Examples

There are no rules with QUASH! materials. They were designed with the intention of maximizing learning while having fun at the same time. Examples and suggestions are provided as a place to start. To get an idea of how each of these materials might be "customized" for an individual student or lesson, click one of the links below.

Boardgames

Flashcards

Worksheets

Interactive Charts

"The supreme accomplishment is to blur the lines between work and play." - Arnold J. Toynbee

Boardgames

The image above shows how a personalized sight word boardgame could look. The QUASH! space is assigned the function "Move ahead 1 space". Challenging words have been highlighted in two different ways with two different colors.

Each boardgame has 1 QUASH! space. This is a FREE SPACE and can be assigned whatever purpose you choose. It is not necessary to write in the free space. When left blank, the QUASH! space can have one function during the first play and completely different purposes during subsequent rematches.

Traditional boardgames use some of the following: Go Again; Lose a Turn; Move ahead 1 space.

The QUASH! space can be assigned nontraditional functions, too. For example:

Additional notes on boardgames:

Boardgames have no defined START or FINISH. Games can be played in either direction - or in opposite directions.

For extra practice, a challenging word or math fact can be written in the QUASH! space.

Boardgames can be saved and used as personal word walls during writing activities.

A number line is provided on most math games for additional support.

Say an affirmation

Compliment a peer

5 jumping jacks

5 second "dance party"

The example above shows one way to customize a math boardgame. The QUASH! space is assigned the function "Go Again!". Two related math facts have been highlighted with an orange border.

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Flashcards

Each set of flashcards includes at least 1 QUASH! card that can function as a WILD card. For some games, the object is to collect the most cards. For others, the player with the fewest cards at the end of the game wins. Depending on which game you're playing, the following are possible functions:

Go again!
Skip/Lose a turn

Take one card from other players

Return one card to the dealer
Return all collected cards to the dealer

5 second dance party

In this example, a flashcard set has been customized with star stickers. These were added to words beginning with /sl/ as additional support for students. While meeting with a small group, the speech therapist presents one card (face up) to the first student. The first student practices saying the pictured word pairs. After she receives feedback, the next student receives a card, and the process continues.

When a player receives a QUASH! card, he yells "Quash!", and takes one card from other players. When all of the cards from the deck have been distributed, players count their cards. The player with the most cards is the winner!

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Worksheets

Worksheets were created in sets of 4. Each version in the set contains a QUASH! space beside a different question/problem. The response can be performed before or after the question is answered, by one student or all students.

For worksheets, physical or verbal responses work well. For example:

Compliment a peer
Snap fingers
Tap toes
Drum the tabletop
5 second "dance party"

A

B

This example shows 2 of 4 worksheets from a set. For this hypothetical lesson, students first complete their own version of the worksheet independently. While meeting in a small group, questions are reviewed.

The QUASH! response for this lesson is to drum the tabletop as a group.

When it's time to complete #6, the student with version A whispers "Quash". She then reads the problem and answers the question. When she is finished, all members of the small group drum the tabletop for 3 seconds before proceeding to question #7. The process continues until all problems have been reviewed.

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A

B

Interactive Charts

An example of an interactive chart set is shown above. The chart on Form A contains 15 of 26 upper case letters. The word QUASH! holds the space for 9 letters that have been omitted.

Before meeting with his small group, the teacher will cut out the individual letter tiles from Form B. He will separate the tiles that correspond to the omitted letters. Before the lesson begins, the teacher determines that the QUASH! response will be for the group to "Dab" once after a letter tile is placed correctly on the chart.

Interactive charts were created in sets. Each set includes a master chart containing all letters (or numbers) as well as 2 or 3 versions of the chart. Some letters (or numbers) are omitted on these additional versions. The word QUASH! is printed in place of missing items.

Each chart also includes a set of accompanying letter or number tiles. Students use these tiles to fill in missing items in order to complete the chart.

For interactive chart activities, I recommend assigning physical or verbal response. For example:

Say an affirmation
Clap twice
Wiggle your nose
5 second "dance party"

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Customizing vs. Decorating:

It might be helpful to make a distinction between decorating (for the sake of making something visually appealing) and adding visual details to support learning. The following parameters have worked for me:

We trace/color the outlines of spaces on gameboards. Our students typically add color to these borders as a way to highlight specific words or math facts they're attempting to master. They outline a limited number of spaces.

We do not color inside the boardgame spaces or flashcards. Our students do make marks inside of these spaces (like underlining a challenging word). It's been our experience that when coloring inside the game spaces or flashcards, it is easy for students to add too much. This ultimately makes reading the words or equations more difficult.

With younger students, it can be helpful to have a uniform frame of reference. For example, everyone in the class or reading group receives the same sticker to put on his/her game (*or everyone highlights their "X's" in the same color). You could later refer to the "game with the blue star sticker" to help a student locate a specific sight word, for example.

Students define their QUASH! components and may write in the QUASH! space (if they so choose).

Students are given just 3 to 4 minutes to personalize materials.