8th Grade English Activities and Games

Finding 8th Grade English Games

To give your son or daughter extra practice with the different elements of the English language, you can create activities and games for him or her to complete at home. If you are unsure where to start, do a quick Internet search to get a variety of grade-appropriate ideas. Many websites offer free, printable worksheets and interactive games for you and your child to use.

Three English Activities for 8th Graders

Homophone Memory

Like the classic game Memory, this activity will give your 8th grader a chance to have some fun while also reviewing homophones. Using index cards, write 12 pairs of homophones, such as 'ate' and 'eight'. Turn the cards face down in rows of eight and take turns flipping two at a time. If one player gets a match, he or she keeps the cards and takes another turn. If the words are not a match, turn the cards over and move on to the next player. When all the cards have been played, the player with the most cards wins the game.

Prefixes, Suffixes and Root Words

In 8th grade, students should be able to recognize common root words and a variety of affixes. This skill makes it easier for students to uncover the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary terms without having to look them up. To test your child's understanding and ability to identify these components, create a worksheet with two exercises. In the first exercise, your child will draw a line to divide the root words from the affixes, like this: un | lock.

In the second exercise, your child will select root words and affixes from a word bank and piece them back together. Try to select words that your child may be unfamiliar with so you can be sure he or she understands the meaning behind each prefix and suffix.

Grammar and Vocabulary Jeopardy

Jeopardy is a fun, competitive way to get students actively involved with English. To do this at home, gather other family members or friends for a quick and fun review. To make it more real, create a fake Jeopardy board on the wall with pieces of paper under designated categories with increasing point values. Questions should focus on correct sentence structure, figurative language and vocabulary terms. As with the game show, the player with the highest point value after Final Jeopardy wins.