You know those times when you go into a situation with no real expectations and you come out the other side saying, "That was really fun!" Well, I had one of those experiences with Karen Whittaker and some of the Base Camp Challenge Center staff recently. Karen reached out and wanted to give back to the community of Fun Followers that we are. We set up a ZOOM call and I expected that Karen and I were going to simply talk out some of the activities they use during their programs. Well, "little did he know..." (movie reference)...I was surprised with a small group ready to play and 'show' me the activities. Needless to say, I learned a lot from these amazing educators! (Thank you my friends!!)
Life Skills Memory Match is one of the (processing) activities they shared - one I knew I could get out to you right away (and I know how much some of you like the print-n-plays!). The Base Camp Challenge Center (among other things) team builds with high school ages. During their programs they align activities with the Michigan Technical Education Essential Standards, what we can call life skills. Karen and the staff work from a specific list of traits and skills they can address based on the standards. Life Skills Memory Match is most often used as a processing activity at the end of a series of high school student programs to review many of the traits and skills the students learned and practiced while at the Base Camp Challenge Center.
Karen provided us with two sets of Memory Match activities (downloads below). Each set includes an answer key. She shared with me that a 4 by 5 grid is a good size to work with - more choices takes longer. And, there is certainly the option to mix the pairs from each set to make another 'set' - just be sure you have an answer sheet for your new set. Thinking through this resource, if I have the same group over different days (like the Base Camp groups), I would put a set of memory match cards together to review the traits and skills we practiced during different parts of the program (e.g. after the second program of four). Then, as a final processing activity I'd put a game together with the most relevant pairs to review in the mix. Lots of potential versions to create with this one.
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Basic Play for Life Skills Memory Match
Karen provide a set of the Memory Match directions (at right). The directions outline a competitive way to play with a review of the pairs after the 'match.' And, I like how it says, "You can allow a team to match 'wrong' as long as they can tell you why they think the cards match, then..." |
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Of course, you can also play cooperatively and work together to find the matches (...as long as they can tell you why...). When a positive match is found, take a moment to reflect on the learning behind the match. Then, continue to search for the next combination.)
Set Up
As Karen shared, a good size for play is a 4 by 5 grid of cards (10 pairs to find). NOTE: I set up the example images in Google Slides with 'covers' over the cards (and yes, we could play virtually). Please consider the covers to be the backs of a cards so we'll 'flip' the card over, uncovering it in Slides.
Play
Two players go to the grid, either from the same team, if competing, or from the group if playing cooperatively. Each player turns over a card...
As Karen shared, a good size for play is a 4 by 5 grid of cards (10 pairs to find). NOTE: I set up the example images in Google Slides with 'covers' over the cards (and yes, we could play virtually). Please consider the covers to be the backs of a cards so we'll 'flip' the card over, uncovering it in Slides.
Play
Two players go to the grid, either from the same team, if competing, or from the group if playing cooperatively. Each player turns over a card...
If the cards do not match (and the group cannot "tell you why" they match), the cards are flipped back over (words down - you might need to include this specific phrasing due to the creative nature of some groups - what is a flip?).
If the cards do match (correct answer or a good reason why), the 'team' pulls the pair out and play continues (same team plays again, or next team goes? Up to you....), or (as I - Chris - might play), we would take some time to talk about the significance of the pair then take the cards out of the grid, place them off to the side and continue playing. (I like the idea of taking the found pairs out of the grid so it doesn't become distracting as other pairs are found.)
Most of us have played a 'Matching' game of some sort, so I'm guessing you know how it plays out over the long run. Be sure to adapt the game to meet your specific needs. Does the grid need to be a 'square/rectangle' grid? No. Could I have some 'distracter' cards in the mix? Yes. Can my grid contain more cards? Yes. Can we jump up and down in celebration when we find a match? Yes!! Reviewing our learning is an important part of what we do as team builders. Make it the best for your situation.
Another BIG THANKS to Karen and her colleagues for taking the time to share with us. And, there is more on the way from these amazing educators.
Here are the downloads:
Another BIG THANKS to Karen and her colleagues for taking the time to share with us. And, there is more on the way from these amazing educators.
Here are the downloads:
| lifeskills_memorymatch_set1.pdf |
| lifeskillsmemorymatch_answersheet_set1.pdf |
| lifeskills_memorymatch_set2.pdf |
| lifeskills_memorymatch_answersheet_set2.pdf |
NOTE: If you have any questions about the content in the Sets, email: chris@onteambuilding.com
Be well my friend!
Chris Cavert, Ed.D.
Be well my friend!
Chris Cavert, Ed.D.
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