A row a four lightbulbs against a blue background, one of the lightbulbs is lit up. At the top of the image there is a white border with pink text that reads "Using Team Trivia in Secondary ELA"

Fun Classroom Games – Team Trivia for ELA

Looking for some fun, new classroom games? This post will show you how to play Team Trivia in ELA, & even give you a free week of questions! If you’re looking for classroom games to play as a group, team trivia should definitely be on your list! Trivia is such a low-stakes way to get kids thinking critically and working collaboratively. How do you do trivia in the classroom? After years of playing pub trivia with my friends, I’ve come up with a surefire way to get that same energy in the classroom. I want my classroom games to be fun and competitive, even as students build ELA skills. Here are some basic principles: 1. Students work best in groups of 3-4 This is the ideal number to make sure everyone can participate and have

Danielle Hall April 26, 2022

A photo of two teen girls talking. Above the photo is a white border with pink text reading "Drama Games for Secondary ELA"

Halloween Themed Drama Games for the ELA Classroom

These Halloween themed drama games will help students flex their creative muscles & boost their public speaking skills, all while having fun. I’ve blogged about Halloween themed ELA activites before, but this year I wanted to focus games. Drama games and improv are a great way to boost student confidence and increase collaboration in your classroom. These Halloween themed drama games will give you those same benefits, while adding some seasonal flair! Drama is a great way to build public speaking skills, memory, and community in the classroom. I have used drama with grades K-12 in France, Germany, the US, and Puerto Rico, and students beg for more. Literally. After finals one year, I was planning to show a movie, and students asked to reprise some improv games instead. How cool is that? So, where

Danielle Hall October 5, 2021

Using Escape Rooms in ELA

The clock is ticking down and you can’t find the blacklight clue that will lead you to the last key… your friends and family are tossing the drawers and papers again, desperately trying to find the six-digit code for a lock, and the seconds are disappearing fast. Finally, it all comes together, and you open the door with thirty seconds to spare! I’ve been obsessed with Escape Rooms ever since my family first tried one at Christmas, and I’ve been looking for ways to bring this experience to the ELA classroom ever since. Read on to find out how I make and use Escape Rooms in ELA, and how you can design your own. Game Speak An Escape Room or Breakout Box are two versions of a collaborative puzzle game. Players work through a series

Danielle Hall July 10, 2017

Using puzzles and games in high school ELA is a great way to develop a growth mindset, challenge both sides of the brain, and encourage collaboration and critical thinking. Discover three ways to challenge your students at teachnouvelle.com.

Using Puzzles in High School ELA

Using puzzles and games in the high school classroom is a great way to build collaboration, critical thinking, and a growth mindset. Puzzles can be particularly powerful in the ELA classroom because they allow students to approach words logically, mathematically, and visually, creating cross-brain connections. Okay, so it’s true: I love puzzles! I’m excellent at some types (jigsaw puzzles) and terrible at others (tanglement puzzles), but I love them all. And last week, I picked up a tanglement puzzle at Barnes & Noble. This is branded as Roman Arches by True Genius, but it’s traditionally known as the Double W Puzzle. I’ve worked on this thing for hours, y’all, and I only accidentally solved it once. And yet, I keep trying. And it just reinforced my belief that puzzles are amazing for developing grit and

Danielle Hall December 13, 2016

Our BLOG ARCHIVE

Fun Classroom Games – Team Trivia for ELA

Halloween Themed Drama Games for the ELA Classroom

Using Escape Rooms in ELA

Using Puzzles in High School ELA

SEARCH BY TOPIC