The Game Of Quotes is a fun and fast-paced activity that can be used to motivate students to pay close attention to the historical texts they are reading in your class. The key to the activity is asking students to find a quote that responds to a borrowed phrase or creative prompt. Students race through rounds to find the most appropriate, insightful, or entertaining response. The teacher asks students to share their responses out loud and the class votes on the best one. 

Adam and I will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Social Studies Show by playing a Holiday-themed, four-round edition of Game of Quotes on December 21, 2023. Join us on EduProtocols Plus at 9 pm EST/ 6 pm PST. As a Plus member, you can stream our growing library of shows on demand.

Game of Quotes can be easily adapted to help students master historical thinking skills, whether you use the College Board (AP) definitions, the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) definitions aka Digital Inquiry Group (DIG), or use the definitions from The American Historical Association (AHA). As with all EduProtocols, you are only limited by your own imagination. 

If your students are unfamiliar with the definitions, consider having them warm up with a paraFLY rep. When they re-write the historical thinking definition in their own words, they will reveal any glaring misconceptions. Consider preparing some examples in advance and be prepared to model them repeatedly to clarify understanding.

Depending on the level of academic writing you want your students to master, some may need to be reminded of the Introduce, Cite, and Explain format. Provide this in your whole-class feedback.