Revision strategies

Revision Cranium
You will need: sets of cards, paper and felt tips, play dough
Applicable to: all subjects
Students work in groups of about 4 or 5. You choose the revision content and apply the idea to it.
(Included is an example on Symbolism in !eath of a Salesman".# You will need to make sets of
cards with the appropriate words for revision on them. $his could be done by students% as part of
the revision game.
&layers take it in turns to take a card. $hey have to draw it% mime it or make it out of the dough
and the others have to guess what it is. $he first to guess gets a point. $hen all players add
information to the idea on the card% e.g. they might explain how the symbol relates to the play.
'ach piece of relevant information gets another point. $he winner in the group is the person with
the most points. (ave some pri)es ready*
ind map memory game
You will need: a mind map of the revision material of your choice!
Applicable to: all subjects
$he teacher has a large copy (+,# of a mind map which has been pre prepared or used before.
(See example on Symbolism in !eath of a Salesman# Students work in group of 4 or 5. -ne
person from each group comes to the front and the teacher shows them the mind map for ./
seconds. $he student then returns to the group and draws what he or she has remembered. $hen
another player from each group takes a turn until one group thinks they have completed it. It is
useful to have some copies of the mind map at the end to give to students to take away with them
individually.
Conte"t, Character, #uotation
You will need: several sets of terms related to conte"t and pieces of paper, each with
one characters name on it
Applicable to: $nglish %iterature
Students work in small groups. 'ach group is given a different character and a different set of
terms related to context. $hey have to link the character to as many of the context terms as
possible. 0or example they could be given 1authoritarianism1 and asked to apply it to the
character. $hey have to find a 2uotation from the text to support it. $hen they would have to
present their findings to the rest of the class (the other groups#.
&ord searches and Crosswords
You will need: word searches and crosswords
Applicable to: all subjects
+lthough this sounds simplistic% students love them* + good way to revise key words% students
can either be asked to complete them% or even to generate their own. &ri)es essential*
'utburst
You will need: topic cards with () *ey words on each card!
Applicable to: all subjects
Students work either in groups or individually. $hey (as a class or each group# are given a
topic e.g. $heories of motivation. $hey have to shout out the key words associated with that
topic. $hey have to get the top ./ that are written on your (or the lead member of a group1s#
card. $he students are in teams and whoever gets the most key words wins.
+aboo
You will need: cards with the *ey word and the , related, forbidden words on them and
a timer!
Applicable to: all subjects
Students work in groups. -ne person from each group comes to the front and tries to explain
as many key words as possible% without using the forbidden terms% and the team must guess
the word. 'ach group takes it in turn to guess as many words as possible in the time allowed.
'xample
Wimbledon
3ondon
$ennis
Summer
Strawberries
4uly
&hos in the bag-
You will need: one bag .plastic / canvas0, cards with relevant words on and a timer
Applicable to: all subjects
Students work in two teams. In turn a team member pulls out a card and describes who5what is in on
the card and keeps going against the timer% collecting a point for each one they get right. 'ach team
takes in turn until all cards are gone or all players have had a go.
&ho / what am 1-
You will need: stic*y labels each with one term / name on each!
Applicable to: all subjects
'ach student sticks one label to their forehead without looking at what"s on it. 'ach student has a
maximum number of 2uestions they can ask% to find out what is written on their label. $he
2uestions can only be answered yes or no.
2peed dating
You will need: tables, each with two chairs, set up around the room! usic / bell /
whistle!!!etc
Applicable to: all subjects
(alf the class sit at tables. 'ach of them is representing a character 5 event 5 fact...etc. $he other
half of the class move around the room% spending a minute at each table (the bell is used to
signal when everyone must move on.# $hese students have . minute to find out as much as
possible from each of the students sat at the tables. $his activity can be varied by the teacher
giving a new focus for each new minute% such as $his time% you must use the perfect tense..."
