Science is a vast and colourful subject. It involves a variety of things, such as physical formulae, theories, laws, chemical reactions, structures of compounds, chemical elements, names of geological periods, and so on and so forth. Geology, a very interesting field, is described as the science and study of the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth. Geology bingo includes learning about the names of geological eras, the properties of different minerals, the diverse geological processes and the terminologies used to describe them.
Geology contains a lot of information. Facts, dates, names – it all becomes a lot for the students to take in. Devising a memorable way to remember the geological facts is very important. It is easy to lose yourself in the pool of information and get very confused. This is why it is essential to pick the right method of learning. Not only should the method help you memorize the facts, it should also arouse your interest in the learning process. Games that help one learn are a very good idea, since they are lots of fun, simple and inexpensive. And kids are always open to playing games! Educational games are an important tool in the learning process, and Bingo is one of the most popular ones.
The traditional game of bingo is played using bingo cards. These cards contain 5×5 boxes, each of which are filled with a random number, ranging from 1 to 25. Numbers are called out in no specific order, and they are scratched off on the card as they are called out. When one gets five numbers in a row or column scratched off, the letter ‘B’ is scratched out. Similarly, the process is repeated until all five letters of ‘BINGO’ are scratched off. At that point, the person can yell out ‘Bingo’, because he/she has won the game.
In the case of geology bingo, instead of using numbers, the cards are printed with phrases or words related to geology. No expensive specialist materials are required to play this game, just plain paper and pencil would do. Every student is handed a bingo card, and the teacher calls out the questions. The teacher can decide whether the class would benefit from playing it in groups or not. In that case, groups of students can form teams, and discuss among themselves as they answer. The team that wins the game could be awarded a prize. This way of playing improves interaction among students, hence making the game more fun and livelier.
When each item is called out by the teacher, the student has to identify and mark it on their card. The person who gets five answers in a row or column can strike off that particular row/column, and yell ‘Bingo!’ The game can be made more educational and detailed by having the students explain each item on their card.
Geology bingo cards can be obtained from the Internet. There is a lot of bingo card software available online which can be used to download bingo cards. There are also ready-to-use bingo cards that are available online, and these can be simply printed and used.
Tags: bingo, geology bingo
