Ball Pass Review
At a Glance
- Time: 3-4 minutes
- Prep: Minimal (soft ball)
- Group: Whole class circle
- Setting: Any
- Subjects: Universal
- Energy: Medium-High
Purpose
Conduct rapid content review while maintaining alertness and engagement by having students pass a ball around a circle—whoever catches it must answer a review question before passing to the next person.
How It Works
- Form circle (30 sec) - Students stand in circle; teacher in center or part of circle
- Pass and answer (2-3 min) - Teacher tosses ball to student, asks question, student answers and passes to another student
- Continue rapid-fire (15-20 questions) - Keep pace quick, questions varied in difficulty
What to Say
Opening: "Circle up! Catch the ball, answer the question, toss to someone else. Stay alert—you never know when it's coming to you! First question: Name one cause of WWI... [tosses ball]"
During: "Good! Pass it on... Next person: Define 'metaphor'... Correct! Keep it moving... Stay ready everyone!"
Closing: "20 questions in 3 minutes—you all stayed alert because you never knew when the ball would come. That's active reviewing, not passive listening."
Why It Works
Random selection via ball toss maintains universal alertness—everyone must stay ready. Physical act of catching and throwing adds kinesthetic engagement. Rapid pace prevents extended dead time.
Research Connection: Unpredictability increases attention and arousal, improving encoding (Sara, 2009).
Teacher Tip
Keep questions varied in difficulty: some easy wins for struggling students, some challenging for advanced. Everyone succeeds sometimes, everyone stretches sometimes.
Variations
Question types: Recall facts, define terms, give examples, make connections, explain concepts • Passing pattern: Toss ball randomly, pass in circle order, student who answers poses next question • Ages: K-5: Slower pace, easier tosses; 6-12: Rapid fire; College: Complex synthesis questions
Online
Digital "hot potato." Teacher assigns random student, student answers, then @mentions next person in chat. Maintain speed.
Troubleshooting
Student drops ball/doesn't know answer: "That's okay! Team help—who can support them? [Get answer] Great, now pass the ball!"
Extension
Category constraint: "This ball is the 'Science Ball.' Only science questions. This ball is 'History Ball.' Only history." Use multiple balls simultaneously for advanced chaos.
Related: Vocabulary Fly Swatter, Group Juggle