How to Make Jeopardy Classroom Games & Best Templates
If you’re looking for some ideas for jeopardy classroom games, then this post is for you! Playing jeopardy is a great way to add a little friendly competition, to increase student engagement and have fun with your class. In this post we’ll check out the best ways to create this interactive learning experience for your students.
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How to Play Jeopardy in the Classroom
There are several different ways to play America’s favorite quiz show in your classroom. I’ll show you a variety of options so you can find what works best for your class.
Prepare Your Game Board
When creating your Jeopardy classroom games you can choose to use a physical board like a poster board or whiteboard or a digital version like Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or one of the online platforms. You may even want something right in between like using interactive whiteboards. Let’s check out each of these to find what works best for you.
Physical Game Board Ideas
If you want to create a physical game board in your classroom either as a poster board or on your classroom whiteboard let’s, check out some examples of how you can pull it off.
Whiteboard Jeopardy Layout

Here’s an example of how to create a Jeopardy board on your classroom whiteboard. You can create this with colored construction paper. First put 5 different categories at the top of the board and then the numbers 100 through 500 under each category.
Color and Number Coded

Here’s another layout idea. You can use colored paper and place numbers one through 6 on each. Then the category will be a secret and students will choose a color and a number to reveal the question.
Digital Jeopardy Version
If you want to create digital Jeopardy classroom games you have several options including using an online platform, PowerPoint, or Google slides. You have the option of creating your own games or using games that other teachers have created. I’ll show you options for both.
Customizable Jeopardy Template

If you want to use a customizable template to create your own game of Jeopardy here’s a great option. This is an editable PowerPoint template that you can purchase and download from Etsy here. What’s fun about this game template is it includes sound effects, updated graphics, smooth animation and Final Jeopardy.
The categories come blank so you can add in your own custom categories to focus on the lesson you want to review in your classroom. There are 6 categories with 5 questions each so you need to think of 30 questions and answers to create the game.
This versatile tool can be used as a template on a PC or an iPad. If your classroom has an Apple TV you can mirror the IPAD on your AppleTV.
JeopardyLabs

JeopardyLabs is an online jeopardy game maker that allows you to create a customized jeopardy template without PowerPoint.
The Jeopardy classroom games you make can be played online. Building your own jeopardy template is easy using a simple editor. If you don’t want to build your own template, you can browse templates that other teachers have created.
FigJam Jeopardy Template

FigJam is another online tool that you can use to build your own customize Jeopardy game with your own questions. This is a digital platform that has collaboration options. Here is where you can find this online jeopardy template.
Google Slides Jeopardy

Another option is to use Google Slides to create a Jeopardy game for your class. Here’s how you do it:
- Open Google Slides
- Go to Google Slides and create a new blank presentation.
- Design the Title Slide that says Kindergarten Jeopardy, or whatever grade you teach.
- Create the Game Board Slide
- Add a table to act as the game board:
- Go to Insert > Table and create a 5×6 grid (5 categories and 5 point values, plus one row for category titles).
- Label the top row with your categories (e.g., “Science,” “Math,” etc.).
- Fill the grid with point values (e.g., 100, 200, 300, etc.).
- Use hyperlinks for navigation (I’ll explain this later on).
- Create Question and Answer Slides
- Create a slide for each answer and its corresponding question.
- Format the slide with: The answer prominently displayed.
- Add the correct question on the same slide (hidden initially or on the next click).
- Link the Game Board to Question/Answer Slides
- Hyperlink Point Values to Answer Slides
- Select the text or cell of a point value on the game board (e.g., “100”).
- Right-click and choose Insert Link (or press Ctrl+K).
- Choose Slides in this presentation and link it to the corresponding question/answer slide.
- Add a “Home” Button to Answer Slides
- On each answer slide, insert a “Home” button:
- Go to Insert > Shape, draw a small shape (e.g., a circle or square), and label it “Home.”
- Hyperlink the button back to the game board slide.
- Add Final Jeopardy (Optional)
- Create a slide for Final Jeopardy.
- Include space for the question, wager instructions, and a timer (if desired).
So now you have your game set up whether physically or digitally so let’s move on to the next step.
Jeopardy Teams
Divide the class into teams. Four teams works great. You may want more or less depending on your class size. Let teams decide on a team name and give each team a color.
Answer Buzzers

Each team will get an answer buzzer based on the team color. These will help avoid students shouting and arguing who responded first. These team clickers will let you know who has buzzed in first!
Buzzer Alternatives
If you don’t want to use clickers of buzzers you can simply have teams take turns.
Jeopardy Podium Ideas

