DIY Reading Comprehension Game

How do you make reading comprehension practice hands-on, let alone fun?  Here's an easy little game that your students might enjoy.  This activity is appropriate for either fiction or non-fiction on  many levels of reading, in almost any subject area, including literature, history, science and even foreign language/ESOL.  

Objective: the student generates questions from and finds information from a short passage of text.  

Materials:  

• printed copy of text for each student
• colored pencils
• write-on die (or paper cube)
• spinner or dice
• deck of cards
• pawns, buttons, or other small objects
• optional: small sand timer
  
  Preparation: for each group of 2-4 players

1. Print out one copy of the same reading passage for each player.
2. Write these words on each side of the blank die or paper cube: who, what, when, where, why, how.
3. Using 5-10 playing cards for each player, lay down playing cards in a circle or other shape to make a game path.  (So 2 players would have a game path of 10-20 cards, while 4 players would use a game path with 20-40 cards.  Time available, players' attention span, and length of reading passage should determine number of cards used.)

Pre-Play Student Activity:  Making the "Cheat Sheet" or (reference page).  This should be a guided activity at least for the first time it is played.

1. Students choose 6 different colors of pencils, and write a color code key on their paper: write each of the following words with a separate color.  who what when where why how
2. Students read the passage (aloud or silently) through one time, using the "who" color to underline every word or phrase that indicates a "who"-- people's names, occupations, animals, pronouns, etc.
3. Students re-read the passage, using the "what" color to underline every word that indicates an object.
4. Repeat reading/underlining for each of the question words.  Note: use your own judgment to decide how to underline some words; when marking "I took my dog to the pet store," "pet store" could be a what or a where, or both , and " my dog" could be a what ir a who.  You might decide to allow underlining twice, or choose one category for each word/phrase.  

Play:

1. Players lay their game pieces on any card in the path.
2. First player (FP) spins the spinner and moves his pawn in any direction along the indicated number of cards.
3. FP rolls the question word cube.  
4. Player to FP's left, or Second Player (SP), uses the question word indicated to ask first player a question from the text.(SP looks at his "cheat sheet" to find a word/phrase underlined by the appropriate color.  SP asks FP a question that can be answered by that word/phrase.)
   
   Ex: FP rolls "where."  SP looks at cheat sheet, scanning for words underlined in purple (or whatever color he has chosen for "where").  He reads Then she placed him in a manger.  He asks, "Where did Mary place her baby?"
5. If FP answers correctly, she collects the card.  If not, she must return her pawn to START.
6. SP spins, moves pawn, and rolls cube.
7. Player to SP's left asks the question.  Play continues as above.
8. When all cards are gone, players tally up points based on face value of cards.  (Ace =1, Jack/King/Queen=13).  Player with most points wins.

Variations:

1. Have each group create their own game board. They may use a game board template and write directions on the spaces, such as "Move ahead 2 spaces," "Lose a Turn," "Change places with any opponent," "Go back 2 spaces," or even "Do 3 jumping jacks."  Player who gets to the end first is the winner.

2. Whether a player may use the "cheat sheet" to answer the questions is at the discretion of the teacher.  As a general rule, the longer the passage, the more helpful it is to use the reference.  Also, younger students and those who struggle with reading comprehension will benefit most from using the reference.  Without access to the reference sheet, it becomes more of a test of memory.

3. Some groups may benefit from using a sand-glass timer to limit the players' answer time.  (This may encourage students who are prone to timed-test anxiety, when they discover they have plenty of time to skim the text using the color coding.)  For most students, however, it will not be necessary.