(603# or $his time you must find out about the character in +ct one of the play..." ('nglish# or
$his time you must find out one application for this information..." (Science.#
+imed 3ui44es .good lesson starter / plenary0
You will need: 5ower5oint presentations pre6prepared
Applicable to: all subjects
7se a 2uick 2ui) of about ./ 2uestions which the students can answer verbally% write down in rough%
take in turns to answer or other variations. $he key is to have a bank of 2ui))es% each of which takes
no more than 5 minutes.
7u*ebo" 7ury
You will need: a picture of a ju*ebo" .to be displayed on ppt!!!etc0
Applicable to: all subjects
'ach student should be given a number and have one minute to prepare a talk on a chosen
revision topic. !isplay the 8ukebox to the class. Students pick% at random% a number from the 8uke
box. $he relevant student then has to give a one minute talk on the revision topic. -ther students
can make notes. $he rest of the group listen and complete a checklist% with such 2uestions as
9hich +-s did this person cover:" 9hat information% if any% has been left out:" (ow clearly did
they present it:" and the end of the talk each student votes (I$ or 6ISS. $he winner is the person
with the most hits.
#uestion generation
You will need: an open tas* or a simple resource such as a diagram, a bell
Applicable to: all subjects
Students work in groups to generate 2uestions about the information provided. Students could be
provided with 2uestion stems% or alternatively base the 2uestions on ;9s (9ho% 9here% 9hat% 9hen%
9hy% (ow#. $he teacher rings the bell% every minute% and each time the bell is rung% all students must
come and post at least one 2uestion in the box.
$he 2uestions can then be used for the lesson plenary or as a speed<dating activity in the future.
2ummarise information as a song/poem/rap
You will need: some information to summarise, on a topic where there is a large amount of
information to learn
Applicable to: all subjects
Students choose a suitable known song and summarise the information provided in this form. $hese
can be performed and the best ones retained and given out for the class to remember.
8se a 9&% grid
You will need: a copy of the relevant area of the specification, a 9&% grid
Applicable to: all subjects
Students go through the specification and traffic light the statements based on their confidence. $hey
then use this to fill in the grid based on what they already know% and what they realise they don"t yet
know or understand. $he third column is a list of suggestions of how they will learn the middle
column.
9hat I 9now 5 7nderstand 9hat I &ant to know (ow I will %earn this
$his helps them to think in detail about what they find difficult and identify how they will work on this
and plan short<term activities accordingly.
+he Reduced!!!!Company
You will need: the original te"t and possibly some props / related objects
Applicable to: All subjects
$he task is to reduce a piece of text5theory5historical event5poem into a short (three minute#
performance. 0or example% once students have finished reading a play% they are asked to then look
over the main plot and characters and reduce the entire play into three minutes. In a sub8ect like
&sychology% this can be used for explaining studies or experiments.
$ssays and pictures
You will need: prepared pictures
Applicable to: all subjects
&roviding students with an essay which is represented simply in pictures. =ey points of the essay are
shown as pictures. !ifferent coloured arrows could be used to show which assessment ob8ectives
each picture would hit% when explained. Students then have to turn the pictures into a written essay.
$his could also be used by getting students to produce their own pictorial essay on a different topic.
&hos my character-
You will need: names of characters on cards, variety of props, location ideas!!!etc
Applicable to: +heatre 2tudies
Students are issued with a name of a character which is not revealed to anybody else. $hey then
have to identify key vocal and physical 2ualities of the character and choose from a selection of
props and costumes% items which will help them realise their character practically. Students meet in
pairs and have to improvise a conversation as their characters. >iven situations% for example a
chemist shop% could be used. ?emainder of class has to guess who the character is.
$ssay pic*
You will need: students essays, already mar*ed
Applicable to: All subjects!
-nce students have completed an essay they have to go through it and select a key word in every
sentence which is then written onto a separate piece of paper. -nce the student has gone through
their entire essay% they look at the key words they have written and use the words to tell the story" of
the essay to another student.
1 went!!!
You will need: a list of revision topics
Applicable to: All subjects
@ased on the game AI went to the shop and I bought...B $his can be used to revise content 5 theories 5
2uotations5 historical events by each student in turn saying AI went to the shop and bought...B and
each student adding another relevant item to the list. 'very time% students start from the beginning of
the list and repeat the answers already said.