Concentration


 * Explanation**

This strategy uses cards that have terminology, images or descriptions of the concepts being taught in class. Students place cards face-down on a table. Students take turns choosing two cards that are face- down, flipping them over to see if they have correctly matched the name/terminology with the picture/description of the concept. Students keeps the cards if they are correct and if they are not they turn them back over and continue on. Students continue on with the game until all pairs are matched.

**Examples**
Although this is a simple game many students are familiar with I find it to be a great way to quickly assess my students and give them feedback. An example of use during pre-assessment is in my CTE Intro class when we are talking about careers in the health care field. I have them name a job on one card with the description of that job on another card. In this activity I make sure my groups are very small, usually 2-3 students so that students are actively participating in the activity. Also, so I can assess all of my students instead of just the ones who will take over and complete the game. As students are matching pairs I walk around checking for correctness. As students finish I know which jobs students might not know and are able to spend more time on them.

I also use this in my sewing classes after teaching my students about machine parts (name, identifying on the machine & description). I then hand out cards in which they have to correctly match the pairs and then once those are done correctly I add in a third element for them to match as well. Again, I walk around my classroom and can see which ones my students struggle with. I can give them immediate feedback as to which ones they have incorrectly matched and help them to identify the correct ones or give them further information to do so on their own. I continue on until all students have correctly matched their cards together.

Megan Wakefield