What to Do After You Finish Teaching the Curriculum

If you have finished the curriculum and there are still a couple days of school left - congrats! You made it through everything!

But now what?
It's time for a project!

I really love projects. You set them up and explain to the class what they're going to do, and then you just stare at them while they work and you... well, you don't work.

"Guess what you're gonna do for the next six days, kids! A project! You're gonna create a masterpiece in Spanish while I grade papers from my other classes! And yes, I will be walking around the room like I'm monitoring you the second an administrator walks into the room!"

The board game project is one of my favorites because it combines not having to teach with getting to play games. Kids do all the work and then we all play games.

Yes please.

The Gist

This project is designed to be a review, which is why it's perfect for when you've finished the curriculum at the end of the year and you're just waiting for summer to start (is it summer break yet? What about now?).

It can also be done at the very beginning of the year for upper-level classes as a review of past years.

I've done this project with middle and high school students. Both groups were amazingly successful.

Students will need 6-8 days (for 50-minute classes) to get this done and get to play each other's games.

Students have to design the format of the board game and decide on the rules. They have to create questions for the players and create all of the materials for the game, including the board game itself and the pieces.

Then once all the board games are complete, students will play the games of the other groups and evaluate them.

Or just play them because it's fun and it's the end of the school year and no one cares anymore. It's up to you.

The Materials

You're gonna need to make new best friends with the art teacher in advance. Tell her you looooooove that shade of lipstick. It really brings out the color of her eyes. Is that a new dress? Where did she get it? She looks great in it.

Hoard the following items:
- construction paper (the bigger the better)
- manila folders (card stock is expensive but manila folders aren't and they're just as thick and sturdy)
- card stock (if your school is fancy)
- scissors
- glue and paste
- tape
- colored pencils and markers
- sharpies (only if you think your students won't draw pornography on your desks)
- index cards

The Set Up

Explain the gist of it to students - create a board game in groups that reviews Spanish.

Brainstorm board game layouts with the class - monopoly, candy land, chutes and ladders, etc.

Brainstorm question formats as a class - fill in the blank, answer the question, matching, etc.

Brainstorm topics they could ask questions about - this could be any grammar or vocabulary or culture topic they have ever learned about in any Spanish class. It'll be a long list for upper-level classes.

This project is a group project because it's a TON of work, so the work needs to be divided up. Brainstorm the roles students need to take among their group - artist (draws the board game itself), people who create the questions and answer key, someone to write the questions on cards, someone to proofread, someone to write out the rules of the game, someone to make the playing pieces, etc.

Students need to divide up these responsibilities among their group members. Let them know they'll get to evaluate each other, so that they will be held responsible for completing their portion of the tasks.

Give your students access to all the materials and watch them get more creative than you knew would be possible. I promise they will impress you with this project.

Sit back, relax, take a sip of coffee, and grade last period's quizzes.

via GIPHY

Want to make this project even easier?

I mean, why would you not?

This board game project is available in my TpT store and includes all the bells and whistles:
- a rubric
- a peer group evaluation form
- a board game evaluation form for students to evaluate each other's board games

The rubric includes a checklist of everything students need to do to complete their project, an outline of group roles, and suggestions for students to consider as they develop their board game.

I can't make new best friends with the art teacher for you to ~~borrow~~ hoard all her supplies, but I've got you covered for everything else.