The Action Jeopardy!

By Author: Jordon
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Although time-intensive to create, an Action Jeopardy! game (based on the TV show Jeopardy! by Sony Pictures) for a set of target words can really engage students in active processing of many words at once. The Action Jeopardy! Game board, which is posted for all to see, has a series of answers for which the contestants have to provide questions. In Language Workshop, the categories at the top of the game board were definition, synonym, antonym, sentence, and context, as well as one category from the two discovery texts on the solar system and great inventions used in the intervention. Each category had answers worth from 1 to 6 tickets (tickets could be used in the Language Workshop "store" for school supplies and games), with the answers getting increasingly harder with increasing ticket values. There was also a second "double-jeopardy" round, which, similar to the TV show, included more challenging answers that were worth double the ticket values. Together, both rounds Merrell Shoes of the game led to a total of 60 answers on 60 different words. Because so many different words were ...
... included in the game, and because students' English proficiency levels varied widely, each student had a word list and a dictionary to use as resources.
Students were divided into three groups of six or seven students, and each team took turns choosing answers. If the team who chose the answer could not provide an accurate question (e.g., "What is benefit?") in one minute, the other two teams would each have a chance to write down responses. To include students with limited English proficiency, all students were occasionally selected to be the team speaker, which involved selecting the next answer and providing responses on behalf of the team.

The "Action" part of Action Jeopardy! was our effort to keep all students engaged, moving around, and having fun. Occasionally, students would select an answer only to find a physical challenge instead of an academic word. All teams participated in each physical challenge, which included activities like doing 10 push-ups or holding a yoga pose for one minute. Students who did not wish to Merrell participate could opt out, and other students could complete the challenge for them. Language Workshop was 20 sessions long, and sessions 10 and 20 were Action Jeopardy! Tournaments. These tournaments provided students with multiple exposures to words in multiple contexts, opportunities to process word meanings, and opportunities for collaboration with peers.