Classroom Scrabble - Interactive & Fun Game for the Class Floor

*Note: Zip file includes editable Word files for all necessary letter tiles (including the number you need of each and the values for each clearly provided on the tile), multiplier tiles, and a board-layout explanation. The zip fill also has ready-to-use PDF files of those same items. In addition, the file includes the directions for preparation and set-up, which are also provided below.*

Thank you for your interest in this Classroom Scrabble game! As with all products that I develop, my goal is to make this product as teacher-friendly and student-interactive as possible. I have been using a classroom scrabble game in my room for about the last 8 or 9 years, and it’s always a student favorite. In fact, I have former students who become upperclassmen (I usually teach 9th and 10th grade), that will see we’re playing the game and ask for passes to get out of their class that bell just to play a word-building educational game! I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty cool!

Note that the contents of this item are listed in the first paragraph of the item description, above.

Directions:
Getting things set up
1. After you purchase (or now that you have purchased, depending on when you’re reading these directions) the Classroom Scrabble set from my TpT store, you’ll want to open up the files entitled “Scrabble Letter Tiles” and “Multipliers for Scrabble.” The PDF versions will work on any type of computer/device, though there are .docx versions of both files, as well, since that is a trademark of all items purchased from my store. After opening the files up, print both of them. The “Multipliers for Scrabble” file does require color printing. If you don’t have access to a color copier (for the next step), but you do have access to a color printer, you’ll also want to see the details below for how many of each multiplier page to print off.
2. The next step is to take the pages that you’ve printed off (100 pages of letter tiles and 61 pages of multipliers) with you to be laminated. In the things you’ve printed off, you’ll have:
• 1: J – K – X – Q – Z
• 2: B – C – F – H – M – P – W – Y – V – Blank Tiles
• 3: G
• 4: D – L – S – U
• 6: N – R – T
• 8: O
• 9: A – I
• 12: E
• 1: Center/Star Square (counts as a double word multiplier)
• 8: Triple Word Score Multipliers
• 12: Triple Letter Score Multipliers
• 16: Double Word Score Multipliers
• 24: Double Letter Score Multipliers
Doing this printing will take some ink, so if you’d rather just print off one of each of the colored multipliers and use the information above in conjunction with a color printer, that would be fine, as well. It’s up to you.
3. Once you have laminated and cut out each individual “tile” or “multiplier” (a task that might get students excited about the game? – unless you want to keep it a secret), keep the letters separate and in some type of bag. You’ll want to have the multipliers together in a separate stack, since you’ll be using them for the next step, below.

Set up your room and the game
Note: The set up directions below go with a classroom that is set up with tiled floors, as my room is. Our tiles are 12”x12” linoleum, which works great as its own game board. If your classroom has differently flooring, you will need to make adjustments and arrangements to the setup instructions so that the game works for your space.
1. I usually set things up the day before I’ll be playing the game in class. It takes a little time to do so, and an extra set of hands is certainly useful, but not absolutely necessary. The first thing I do is move student desks into a square, making them the border of the 15x15 square titled board. For my room, that means student desks being right next to one another. This step not only forms the four borders of the game board, but also it sets up the four “teams,” since students will work together with one another during the game play, based upon where they are seated.
2. Once the desks are in a square, with your blank “game board” in the middle, you’ll need some tape (I use masking tape) and your multipliers. Use the “Scrabble Board Layout” file included for where each tile should go. I usually start at the star in the middle and work my way out, but it’s up to you. A loop of masking tape in each corner on the back of the multiplier usually does the trick. Just so it’s clear, the picture with the layout uses the following codes: “2x LS” = Double Letter Score; “3x LS” = Triple Letter Score; “2x WS” = Double Word Score; and “3x WS” = Triple Word Score.

From that point on, everything runs like a regular game of scrabble. You can either assign students their teams/sides or have them choose. I’ve always allowed students to choose without any issues. Brush up on how to score things correctly based up on the directions of the board game (and make sure you can do the mental math on the fly). I also usually encourage students to try to use vocabulary words (a hard thing to do) by offering 20-25 extra points in the game if they do so. Occasionally this happens, and it’s a nice way to have students at least be thinking of classroom vocabulary, if you use some type of list or daily word, like I do for my classes.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you might have! I look forward to hearing from you about the great times your classes will have with this product!