Reverse Pictionary

This is an easy game that can be played with students in grades 6-12.  It works to re-enforce vocabulary and can be played as review or as an introduction to a new unit.  Students absolutely love it.  

What you need:
A word list of about 15-20 words.  This works best with a word list of terms that can be drawn but require some thought to about how to draw.  Students should have this list in front of them at the start of the game. 
And whiteboards, you need whiteboards. 

How to play:
Divide your class into two teams.  Make sure everyone has the word list as well as a whiteboard and maker.  You call one representative from each team to the board.  They need to bring their word list with them.  Now on a whiteboard, write one of the words on the list and show it to the class but not the students standing at the board. Everyone now draws some representation of the word on their board.  After about a minute,  tell the class to hold up their boards and the two students at the front of the room look at all the pictures and try to guess the word.  The first student to correctly yell out the word gets a point for their team.  Now they sit down and two more representatives come to the front and you repeat the process.

The course of this game is about 30 minutes.  

Tips to make this Game Work:

• Often I allow students to write one word - but only one in addition to their drawing.  The word cannot be the meaning or synonym of the Latin word nor can it be the Latin word.
• Make sure students sitting in the front tip their boards up so they can't be seen by the students trying to guess. Otherwise, the students at the front often guess the word just from those boards they can see as they are drawn. 
• If you have a very concrete word list, for example, a list of animals or objects, you may want to add the following rule: You can't draw the object itself.  Or with animals - you can't write what the animal says, (bark, meow etc.) Otherwise,  the game is too simple and quickly becomes dull.  
• With young students, particularly if you have enacted the above rule,  you may need to do a practice round. I usually write canis on the board and then we brainstorm all the things we could draw to demonstrate canis - leash, bone, dog bowl etc.  I give them examples of words that might be helpful - Snoopy, Cerberus etc.
• In the case of using this for a review,  I offer double points to students who can guess the word without bringing their word list.  It's an exciting option for your confident students.

Roll Credits:
I learned about this game from Emily Lewis and Thomas J. Howell who led a workshop at C.A.N.E. (Classical Association of New England) and described this activity.  The two of them are marvelous Latin teachers and frequently lead workshops on Latin instruction.  If you are attending a convention and see their names listed as presenters, you should go - will definitely be worth it.