Learning With Pick-up Sticks

 

Creative Collaboration with Pick-Up Sticks

It was the day before Spring Break, and I was looking for a new review activity. It was nearing the end of the month, and my budget was small. Initially, I had the idea to look for inexpensive jenga games, but also worried I might not be able to do enough to get the game ready quickly.  After walking the aisles and not having luck, I was determined to find something that would work. That is when my eyes glanced at the cooking utensils and I saw a package of barbeque skewers. ¨Pick-up Sticks¨ I thought! For less than 2 dollars I bought a review game for 140 students. 


One of the key elements to Pick-Up Sticks is the colored sticks and the scoring. Pick-Up Sticks Rules and Scoring. I did not have color sticks this time, so I decided to color some of each stick with different color markers. Thinking about the next time we play, I will probably use color tape, or buy a few containers that have already been created.  


The Game and the Goal:  How we Played

Students formed groups of between 2-5 people. Each person had to try and remove one stick from the pile of sticks without moving any of the other sticks. If another stick was moved, the student´s turn was over. Once a stick was pulled points were only awarded after one example of an item in the middle column was said to the group. The game is over when either time is called, or the sticks are gone. The highest point total wins.

Score Sheet I put On the Smart Board


My Favorite Part of Pick-Up Sticks

Everyone could make an attempt. Nobody expected anyone to be exceptional at the game. And, it was a lot of fun to watch students carefully plan their next move. As I moved around the classroom, I was thrilled to hear students naming authors, literary devices and discussing characters that could qualify as protagonists. One hour, I even had a group of students ask me to join them! It was pretty exciting to take second place. 


I WIll Be Using this Activity Again

Next time I use the game, I will probably adjust the point values, colors on the sticks and may add more sticks to each pile. While I played pick-up sticks as a kid, it was a pretty new game to almost everyone else. Overall, this was an incredibly successful review activity that could be quickly gathered for an inexpensive cost. 



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