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Classroom Games for High School

Mostly tools that take your own questions, since content at this level is specific to the course, plus a few no-prep games older students will still play.

26 games

20 Questions

Yes-or-no questions that practice narrowing down by category.

Think of a person, place, animal or term from the unit. The class has twenty yes-or-no questions to work out what it is. Writing the questions on the board helps students build on each other's answers instead of guessing at random.

2–12 · Free · No materials

Also in: No-prep games, Science and social studies games, Elementary, Middle school

Breakout EDU

Escape-room style games where teams use what they know to solve puzzles and break out.

K–12 · From $99/year; 14-day free trial

Also in: Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Categories

A quick word game that works in any subject.

Give a category such as animals, verbs or elements, and a letter. Teams have one minute to write as many matching words as they can. Words that no other team wrote score double.

3–12 · Free · No materials

Also in: No-prep games, Reading and language games, ESL games, Elementary, Middle school

ClassTools

A long-running collection of free game and tool generators made for classroom teachers.

Free; optional premium · One screen

Also in: Review games, Middle school

Code.org

Free computer science courses for K–12 with game-like coding puzzles.

K–12 · Free · Student devices

Also in: Science and social studies games, Elementary, Middle school

Coolmath Games

Logic, strategy and thinking games more than curriculum drill. Good as a reward or brain break.

Free · Student devices

Also in: Math games, Elementary, Middle school

Educaplay

Game generator covering crosswords, jigsaws, dialogues and more, with a live mode where you host and students play on their devices.

Any grade · Free plan; paid from €4/month · Student devices

Also in: Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Empire

A memory and deduction game for a spare fifteen minutes.

Everyone secretly writes a famous name, or a term from the unit, on a slip. Read all the slips aloud twice, then put them away. Students take turns guessing who wrote which. A correct guess brings that person into your empire and you guess again. The last empire standing wins.

5–12 · Free · No materials

Also in: No-prep games, Middle school

Factile

Jeopardy-style board maker with timers and an optional buzzer mode where teams buzz in from their phones.

Any grade · Free plan; paid from $4/month · One screen

Also in: Review games, Middle school

Flippity

A set of quick game templates, including a Family Feud-style survey game for up to six teams and printable tile puzzles.

Any grade · One screen

Also in: Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Freerice

A trivia game owned by the UN World Food Programme, built around its work to end hunger. Vocabulary is the best-known category.

Student devices

Also in: Reading and language games, Science and social studies games, Elementary, Middle school

Gimkit

A game show where correct answers earn in-game cash that students spend on upgrades, so strategy matters as well as knowledge.

Any grade · Free to start · Student devices

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Review games, Middle school

Hooda Math

Over 1,000 math games run by a math teacher. It also hosts general arcade games, so point students at a specific game.

K–12 · Free, no subscription · Student devices

Also in: Math games, Elementary, Middle school

Hot Seat

Vocabulary review where the class does the explaining.

One student sits facing the class with their back to the board. Write a word or term on the board. The class gives clues without saying the word until the student in the hot seat guesses it. Play in two teams and time each turn to keep it moving.

3–12 · Free · No materials

Also in: No-prep games, Reading and language games, ESL games, Elementary, Middle school

iCivics

Civics games that can be played individually or as a whole class with the game projected.

Free · One screen or student devices

Also in: Science and social studies games, Middle school

JeopardyLabs

Build a Jeopardy board in the browser without PowerPoint, or pick from templates other people have made.

Any grade · Free · One screen

Also in: Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Kahoot!

The live quiz most others are compared with. Questions show on the main screen and students race to answer on their own devices.

Any grade · Free plan; paid from $9/month · Student devices

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Plickers

The one to use when students have no devices. Each student holds up a printed card and you scan the room with your phone.

Any grade · Free · Printed cards and one phone

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Elementary, Middle school

Quizalize

Quiz games tied to curriculum standards, with results that show which skills each student still needs.

Any grade · Free Basic plan · Student devices

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Middle school

Quizlet Live

Turns any Quizlet study set into a team race where groups have to talk to each other to find the right answer.

Any grade · Free to set up · Student devices

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Review games, Reading and language games, Middle school

Seterra

Map quizzes for every continent, with printable versions. Now part of GeoGuessr.

Free to play · Student devices

Also in: Science and social studies games, Elementary, Middle school

Socrative

Built for quick checks for understanding more than for play, with instant results as students submit.

K–12 and higher ed · Free plan; paid from $10/month · Student devices

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Middle school

Trashketball

Review questions with a shot at the bin as the reward.

Split the class into teams and ask review questions. A correct answer earns a point and a throw of a paper ball at the bin from a marked line for a bonus point. Teams answering on mini whiteboards keeps everyone working on every question.

3–12 · Free · No materials

Also in: No-prep games, Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Two Truths and a Lie

A get-to-know-you game that also works as a fact check on a topic.

Each student writes three statements, two true and one false. The class votes on which is the lie. For content review, students write the statements about the unit instead of about themselves.

5–12 · Free · No materials

Also in: No-prep games, Middle school

Vocabulary Jam

A live team vocabulary contest from Vocabulary.com.

Student devices

Also in: Reading and language games, Middle school

Wayground (formerly Quizizz)

Quizizz under its new name. Students work through a quiz at their own pace instead of waiting for the slowest answer.

Any grade · Free sign-up for teachers · Student devices

Also in: Games like Kahoot, Review games, Elementary, Middle school

Other categories

Games like Kahoot · Review games · Online games · No-prep games · Math games · Reading and language games · ESL games · Science and social studies games · Kindergarten · Elementary · Middle school