Gist: Students match answers to questions by wearing a giant sock over their shoe.

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Why Do It?  The silly novelty of this activity easily engages most students, but the academic effort needed to work backwards from an answer to the matching question means deep learning is still taking place.

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Materials:

-very large men's athletic socks, 30 total (or 15 pairs)

-an assignment

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Set Up:

1. Using permanent marker, number each sock, 1-30, large and clear.

2. Print the answer key and cut it apart to separate each answer.  Make sure you cut off the numbers.

3. Copy your worksheet for each student.

4.  Pile the socks in the middle of your floor.

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To Play:

1. Distribute a copy of the worksheet to each student.

2. Give each student an answer.

3.  Allow time for students to work problems from the assignment to find which question their answer matches.

4.  At your signal, students go to the sock pile and find their number.  See variations and tips below!

5. To claim their number, students put that sock over their shoe and hop back to their seat holding the socked foot up.

6.  If a student feels someone else claimed their sock, they must work together to figure it out.

7.  Play continues until all matches are made.  Redistribute and repeat.  See variations below!  Students will have worked most, if not all, of the worksheet by the end of play.

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Caution and Tips:

-Designate a special way students must go to the pile each time to avoid football-like collisions.  For example, students could waddle like a duck, tip toe, etc.

-If you have more students than assignment items, students can work as a pair.  Only one of them would go to the sock pile and would have to go back and put the sock on their partner's foot.

-The socks will get looser and easier to use the more you play.

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Variations:

-Turn this into a relay race! Group students on teams after distributing answers.  They sit or stand in a line like a traditional relay race.  The first player goes to the pile to claim their sock and hops back.  The next player cannot start until the sock is actually on the shoe enough to stay on and the player has hopped past them.  First team done--with correct matches--wins.

-Play as a whole group against your own time.  Time the first round, then redistribute and play again to beat the previous time.