How to Play Pictionary in School

Pictionary, the picture-based word game, is an excellent way for students to display their knowledge. While the rules must be altered slightly to work in the classroom, Pictionary provides students the opportunity to creatively express vocabulary terms they have learned. Depending on the age group and artistic skill, you can increase the challenge for students. Learning to express themselves in picture form utilizes a different part of the brain allowing students to synthesize information.

Generate a list of terms students know. Choose vocabulary words that will be a challenge to express in picture form.

Explain the rules of Pictionary to students. Classroom Pictionary rules state that you select one term from the vocabulary list and show it to one player from each team. The artists have 10 seconds to look at the word. When the time is up, the artists start drawing until a member of their team correctly guesses the term. The artists can only use images, no letters or words.

Divide the class into two teams. Each team elects one person to draw for their team. Team members shout out guesses.

Start the first round. Artists draw the term on the whiteboard so all team members can see. As the moderator, you need to listen for the correct term. That team with the correct guess wins one point.

Switch artists and repeat the process until all the vocabulary terms are used. The team with the most points at the end of the game is pronounced the winner.