bit and then you can extend on the question after. It also gives the students a chance to think before just being given information.
• Create a KAHOOT going over key vocabulary words that they will need to understand prior to a lesson. This works great for math teachers or science teachers that want to make sure the key vocabulary words are understood by all.
• Use KAHOOT as a closure activity that summarizes the lesson and recaps the important concepts that they have learned. This will give the teacher a good idea of their understanding of the lesson.

There are tons of other ways to get creative and have some fun. May the best player win!