Eclectic Technology

Here is a print-and-play games from the Institute of Play that you may find helpful in your classroom.

Socratic Smackdown helps students practice "argumentation around any topic or text." You may use it to help students become self-directed learners. There is a great video that quickly walks you though the process and you may download a pdf that provides Game Basics, Game Play, Student Resources and Teacher Resources. This game is geared to students from Grades 6 - 12.

Below are some of the rules of the game (found in the pdf).

* Create teams of four to six players and provide a topic, text or issue that will be discusses as well as a question set

* Share that discussion skill strategies are part of the game

* Set chairs in fishbowl pattern when ready to start

* Choose one student from each team to play

* Have 2 or more students as scorekeepers who will use Socratic Smackdown Scorecards

* Coaching cards will be used by students not keeping score, or by all students after the end of the match (if all are also scoring)

* Students "play" for 6 minutes and Scorecards are collected

Playing Socratic Smackdown with students will help them develop discussion and debate skills, a component of Common Core Speaking and Listening,  and a rubric is also provided.