Memory Game with Google Slides (UPDATE)

Most of the content in this post is similar to the original post. You can view it here. I’ve learned a little since I created that first post so now the process is better and it’s possible to update the content once you make. If you don’t want to create your own from scratch, Matt Meyer (@54Mr_Meyer) has created templates that are available on Slides Mania.

I REALLY dislike cutting out paper activities. This dislike is what prompted me to create my first activity (drag and drop Geometry Proofs) with technology. When my team found a fun Memory Game activity I CRINGED at the thought of cutting out all of those sets and then finding a place to store them.

I went through a few attempts to create a memory game in Google Slides. I thought about linking pages but I needed to see two at a time. I wanted to remove one element “on click” but I could only get them to dissolve in a specific order. I settled on deleting the cards and it worked like a charm.

I know, you are all wanting to create your own memory game now! You’re in luck, I have a quick tutorial for you!

We are going to use the Master Slides to create our content (the back of the cards). This will prevent the movement of the content when players remove the top card. Using the Master Slides will also make editing possible should you wish to change this activity in the future. The way I suggested to do this before would not allow that. 

Here is how to access Master Slides. You will scroll to the bottom and use the blank slide.

I used the basic white background so it didn’t distract from game. Place all of the “back side” of the cards, the part with the content, evenly spaced on your Master Slide. I ended up putting boxes around mine to help me get them spaced. I love that Google Slides give you guide lines as you place your items.

You can also use the arrange menu and select horizontal or vertical and align them perfectly.

Now we will close the Master Slides menu by clicking the x in the top right corner.

Once Master Slides closes, you should see your blank slide. You can right click (two finger click) on the blank slide and Apply Layout, selecting the layout with your content. You should now see your content you created earlier displayed in the slide.

We are ready to make the cards. I used the rectangle shape and held down the SHIFT key to make sure I had perfect squares. 

I used the gradient tool to select the background and put a ? on it just like the original memory game.

One suggestion from my students was to make this an image so the ? wasn’t editable. Sometimes when clicking on the square they got the ? instead.

You could make these cards in Google Drawing and download it as a PNG to use in the game.

You can copy and paste these and use the align tool again to get them close to where you want them. Then move them exactly where you need them.

Create the rules page. I’ve included the image of my rules page below. It explains how you would “flip” the cards over to play the game.

A question I get a lot is how to flip over the cards. You aren’t REALLY flipping over the cards, you are deleting the cards to reveal the content behind it. You delete 2 cards. If they are a match they remain deleted. If they are NOT a match, you undo twice using control Z or the UNDO arrow and the next person takes their turn.

Play the game!

I sent this to my students through Google Classroom and said make a copy for each student. They enjoyed it and learned from the activity as well.

If you make a memory game, please share! I love to see how people use my ideas.

Tag me on Twitter @MandiTolenEDU and use the #infinitelyteaching. If you want to use Matt’s template, head over to SlidesMania and snag it.