Is or Isn't

Explore

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to look at their bingo boards in an effort to find a synonym or antonym each time a word card is turned over.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Children probably will not need assistance. If children are having difficulty understanding a word, parents can help them by asking questions. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?" Also, remind the child to look at the images created by the words on the cards and bingo cards. These images give clues as to the meaning of the word.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Is or Isn't is a great game for teaching vocabulary concepts of synonyms and antonyms, as well as vocabulary itself since children may learn new words while playing the game.
If children are having difficulty understanding a word, educators can help them by asking questions. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?"

Determine

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to decide if a word on their bingo board is a synonym or antonym to the word showing on the active card. Players make other decisions during the game, such as how to respond to a Challenge and whether they have a winning bingo card depending on the game variation they are playing.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Children probably will not need assistance. However, if children are having difficulty understanding a word, parents can help them by asking questions. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?" Also, remind the child to look at the images created by the words on the cards and bingo cards. These images give clues as to the meaning of the word.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Is or Isn't is a great game for teaching vocabulary concepts of synonyms and antonyms, as well as vocabulary itself since children may learn new words while playing the game.
If children are having difficulty understanding a word, educators can help them by asking questions. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?"

Compare

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Comparing is the primary skill used and built during Is or Isn't as players compare words on their bingo card to the word on the active card on every turn.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Children probably will not need assistance. However, if children are having difficulty understanding a word, parents can help them by asking questions. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?" Also, remind the child to look at the images created by the words on the cards and bingo cards. These images give clues as to the meaning of the word.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Is or Isn't is a great game for teaching vocabulary concepts of synonyms and antonyms, as well as vocabulary itself since children may learn new words while playing the game.
If children are having difficulty understanding a word, educators can help them by asking questions. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?"

Remember

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to remember the meaning and spelling of words in order to play the game. Players also need to remember phonetics in order to sound out words they may not be able to read on sight.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
If children do not know all the words in the Is or Isn't, parents can teach those words to the child prior to or while playing the game.
For spelling on a Challenge card, it may help to give children pencil and paper. They can write down the word prior to saying it aloud.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
As children identify synonyms and antonyms, they are relying on their memory of words' definitions. If children do not know all the words or do not know multiple synonyms or antonyms for words in the game, educators can modify the game or use other techniques to teach unknown words and/or increase vocabulary options prior to playing the game.
Additionally, one of the Challenges in the game require players to spell words. For spelling, it may help to give children pencil and paper. They can write down the word prior to saying it aloud.

Practice

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
At certain times of the game, players think of the a new synonym or antonym and spell it. The more they play, the more they are practicing spelling and expanding their vocabulary through synonyms and antonyms.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
When not playing the game, parents can help children practice synonyms and antonyms. Select a word from the game or any word that comes to mind, and asking them to think of words that mean the same or opposite.
For spelling, it may help to give children pencil and paper. They can write down the word prior to saying it aloud.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
If children do not know all the words or do not know multiple synonyms or antonyms for words in the game, educators can modify the game or use other techniques to teach unknown words and/or increase vocabulary options prior to playing the game.
Additionally, one of the Challenges in the game require players to spell words. For spelling, it may help to give children pencil and paper. They can write down the word prior to saying it aloud.

Demonstrate

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players demonstrate their accuracy by saying the word on their bingo board aloud that they think is the same or opposite of the word on the active card. They also demonstrate how to use a word in a sentence during one of the Challenges.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents may need to help children decide if a word is a synonym or antonym by using the chart included in the directions. Also, the Challenges may require adult support in case the children cannot agree if a Challenge was successfully met.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Educators may need to help children decide if a word is a synonym or antonym by using the chart included in the directions. Also, the Challenges may require adult support in case the children cannot agree if a Challenge was successfully met.

Cognitive

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Is or Isn't requires reading skills, understanding how to perform a series of actions in play, and having a good vocabulary. This makes Is or Isn't too difficult for most children with cognitive challenges. Older children who have a good vocabulary may be able to play the Synonym version, requiring only 1 line of tokens on the card to win, and omitting the Challenge cards.

Players with cognitive challenges may be able to play the game if the adults read the words to them on the cards and help them think about the words. For example, "What does 'under' mean? If I say the book is under the chair, where is it?" Once the child understands the word, other players can help them find the synonym on their board.

Play in partners. This is a good way to expand the child vocabulary comprehension and expand vocabulary use. The child with special needs can throw the dice, count the spaces, turn over the cards, and help find where to place the token. Encourage partners to talk about the words and explain meanings. Many of the words can be acted out to help illustrate their meaning.

Communication

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
If children have good reading skills, this may be a good game for expanding vocabulary. When players turn over a card encourage them to act out the meaning. If they don't know the meaning of a word, have the player to their left act it out to help them understand the meaning. They can then try to find the synonym on the board.

Because children with communication concerns often have more limited vocabulary, playing with a partner may help the child learn new words.

Sensorimotor

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
The cards and tokens in the game are small, so some children may have difficulty with accurate placement. Peers can help manipulate if needed.

Social Emotional/Behavioral

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children who have difficulty with reading or have language concerns may find Is or Isn't frustrating and not want to play. Playing with a partner may alleviate this anxiety.
Children with high language skills and low self esteem will find Is or Isn't a way to show off their skills and feel good about what they know.

Vision

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Some of the different fonts and colors of the print combined with the illustrations may make reading the words on the cards and the boards difficult. Outline the words with a narrow black marker to make the words stand out. This will help those with low vision.

Hearing

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children who are deaf or hard of hearing may have a difficult time playing Is or Isn't. They may be able to read and understand the words, but unless they are playing with other deaf players, their signed response may not be understood. One alternative is to have the player review their board and point to the correct response, showing the rest of the players, before placing a token on it.
There is no "be" verb in sign language (am, is, are, etc.), so the title of the game may be confusing at first. Some explanation of Synonyms and Antonyms may be required.

*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards

Extra Ways to Play the Game
When a card is turned up, the player acts out the word and other players guess what the word is. When it is identified, the player then puts a token on the word on her or his board.

Materials Needed
No additional materials are needed.

Developmental Benefits
Acting out vocabulary provided additional physical and visual input to the meaning of the word. It requires the "actor" to embody the meaning of the word. Players guess the meaning of the word, thus potentially learning new synonyms or antonyms.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Allow challenge cards to be used to challenge other players. The challenging player can pick another player and ask them to provide a synonym from their Bingo Board. If the player is correct, both players get to add a token to their Boards. If the player is wrong, the challenging player can provide the correct answer and add to their Board.

Materials Needed
No additional materials are needed.

Developmental Benefits
Challenging another player increases the social interaction and also the strategy in the game.