Children love playing Ten Commandments Bingo! Second-grade teacher Claire Pelletier created this special version of Bingo to check her students’ understanding of the Commandments.
As part of her students’ preparation for the sacrament of Reconciliation, Claire teaches a lesson on the Commandments. After the lesson, she gives each child a Bingo card. (Here is a printable copy of the Bingo card that Claire uses: 10 Commands BINGO card) Then, one word at a time, she writes on a board or chart paper 24 words that relate to the Commandments. (Here is the list of words that Claire uses: SECOND GRADE 10 comm bingo game words) She asks the children to write these words at random on their Bingo cards so that each card is different.
Claire goes over the words, one at a time, providing definitions and asking children to use the words in sentences to check their understanding. When she has covered each word on the list, the game can begin. Claire gives each child a small bag of dried beans to use for Bingo chips and asks the children to place beans on the FREE spot on their Bingo cards. As they do so, Claire explains that the FREE spot is a reminder that grace—a share in God’s divine life—is free, a gift from God.
Then children listen carefully as Claire gives the definition of a word from the list or creates a sentence that can be completed with one of the words on the list. Children place dried beans on the words they find on their cards until someone can call “Bingo”! Winners receive holy cards and other small prizes. Hint: Children will want to play again!
Claire finds that, with new lists of words, Ten Commandments Bingo can easily become First Reconciliation Bingo and First Eucharist Bingo.
Claire Pelletier teaches second grade at St. Thomas More Catholic School in Houston, TX, and is responsible for preparing her students to receive First Reconciliation and First Eucharist.
This article was originally published on the Catechist Community blog in May 2013 as the winning Idea of the Month.