Hey teachers!
I’ve got to tell you about this fun game kids love – Literary Elements Bingo!
Have you ever imagined how you can combine the classic game of Bingo with a touch of literature? Well, upper elementary students are loving it! This exciting new method aims to make reading comprehension more engaging and interactive. After all, who doesn’t want to see their students experience more lightbulb moments and fewer yawns in the classroom?
Let’s ditch the old way of reviewing literary elements by just reading from a textbook. Instead, let’s make stories jump off the page with Literary Elements Bingo, where students can discover literary devices in a fun and engaging way. Literary Elements Bingo will keep students on their toes as they learn to recognize the beauty of how stories are told.
Setting Up the Bingo Cards
Creating Bingo cards based on literary elements is an enjoyable and easy task. You can create small puzzles for the students in different ways.
Focus on plot twists by including elements such as climax and conflict to encourage students to think about the story’s structure.
There are different ways to analyze a story. One way is to focus on the characters, their traits, and their development. This helps you understand the depth of the story.
Another way is to include figurative language like metaphors and similes. They can help students understand how language can be used vividly.
Another excellent option is to consider thematic elements, as it encourages students to think about the overarching messages and ideas presented in the story.
Finally, you can create a Bingo card that includes all the literary elements, allowing students to review what they know about various literary elements.
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- 20 Random Bingo Cards (2 sizes)
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- 5 Ways to Play
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What you need to play:
I’ve stumbled upon some handy tools online that are perfect for Bingo in the classroom. Young students will find these Ready-Made Blank Bingo cards incredibly easy to use. They can also save a lot of time. Consider using a Dry Erase Bingo Board to engage the entire class in Bingo instead of having them play it independently. As a class, discuss the elements present in the text as you read together.
When marking cards, I love to use Washable Bingo Daubers for kids but I’ve also heard great things about Shuttle Art Daubers, which come in 15 colors. The make less mess, which we all know is a big plus in any classroom!
If you feel hesitant about allowing some of your students to use daubers, consider using Bingo Chips as an alternative for marking Bingo cards. I have not personally used bingo chips, I can envision them being a great substitute.
These items have streamlined Bingo sessions, adding more fun and convenience to the gameplay.
How the Game works
Bingo is a game that you can adapt in many ways. One way to make it more fun and educational is to play it while reading a book. When you encounter a literary element that matches one of the items on your Bingo card, you can pause. This will help you engage and encourage critical thinking about the text. You can keep the Bingo cards until the end of the novel, and you can also use the game as a review activity after finishing a book or before taking English Language Arts (ELA) quizzes or tests.
After playing Bingo, it’s always a good idea to have a class discussion. This way, you can share what you found and learned while playing the game. The ultimate goal is not just to play a game but to deepen your understanding of literature.
In the classroom, Literary Elements Bingo has a remarkable impact on student engagement, as they actively search for literary elements throughout the text or get excited when they know how to create, decipher, or recognize the element in review.
This game promotes critical thinking in a playful and approachable manner, and there’s a noticeable boost in collaboration among the students. They naturally start helping each other and engaging in discussions about their findings, fostering a sense of teamwork and shared learning.
Overall, Literary Elements Bingo is a real hit in any classroom as it enables students to engage actively, think critically, and collaborate effectively, making learning a fun and enjoyable experience.
Are you ready to try it out? Shaking up your reading routine and making learning more dynamic is possible by trying this. You can have a fun classroom party game by playing regular Bingo using a Bingo Set if you are not interested in trying it out. The choice is yours.
Happy Teaching and Bingo-ing!