December 2025 Protocols: Six Review Protocols for the Year-End Scramble

​Greetings educators, this month I've decided to present a few tried and true review strategies from the "Itty Bitty Book of Classroom Protocols."  My personal favorite is #6, Criss-Cross Cross-Out as it doesn't take long and can break the doldrums of paper reviews.  It's especially effective when there is a bunch of people, places, and things to recall. I hope the end of the calendar year is productive and positive.  Comment below and let us know how it goes. 

1. VOCABULARY BEAST (Discussion, Collaboration, Writing)

Description: Incorporating grammar skills with content is at the heart of this protocol.
 
Application: Use as a review of previously learned material.
 
Process:  Give students vocabulary terms to tackle throughout a lesson or unit.  (Work can be done in or out of class as directed by the teacher.)  During review time, tell students to bring vocabulary to class.  Assign students into groups of two or three (preferably two).
Instruct students that the goal of the activity is to create complex sentences, relating concepts using the vocabulary.  Review the rules of the Beast: 1) There will be time limits or work until one group has used all of the terms; 2) Each sentence must be factually correct as well as grammatically correct (no run-on sentences); and 3) The vocabulary term used must be underlined.  Award points for each vocabulary term used correctly in a meaningful way.   In order to encourage students to write complex sentences that relate different concepts together, award points based on the sequential number in the sentence. (The first term will receive one point, the second term two, and the third term three points and so on.  Remind students that each term can only be used once for points although it may be used again for no points.) Call time when students finish the sentence writing activity and direct them to “trade and grade.”  Tell students that if a vocabulary sentence is called into question, the grading group needs to poll the entire class on whether or not the sentence should be accepted for points. If a sentence is deemed unacceptable, award no points. 
 
2. DESCRIBE IT! (Discussion, Collaboration)
 
Description: This team activity gets students actively involved by incorporating knowledge of material and communication skills.
 
Application: Use as a review of previously learned material.
 
Process: Have students separate into two teams. Ask each team to come up with a list of vocabulary words that relates to a specific unit or lesson, giving students about five minutes to come up with the list. After both teams have made the list, decide which team will go first. Have two students from one team come up to the front of the classroom, one student sitting in a chair with his or her back to the board and the second student standing in front of the first student. Using the other team’s list of vocabulary words, pick one word to write on the board. Remind all students that the standing student has one minute to describe the word on the board to the sitting student and that the student may not use any form of the word as a description. (If the describer accidentally uses the word, the team’s turn is over.) Award one point to the sitting student if he is able to guess the word correctly in the allotted amount of time. Continue this activity until each team has tried to guess all of the vocabulary words on the lists or until the set-aside time for the activity is reached.
 
3. BASEBALL (Collaboration, Questioning)
 
Description: This activity/game resembles baseball except the “ball” is replaced by “questions” and there is no bat.
 
Application: Use this protocol as a review activity for tests.
 
Process: Prepare questions ahead of the game. Create the “baseball diamond” and “bases:” first base should be one wall; second another; third another; and home plate should be the whiteboard. Divide the class into two groups and remind students that they will be physically moving from one base to the other. Assign team captains and emphasize that there is a no-talking rule when students are “at bat.” Direct a question to player number one on Team A. Remind all that this student cannot receive assistance from other team members. (If the student answers correctly, tell him to go to first base.  If the student fails to answer, direct the question to the opposing team captain. If the captain answers correctly, the student at bat is “out.” If the captain does not answer correctly, pose another question to the next student; correct answer advances all players.  Repeat until there are three strikes at which time switch “at bat” teams. Remember, correct answers by four students equal one run!) 

4. SYNOPSIS ON THE HALF SHEET (Feedback, Reading, Discussion, Writing)
 
Description: Synopsis on the Half Sheet is a clever way for teachers to make sure students have completed an assigned outside reading.
 
Application: Use this as a method of review and student accountability.
 
Process: In preparation of homework, have students take out a sheet of paper and fold it horizontally. Assign a reading for homework and tell them to make notes on the top half of the sheet.  When class meets, ask students to take out the reading and the homework notes and form groups of three or four. Give students additional instructions to use the bottom half of the paper to create a group synopsis. Remind them that a synopsis is a brief summary or general survey of the reading. Allow enough time for talking and writing, up to ten minutes. At stop time, ask groups to share, emphasizing or introducing the most salient points.
 
5. MOSTLY JUST TRIADS (Writing, Feedback, Discussion, Questioning)
 
Description: Students write closed and open-ended questions to gain points by answering each other’s questions. Points can be used to award students a bonus on tests/quizzes.

​Application: Use as a review.
 
Process: During the first part of this three-part activity, have students carefully review their notes. During the second part, direct each student to write a few closed questions on a card, followed by repeatedly forming triads and answering each other’s questions. During the third part, have each student write an open-ended question and form triads again.  Throughout the entire process, encourage students to record the number of questions they answered so that students with the highest number of points can be awarded a bonus on the test for successfully reviewing.
 
6. CRISS-CROSS-CROSS-OUT (Collaboration, Discussion)
 
Description: This protocol is game-like; it is fast, furious, and fun!
 
Application: Use this as a review activity.
 
Process: Before using this protocol, rehearse with a general subject. Divide the class into two groups (yes, each group will be big). Groups must be physically apart.  Tell students in each group to select a “paper writer” and a “board writer.” Hand “paper writers” paper and a pen.   Instruct students that the object of the activity is to record the most unique relevant terms from the topic within a given amount of time (2-3 minutes). Encourage students to be quiet when discussing because they do not want to “give away” answers to the other team.  Say, “O.K. teams, you have ____ minutes. Remember, I have the final say in approving all terms.  You have ______ minutes to think of everything and anything specific to __________________ (topic). GO!”   At the predetermined time, tell students to stop and hand their sheets to the “board writer.”  Tell both “board writers” to go up to the board (which is divided into two sections) and be ready to write down what is on their papers in one to one and a half minutes.  Say, “Go!” At time, tell students to stop.  Next, instruct the board writers to switch places, and as the teacher goes down the list, “board writers” mark off common terms.  Count unique terms and announce that the team with the most distinctive terms wins!