Jeopardy Classroom Games: How to Run a Review Game

Dvir Atias

Sep 14, 2026

Jeopardy Classroom Games: How to Run a Review Game Students Actually Enjoy

A Jeopardy classroom game is a team review game played on a board of categories and point values: a team picks a square, reads the clue, and earns the points if it answers correctly. It works for almost any subject, needs little more than a projector, and turns test review into something students look forward to.

This guide covers how to set up the board, rules that keep every student involved, template options, category ideas by subject, and other review games for when you want to switch things up.

Jeopardy review game at a glance

Element	Classroom setup
Board	5 categories with 5 clues each
Point values	100 to 500 per row, or 200 to 1,000 for a second round
Teams	3 to 6 teams of 3 to 5 students
Time	30 to 45 minutes for 25 clues plus a final round
Materials	Projector, a board template, whiteboards or scratch paper
Final round	One question, every team wagers points

How to run a Jeopardy review game

Step 1: Write the clues

Write 25 clues across 5 categories. Make each category range from easy (100) to hard (500). Write the answer next to each clue so you are not solving problems on the fly. If your review questions already exist in a study guide or old test, pull them from there instead of writing new ones.

Step 2: Build the board

Put the board in a template (options below). Test every link or click before class. A broken square in the middle of a game kills momentum.

Step 3: Form teams and set expectations

Make balanced teams and give each team a name and a whiteboard. Explain the rules in under two minutes: how teams choose, how long they have, how scoring works, and what happens with wrong answers.

Step 4: Play

Teams take turns choosing a category and value. Read the clue aloud, give a set time (20 to 30 seconds), and have the team answer. Record scores where everyone can see them.

Step 5: Play the final round

Reveal the final category, let teams wager any amount up to their current score, then show the clue. Teams write their answers and reveal them together.

Step 6: Debrief

Spend three minutes on the clues most teams missed. That is the most valuable part of the review.

Rules that keep every student involved

Classic Jeopardy rules let one team answer at a time, which leaves most of the class waiting. These variants fix that:

All teams answer. Every team writes an answer on its whiteboard for every clue. The choosing team gets full points, and other teams get half points for correct answers.
Steal. If the choosing team misses, the next team can steal the points.
Rotating spokesperson. A different student answers for the team each turn, so one confident student cannot carry the group.
No negative points. Wrong answers score zero instead of losing points. Students take more risks and stay engaged.
Daily double. Hide one or two bonus squares where the team can wager points.
Phrase as a question. Optional. It adds fun for older students but slows down younger ones.
Explain it. For a bonus 50 points, a team member explains why the answer is correct.

Keep the pace up

Use a visible timer, and do not reteach during the game. Write down the concepts students miss and cover them in the debrief.

Jeopardy template options

Option	Cost	How it works	Good to know
Google Slides or PowerPoint	Free with your account	A board slide links to a clue slide for each square, and each clue slide links back to the board	Most flexible, but you track which squares are used and keep score yourself
JeopardyLabs	Free	Build an online board in the browser	JeopardyLabs says no registration is required to create a game, and you can browse boards other users made
Factile	Free plan and paid Pro	Online Jeopardy-style games with AI creation, CSV or Excel import, and join by PIN, link, or QR code	The free plan allows 3 custom games and up to 5 teams, and Pro adds buzzer mode and up to 100 teams

Google Slides tip: build the board slide first with 25 boxes. Create 25 clue slides, then link each box to its slide with Insert, then Link, then Slides in this presentation. Add a small "Back to board" button on every clue slide. Cross off used squares by adding a shape over them during the game, or duplicate the board to track progress.

Details for JeopardyLabs and Factile are from their official sites. Check them for current features and pricing.

Jeopardy category ideas by subject

Subject	Category ideas
Elementary math	Place Value, Add It Up, Shapes, Word Problems, Measure It
Middle school math	Fractions and Decimals, Ratios, Integers, Solve for x, Geometry
Algebra	Linear Equations, Slope, Functions, Factoring, Systems
Science	Cells, Forces and Motion, Earth's Layers, Matter, Ecosystems
Biology	Cell Organelles, Genetics, Evolution, Human Body, Classification
Chemistry	Periodic Table, Bonding, Reactions, Moles, Acids and Bases
English language arts	Figurative Language, Parts of Speech, Author's Purpose, Vocabulary, Plot
Literature unit	Characters, Setting, Quotes: Who Said It, Themes, Symbols
U.S. history	Founding Documents, Branches of Government, Civil War, Key People, Timeline
World history	Ancient Civilizations, Empires, Revolutions, World Wars, Geography
World languages	Vocabulary, Verb Conjugation, Culture, Translate It, Fill the Blank
Any subject	Vocabulary, Before and After, True or False, Picture This, Potpourri

A "Before and After" category (what comes before or after a step, date, or event) works well for any content with sequence.

Other classroom games for review

Jeopardy is one tool. When you want individual accountability or a faster pace, try these:

Game	Style	Best for
Kahoot	Live quiz on a shared screen, students answer on devices	Fast whole-class review with a leaderboard
Blooket	Question sets played in many game modes, live or as homework	Variety across a unit
Gimkit	Kits played live or as assignments, including 2D game modes	Repeated practice on the same set
Wayground	Quizzes and lessons, live or self-paced	Self-paced review with reports
Formswrite Play	Live quiz game with a 6-digit game PIN and live leaderboard	Playing quizzes made from your own documents

How-to guides: how to make a Kahoot, how to make a Blooket, how to make a Gimkit, and Quizizz is now Wayground. For a side-by-side view, see Blooket vs Gimkit vs Kahoot.

Build review questions once, use them everywhere

The work in any review game is writing good questions. If your questions are already in a study guide, worksheet, or old test, Formswrite can turn that document into a quiz. From there you can host it live with Formswrite Play, where students join with a game PIN, or export it to Kahoot, Blooket, Gimkit, or Wayground/Quizizz. Exports to those platforms are on paid plans.

Need new questions for your board? The Formswrite quiz generator creates questions from a PDF, Word file, or Google Doc that you can copy into Jeopardy categories.

FAQ

How do you play Jeopardy in the classroom?

Split the class into teams, show a board of 5 categories with 5 point values each, and let teams take turns picking a square and answering the clue for points. Finish with a final round where teams wager points on one last question.

Is there a free Jeopardy template for teachers?

Yes. You can build a free board in Google Slides or PowerPoint with linked slides, JeopardyLabs is free to use, and Factile has a free plan with a limited number of custom games.

How do I keep all students engaged during Jeopardy?

Have every team answer every clue on whiteboards, rotate who speaks for each team, allow steals, and avoid negative points so teams keep taking risks.

How long does a classroom Jeopardy game take?

A 25-clue board with a final round usually fits in 30 to 45 minutes. Use a visible timer for each clue to keep the pace steady.

What are good classroom games for review besides Jeopardy?

Kahoot, Blooket, Gimkit, Wayground, and Formswrite Play are popular digital options. Each lets students answer on their own devices, so every student practices every question.

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