History Tennis

Give students a list of important events and dates such as the following:

• Norman conquest of England 1066
• Magna Carta 1215
• Hundred Years' War Begins 1337
• Black Death decimates Europe 1348
• Jacquerie 1358
• Fall of Constantinople 1453
• Martin Luther's 95 theses 1517

Select one student as the history tennis champion and one student as the challenger. Challenging student "serves" a particular historical event. The student receiving the serve must answer correctly, then serve up an event of their own. A point is scored when one student misses. The student with the last correct answer is the champion, and remains up front to take on a new challenger.

This also works well as a memorization drill. Students recite alternate words of whatever is being memorized (e.g., the Preamble to the Constitution). The first student to miss a word sits down and there is a new challenger.