Back-to-school isn’t just about setting up classroom decor or updating lesson plans—it’s about setting the tone for everything that follows. For many educators, those first few weeks are a powerful (and often pressure-filled) opportunity to build community, spark motivation, and establish a rhythm of rigor that students can carry throughout the year.
That’s exactly what Ashley Hatch, a 5th grade teacher in Florida and Kahoot! Ambassador, set out to do in her classroom. As her students prepared for high-stakes state testing and a rigorous year ahead, Ashley came up with a playful and purposeful way to support their independence, reinforce review content, and cultivate classroom excitement.
Her tool of choice? A whole lot of Kahoot!.
One box at a time: A classroom challenge is born
Fifth graders are right at that borderline, transitional learning stage: they’re old enough to show initiative and independence, but they still benefit from scaffolding, encouragement, and structure. Ashley wanted to tap into that sweet spot by giving her students both freedom and focus as they prepared for upcoming assessments.
“I want to challenge the students leading up to our state testing,” Ashley shared. “I thought this would be a fun and engaging way. I added a unique Game PIN in each “checkbox” that they can complete every day. They will color a box each time they complete an assigned kahoot…and also complete an independent lesson along the way!”
Ashley designed a printable tracker—like a gameboard—where each square represented one Kahoot! challenge. Each day, students could complete a new Kahoot! at their own pace and color in a square to mark their progress. Over time, the board filled up—and so did their knowledge and confidence.
Why it worked
This project wasn’t just about test prep—it was about helping students see their own progress, take ownership of their learning, and feel part of a shared classroom goal. Here’s what made Ashley’s approach so effective:
- Routine + autonomy = momentum
With a fresh Kahoot! to complete each day, students built review into their regular schedule. The consistent practice provided structure, while the self-paced format empowered students to move through it with confidence. Pedagogical practice and research shares that repeated exposure and practice improves the efficacy of learned material, and this built-in review helped students to keep even the earliest concepts fresh! - Visual tracking builds motivation
The simple act of coloring in a square gave students a tangible sense of accomplishment. Day by day, their learning journey became more colorful—and more motivating. - Curated control for developing learners
Fifth graders often crave independence, but still benefit from thoughtful guidance. By hand-picking each Kahoot! and pairing it with a visual tracker, Ashley created a system that was both student-led and teacher-scaffolded.
Bring the challenge to your own classroom
Inspired by Ashley’s idea? You can launch your own version this school year—whether you’re prepping for assessments or just building daily routines. The best part? Ashley’s formatting tool is applicable for any curriculum, subject area, or content focus! Keep the template and update the Game PINs with each new semester, unit, or achievement!
Here’s how to get started:
- Choose (or create!) a series of kahoots that align with your goals (check out Kahootopia for inspiration!)
- Create a visual tracker (printable or digital!) where students can mark their progress. Get inspired by Ashley’s template here.
- Set a cadence: daily, weekly, or content-specific
#KahootTip Use student-paced challenges or solo mode so students can complete kahoots on their own time—while still feeling part of a collective experience.
Keep the momentum going
Ashley’s challenge is a perfect example of how teachers can use simple tools in thoughtful ways to meet students where they are—balancing independence with structure, review with creativity, and rigor with joy. As classrooms across the world gear up for a new school year, strategies like this one help build not just knowledge, but classroom culture, confidence, and connection.
Whether you’re teaching fifth grade in Florida or leading learners on the other side of the globe, your ideas have the power to spark growth, one box—and one Kahoot!—at a time.
We love seeing how educators like Ashley bring creativity, structure, and joy to their classrooms through Kahoot!. Have your own classroom gameboard? Running a review challenge of your own? Share it with the Kahoot! community!
Tag @kahoot on social media and show us how you’re making back-to-school awesome—one Podium (and one colored box) at a time.
