8 Easy Ways to Use Flashcards�(without using a whiteboard)

MATT GRIVETTI

Guess the Next Card

• This one is just about as easy as it sounds. Cycle through the set of flashcards a few times(6-8 cards is best; add more for more challenge). Once students have seen the order a few times, ask them what’s next.
• No need to preview the game, just begin by showing them the cards~

2

Left or Right / Up or Down

• Hold two cards at a time, call left or right and ask students to say what they see on that card.
• Variations are to do opposites (I call left and you say what’s on the right) or, if you can, hold more than two cards at a time and ask for left, right or middle.

3

Duel

• Ask two students to stand back-to-back. Give each one a flashcard and have them hold it in front of them. Just like in a duel, count to three (or 5), on each count students will take a step forward (walking away from each other). On ‘3’ they will turn, showing the other student their card. The first student to say the other’s card is the winner.

4

Dance of the Ostriches

• Begin by asking two students to stand facing each other. Give each student a flashcard and have them hold it behind their backs being careful not to show the other their card. On ‘Go’ students will need to maneuver around the room and try to see the other’s card while trying not to show their own flashcard. Whoever calls out the other’s card first wins.
• Be sure to remind students to be careful!

5

Keyhole / Spotlight

• Cut a keyhole shape (or any shape you want) out of a piece of thick paper or cardstock
• Move the ‘keyhole’ over the flashcard and have students guess the picture or word
• Alternatively, play it as a PPT game using the template on the next slide (Change the background to white to edit the word boxes, change it back to black to play with students. This one only works with text- use a series of words or the same word either written one time or repeated)

6

Thanks to Megan Gilmore for sharing Keyhole and Sandy Tsai for sharing Spotlight

use

great

flashcards

for

of

we

flashcards

fun games!

lots

are

can

Spotlight

8

Slow Reveal

• Very simple- instead of flipping through the cards and asking students to repeat each word, slowly reveal each card beginning with the corner. This little bit of guess work and suspense will keep students more engaged in the activity.

9

Around the Room

• This is a fast-moving, one-on-one flashcard game in which students will race to call out the word. Have each student ‘play’ the student next to them. Both students will stand up, be shown a card and asked to call out the word or picture on the card first. The winner will move on and play the next student. If a student can go all the way ‘around the room’ (playing and besting each classmate), they will be the ultimate champion!

10

Quiet / Loud

• Before playing, make sure to tell students that ‘loud’ doesn’t mean shouting at the top of one’s lungs!
• In this activity, students simply need to say what they see on the flashcard. Hold the card high and they should say the word in a loud voice, hold it low and they should say it in a quiet voice.

11