Zap It is my go to review game for any topic in any of my classes.
Have you ever spent your precious time preparing a review day, you’re excited to share what you created, see how your students react, and it falls utterly flat? It’s beyond frustrating.
I have tried numerous gamified review methods. Mainly because I greatly enjoy games but I also want my students to look forward to review day versus dread it. Zap It is my solution.
Student Opinions
“Zap It is a fun and challenging game. It helps you go over the material in a fun way.” –Jameson A.
“I think teachers should use Zap It because it is a timed game and it helps students think about answers quickly as if in a testing scenario.” –Kevin M.
“I like Zap It because it is competitive.” –Nyashia M.
“Competition keeps students engaged.” –Leonel M.
“I enjoy Zap It because it provides a fun way to review. It allows for a competitive student, such as myself, to be engaged in class and study so I can make sure to win Zap It! You’re allowed to check notes during questions which has personally helped me remember notes better.” –Wesley I.
Why Zap IT and not something else?
Kahoot
Kahoot is an internet-based platform that allows you to create/upload you own questions and answer or search from their library. Their library is solely created by other users/teachers/students. Keep in mind, it’s not always fact checked.
The students use their personal or school appointed devices to log into your specific quiz using a log in code you will project on the overhead.
Kahoot will run the game once everyone is logged in. Side note, make sure students log in with a normal name. Some students find this as an opportunity to get cheeky and input a sassy and inappropriate name. Kahoot will display a question, students will have a predetermined time to answer, and depending on the amount of time they take, different points are awarded. The winner is whoever has the most points at the end.
Here’s my hot take on Kahoot. The cons far out weigh the pros.
First, you have to prep the entire quiz before your class. You have two options in this regard. You can either create the entire review yourself or you can search and hope you find someone who teaches the same topic, with the same standards, with the same vocabulary and has checked the answer for accuracy. Both consume a lot of time.
Second, you classroom may be where your schools wifi goes to die. This game relies on the effectiveness of the internet. My classroom is notorious for poor service. In fact, my own phone doesn’t get my text messages until I walk down the hall for a bathroom break or lunch.
Third, students get discouraged. I cannot tell you how many students stop playing this game because they answered a question wrong and now have no chance of winning.
Jeopardy or other typical review games
If you’re unfamiliar with jeopardy as a concept, have you been living under a rock? I kid. Jeopardy is where an answer or statement is given and a question must be asked as a response.
I should say a typical review game where the teacher asks a question and students respond for points is what I misname jeopardy.
In theory, this is a nice way to review but it runs into the same problem as Kahoot. If students have no chance of winning, they determine the game a lost cause. Unfortunately, they’re right. There is always that one group of smarty pants students who usually win those style games. Zap It alleviates this pain point.
You’ve built this up quite a bit, what is Zap It?
Zap It is something that I found on Pinterest through this blog post here. I have adapted it for my classroom and my high school students. This is something that aligns with my personality, I talk about the importance of finding things that work best for you in this blog post.
The mechanics
Which ever team has the most points at the end, wins. Sometimes I sweeten the pot and throw in candy or extra credit with the bragging rights but honestly I rarely do this.
Students get into groups of 3 plus or minus 1. Depending on my class population I sometimes choose the groups and in my advanced classes they get to pick their partners.
Each individual has their notes, calculator (if needed), whiteboard and marker.
I ask a question to the whole class and everyone gets to work. They consult each other as a group to figure out which answer they will submit for the game.
At the end of time, I call for answers in a 3-2-1 countdown. Any group late to show answers, does not get assessed. Everyone with a correct answer gets to choose an envelope from the Zap It board.
There are twelve envelopes taped to my Zap It board. Each envelope has anywhere from five to twenty index cards with varying points or consequences on them.
Envelopes
This is my absolute favorite part of Zap It. Some index cards have points. Some have negative points. There are also switch points with another team, and some cards that are blank that I call “nothing”. The dread Zap cards can either zap another team, zap their own team, or zap everyone. When I say Zap, the affected team’s score returns to zero.
I am not ashamed to say I go full sports caster narrating the envelope index card reveals. It gives me joy and my students appreciate the silliness.
The materials
I used dollar store materials, a display board, wrapping paper in a fun print, envelopes and index cards. You absolutely do not need to create an actual board, you could always make a digital one through PowerPoint. You could also use numbered envelopes with index cards.
Questions and content
The great part about Zap It is that you could prepare a multi-use PowerPoint, you could verbally ask questions, or you could completely wing it. Personally, I opt for the PowerPoint because I post it later for absent students or sometimes I use it for individual whiteboard practice (on days I’m not feeling up to being a sports newscaster).
If you’re interested in trying out Zap It but want to save some time making content, use my free Unit 1 AP Chemistry Review PowerPoint or Unit 1 Review for Chemistry.
Why I love Zap It
It allows you to immediately assess the entire class for content remediation. If the entire class answered a question about X correctly, they’ve mastered that content and we can move onto Y. More than half of the class answers a question incorrectly? Quickly review how to approach/remember/solve that topic, then ask another question.
If you county utilizes the Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching rubric, and you remediate mid Zap It game, you’ll for sure accomplished(maybe even exemplary) in 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness.
Lastly, I love that any group of students could win. I’ve seen it happen on many occasions. At the last minute of class, the winning team pulls a “Zap another team” card or “Switch points with another team.” I’ve even seen a group pull a “ZAP” card at the last second of class so everyone ended with zero. It sounds bananas but I promise you, that’s all they were talking about for days.
Try IT!
If you try Zap It in your classroom, I would love to hear your thoughts, comments, or critiques. Share below or send me an email!
Happy Teaching,
Brooke