Wiki race in the classroom: a lesson guide for teachers
A wiki race is a simple game: everyone starts on the same Wikipedia article and races to reach a target article using only the links inside the articles. In a classroom it turns into much more than a game. Students practise reading quickly for what matters, judging which link is most likely to lead somewhere useful, and explaining how two ideas connect. A round takes ten to fifteen minutes and needs no preparation beyond choosing two articles.
What you need
- One device per student or per pair: a laptop, a Chromebook, a tablet or a phone. Everything runs in the browser.
- A projector or a shared screen for the room code and the results.
- A free room at hyperhop.app/race. Students don't need accounts or an app, only the code and a name.
Running a race, step by step
- Open a room. On hyperhop.app/race, type your name, choose the Wikipedia language and pick "Choose your own" to enter two articles from your topic. For a first game, leave the links on "No limit"; later, set six or eight links to make it harder.
- Put the code on the board. Students open the same page, type the four-letter code under "Have a code?" and enter their first name or a team name.
- Explain the rules. Only the links inside the article count. No search box, no typing addresses. Going back counts as a move too. Fewest links wins, and time breaks a tie.
- Start the race. The articles appear for everyone at the same moment. While they play, everyone sees how many links the others have used.
- Talk about the routes. At the end the standings show every student's route, and for pairs taken from Hyperhop's puzzles, a shortest route too. This is where most of the learning happens.
Lesson ideas by subject
Pick a start that students know and a target from your lesson, or the other way round. The further apart the two seem, the more thinking the route takes.
History
Ask students to travel through time: from "Ancient Rome" to "Pizza", or from "Leonardo da Vinci" to "Helicopter". Afterwards, ask which article worked as the bridge between the two periods.
Science
Connect a cause to an effect: from "Volcano" to "Climate change", or from "Honey bee" to "Almond". Routes often pass through the processes you are teaching, which makes for a good discussion of how one thing leads to another.
Geography
From "Amazon rainforest" to "Coffee", or from a country to a product it is known for. Students end up reading about trade, climate and history on the way.
Literature
From a book to a real place, such as "Romeo and Juliet" to "Verona", or from an author to the period they wrote in.
Maths
From an idea to where it is used: from "Pythagorean theorem" to "Global Positioning System". It is a quiet way to answer "when will we ever use this?"
Language classes
Set the room's Wikipedia language to the language you teach. Fifteen languages are available, including Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese. Students read real articles in the language and have a reason to understand them quickly.
Questions for the discussion afterwards
- Which article was your bridge between the start and the target?
- Why did you choose that link and not another one?
- Where did you get stuck, and how did you get out?
- What did you learn along the way that you didn't expect?
- Was the shortest route a surprise? What made it short?
Variations that work well
- Pairs or teams. One device per team and students take turns choosing the link, out loud. The talk is often more useful than the race.
- Explain your route. As an exit ticket, students write two sentences on how their start and target are connected.
- Fewer links. Once they know the game, set a limit of six links so every click needs a reason.
- Reverse race. Play the same pair the other way round and compare. The routes are rarely the same.
A few practical notes
- Wikipedia is written for a general audience, and links can lead almost anywhere. With younger students, keep an eye on screens as you would with any open website.
- If you'd rather not use real names, let students choose team names. A room and the names in it are deleted 24 hours after it is opened.
- A room holds up to 60 players, enough for a whole class or a year group.
- Rooms are free, with no sign-up for you or your students.
Common questions
What age is a wiki race for?
It works best from about ten years old, once students read comfortably. Younger classes can play in teams with one confident reader at the keyboard.
Do students need an account?
No. They open the page, type the room code and a name, and play.
How long does a round take?
Usually five to fifteen minutes, depending on the pair and the link limit. Leave a few minutes for the discussion.