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[For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Game Ideas to Use in Social Studies Classes
Many of you are probably hoping to get children more interested in studying.
But doing things the same old way can get boring… That’s when you should check this out! In this article, we’ve put together a selection of games and quizzes that we highly recommend incorporating into elementary school social studies classes.
They range from easy activities you can do while watching videos to more advanced recreational games that test applied skills using dedicated materials.
Be sure to read to the end and find the ones that are the perfect fit for you!
[For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Game Ideas to Use in Social Studies Classes (1–10)
Prefecture Shape Guessing Quiz
The names of all the prefectures across Japan are taught in fourth grade.
Without realizing it, we sometimes deduce a prefecture based on the ones around it—like, “If this is Tokyo, then Kanagawa is to the south.” But when you’re shown just one on its own, it can be surprisingly hard to identify.
It might be fun to change the difficulty by, for example, flipping north and south.
Speaking of prefecture shapes, there’s the quirky character “Chi-ba-kun,” born from the shape of Chiba Prefecture.
The leg-like part formed by the Boso Peninsula and the tongue representing Maihama are truly spot-on.
After a prefecture-shape guessing quiz, having everyone design characters like Chi-ba-kun could make for an exciting class!
Holiday guessing quiz
For elementary school students, holidays are everyone’s favorite days off.
So how about having fun with a quiz themed around public holidays? For example: “What is the most recently established holiday?” Answer: “Mountain Day.” “What day is May 3rd?” Answer: “Constitution Memorial Day.” You can also use these quizzes to deepen learning, like asking, “Why did May 3rd become Constitution Memorial Day?” By the way, what’s the difference between the commonly heard words shukujitsu and saijitsu? Shukujitsu refers to ‘national holidays’ established by law—such as Marine Day and Coming of Age Day.
Saijitsu, on the other hand, means ‘days on which religious ceremonies are held,’ and days that are now holidays—like the Emperor’s Birthday and the Vernal Equinox Day—were originally saijitsu.
Life Literacy Game
Digital games are all the rage these days, but most elementary schoolers have probably played The Game of Life at least once.
With the Life Literacy Game, a board game similar to The Game of Life, you can have fun while acquiring the correct knowledge to enrich your future social life.
Life literacy refers to the ability to obtain and use the information and knowledge needed for social living.
The game starts with a part-time job at a convenience store and proceeds in the style of The Game of Life, teaching you about taxes, pensions, labor, health insurance, and more as you go.
Some of the terms may be a bit difficult, but upper-grade students should find it enjoyable!
Prefecture Ranking Game
How many prefectures with high apple production can you name? Even an elementary school student who’s good at social studies could probably answer up to Aomori, Nagano, and Iwate, but 9th or 10th place gets a bit tricky, right? Turn that learning into a game to make social studies fun! You can guess the prefecture from the product, or do the reverse—like, “1st Yamanashi, 2nd Nagano, 3rd Yamagata—what crop is this?” There seem to be lots of ways to customize it.
For elementary schoolers, making it a team competition with points would likely get everyone excited!
Trade Game
In Japan, where the land is small and natural resources are scarce, trade has always been an important issue that must be carefully considered.
Here’s a trade game that provides an easy-to-understand lecture on trade for elementary school students.
The basic flow is as follows: Divide into about five or six groups.
Each group receives a different bag.
Inside the bags are stationery, paper, pencils, and play money.
Depending on the group, the contents vary—resource-rich countries have lots of paper, technology powerhouses have lots of stationery, and so on.
Bridging these gaps is where trade begins.
Be sure to check out news videos and other resources about this game for reference!
Disaster preparedness game
Japan is said to experience more earthquakes than many other countries.
I believe elementary schools enthusiastically conduct disaster-preparedness drills, such as taking emergency cover under desks and evacuating as a group to higher ground.
You can never have too much disaster-prevention knowledge, so here we introduce a “disaster-prevention game” you can learn in the classroom.
Using a map of a certain area and hint cards—but without information about whose house is whose—you think through rescue and evacuation strategies.
The materials also introduce knowledge about firefighting and useful disaster-preparedness items, so by enjoying this game, you can learn the essentials of disaster preparedness.
It also seems helpful to create a similar game using a map of your own town.
Japan’s Three Great ___ Quiz
It’s often said that Japanese people like the numbers seven, five, and three.
How about you? Let’s have fun while learning about society with a “Japan’s Three Great ___ Quiz.” The easy ones, like Japan’s three great rivers—Shinano River, Tone River, and Ishikari River—are taught even in elementary school.
Not taught at school? Then here’s a slightly harder one: “What are Japan’s three most famous gardens?” The answer is Kenrokuen, Kōrakuen, and Kairakuen.
There are lots of questions, such as the three great mountains and the three great scenic views.
It would be great to have everyone make up questions like these during social studies class!