Bingo Fun with the 2021 State of the Union
Are you looking for the 2022 State of the Union Bingo cards? You can find the updated version here!
It’s that time of year again – the State of the Union! And yes, I know that this ISN’T technically a State of the Union. (Don’t @ me, people.) The President’s speech in a new administration isn’t a SOTU, but it is still a speech to a joint session of Congress.
Hoo boy, has the world changed since the 2020 State of the Union! Given the pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, a tanking economy, the presidential election, and an insurrection, I had some major changes to make to this year’s bingo cards.
Luckily, a few things have stayed the same! President Biden will speak sometime soon – we’re still waiting to get a definite date. The speech should be full of applause, some signature phrases from the President, some more applause, and a whole lot of political theater.
Otherwise, we can probably expect the same type of speech – long and not that exciting. But you can make it a bit more interesting with these bingo cards.
Bingo Fun with the 2021 State of the Union
When I taught US Government, students were required to watch, but I wanted to make the process a bit more exciting. While there are a lot of bingo cards available on the internet, it’s usually just a single card. I wanted to make it more exciting for my students by making more cards. Nothing roped in my students faster than competition!
Just quick notes on the cards themselves: There are 4 different cards. Players will spend most of their time listening for the terms on their cards. However, the ones in italics are actions – look for those!
Directions for 2021 SOTU Bingo
For funsies:
Since we’re in the middle of a pandemic, please don’t invite people over to watch. Instead, share the cards electronically with family and friends. Each person can print their own or use the digital versions. Enjoy!
For teachers:
If you’re in person, copy the bingo card on 1 side and the watching guide on the other. I required students to complete the watching guide by the next class.
This year I’ve added a Google Slides version for remote learners! You can get the link in the PDF download!
If students don’t have access to a TV during the speech, it will also be on the radio and the internet. They will be able to watch it almost immediately afterward on the internet.
In class, we spent most of our time going over the viewing guide and it always led to some interesting conversation. It’s also useful to follow some of the president’s proposals over time – which ones progress and which ones don’t.
Hope this makes the 2021 State of the Union a bit more fun!
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