Here’s a fun idea to make your classroom Jeopardy game even more like the real-life version. You can create actual jeopardy podiums by covering a table with brown butcher paper. Then put a buzzer at each station and then a small whiteboard.
Each team will send up one team leader to answer the question. If it is a math question they can do their work on their individual white board. Just like the game show you can put the scores on the displays on the podiums.
How To Play Jeopardy Classroom Games
Ok, now you have your games set up it’s time to go over the game rules with your class before you start playing.
Go over the Game Rules
- Explain How to Answer the Questions
- Explain to your students that Jeopardy is backwards from most games. You will start with the answer and then teams must phrase their response as a question. For example the clue or answer that the hosts reads is, “This planet is known as the red planet.” The correct response (Question) is, “What is Mars?”
Decide the order of play.
- You can use a random method (dice roll, picking numbers) or let the team with the highest energy/participation start.
- The team that starts will choose a category and point value (e.g., “Science for 200”).
Game Host
- You, as the teacher, aka the game show host will read the clue out loud. You will have an answer key, that contains both the questions and the answers.
Buzzing System
- If the teams thinks they know the answer they must press their buzzer.
- The first team to press the buzzer get the opportunity to answer.
- Set a time limit for answering (e.g., 30 seconds).
Play Jeopardy Music
- To make it even more fun play the jeopardy theme song just like the game show during the time limit. While the music is playing the team can discuss among themselves to decide on the best answer. When the song is over it is time to answer. Here’s where you can find the Jeopardy theme song on YouTube.
Keep Score
- Use the board or a separate chart to track team scores. When a team answers correctly they earn the points that the question was worth. When they answer incorrectly the points are subtracted from their total.
Incorrect Answers
- If the first team answered incorrectly, read the answer again and give the other teams a chance to buzz in and say their response. If no one has answered correctly then reveal the correct question to the class and no one receives points.
Introduce Special Features
- Double Jeopardy
- Mark one or two questions as Daily Double questions where a team can wager up to all their current points.
- Final Jeopardy
- At the end, teams can wager points on a single, more challenging question. Teammates work together to come up with their best answer. Then they write their responses and wagers down on a white board.
- Give each team a time limit to answer the question and be sure to play the jeopardy music! When the time limit is up you will ask each team to reveal their answer and their wager. If the answer is correct, you add the wager amount to their total if it is incorrect, you subtract it.
Champion Team
- Celebrate the winning team with a small prize or the title of Jeopardy Champions!
- Debrief on any missed questions to reinforce your lessons.
Fun Ideas for Classroom Jeopardy Games
So now you have the idea of how to set up your jeopardy classroom game let’s check out some ideas of topics to include in your game.
Back to School Jeopardy
For the first week of school, you can play a back-to-school jeopardy game. This could work for elementary students as well as middle school and high schoolers. Here are some ideas for the content:
- Class Rules & Expectations: Questions about rules, procedures, or policies.
- Get to Know Your Teacher: Fun facts or trivia about you.
- School Subjects: Review basic topics in math, science, or history that they learned last year.
- School Fun Facts: Trivia about the school (e.g., mascots, history, events).
- Pop Culture/Trivia: Fun, age-appropriate questions about movies, music, or books.
Get to Know You Icebreaker Jeopardy
If you’re looking for an interactive way to build your class community at the beginning of the year here’s the perfect game for you. Add questions that encourage students to get to know each other like what is your favorite book, movie, snack or how many sibling or pets do you have.
You could also have silly things on the Jeopardy cards to just have fun with your class like impersonate the teacher, try a tongue twister or do the chicken dance. There’s not a correct answer for this game, but you can still assign points when the fun task is completed.
After Break Jeopardy Idea

After a long break is a great time for a little classroom review. You can have students review classroom rules, expectations or lessons with a jeopardy style game! Topics can include:
- Our Class Rules
- Classroom Routines
- Our School Rules
- Anything else you want to review with your class
Math Jeopardy Game

After you have completed a math lesson you can use jeopardy to review what students have learned. This could be an individual game where students keep track of their own score or a team game.
Choose your topics based on your grade level and what you’re studying in class. Here are some topic ideas:
- Fractions
- Decimals
- Math Equations
- Multiplication and Division
- Addition and Subtraction
Jeopardy Review Game
Jeopardy is the perfect review game to play for a little test prep. This works great to have review sessions covering important information before an exam in an elementary school, middle school or a high school classroom. Have students compete in teams to answer questions based on the current lesson before an upcoming test.
TPT Jeopardy Games
Teachers Pay Teachers is a great resource to find specific Jeopardy games for your class if you don’t want to take the time to create your own game. Here are some of the best free Jeopardy games available from TPT sellers.
Adjective and Adverb PowerPoint Jeopardy Game
This is a jeopardy game in PowerPoint which would work on a SMARTboard or students could play on individual computers. The game reviews key adjective and adverb concepts for third graders. This freebie is available on TPT here.
Jeopardy Game for Comprehension Strategies
Topics included for this interactive game are: Main Idea and Details, Problem and Solution, Logical Order, Summarize, and Author’s Purpose. This would be great to use for 2nd grade through 5th grade classes for review for EOG, as a work station, and more. You can find this free Jeopardy game here.
First Day Jeopardy Game
This is a Google Drive folder with the materials and instructions you’ll need to play this exciting intro to class game that is made for 6th grade through 12th grade classrooms! You can customize this game found here, to fit your class needs.
Synonyms and Antonyms Jeopardy Game
If you want your students to practice synonyms and antonyms, develop vocabulary or work on speech therapy here’s a fun game to try. This game is best for 2nd through 6th grade levels and is free on TPT here. There are pictures included to help the student if they get stuck.
Phonics Jeopardy Game
Phonics Jeopardy is great for kids in 1st grade or a review for the beginning of 2nd grade. It also could be used as an end of year review for advanced Kindergarten students. There are so many possibilities with this 27 slides Phonics game covering: Long vowels, short vowels and more! You can find this game here.
Now you have some new ideas for classroom jeopardy games to try this school year. Feel free to save this post to your Pinterest boards for future reference. To do that just click on any picture and then the P and choose your board.
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