COURTESY PHOTO

Promotional photo shows a religion teacher using Catholic Jeopardy! in her classroom.

What is the newest educational tool for classrooms?

Catholic Jeopardy! tests knowledge of faith, trivia

By Eileen Connelly, OSU

ARCHDIOCESE - Welcome to Jeopardy! No, it's not the nightly television version of the popular quiz show featuring the dapper Alex Trebek.

It's Classroom Jeopardy! Catholic Edition, released in October by the Pflaum Publishing Group, which gained the exclusive rights to produce and distribute the game.

As demonstrated by Pflaum representative Bill Kapcar, a member of St. Columban Parish in Loveland, to members of The Catholic Telegraph staff, Catholic Jeopardy! looks, plays and sounds just like game show, making it a fun, interactive way learn about our faith.

Available Classroom Jeopardy! Catholic Edition game cartridges include "Catholic Basics Level 1" and "Catholic Basics Level 2," along with language arts and math for grades three, four and five. Each game cartridge includes a round of Single Jeopardy!, Double Jeopardy! and Final Jeopardy! and a total of 300 clues. Cartridges sell for $28 a piece.

All of the games play on the Classroom Jeopardy base unit, also distributed by Pflaum, at a cost of $499. The system consists of three remote joysticks for contestants, one scoreboard, a host remote, antenna, easy-connect cables, software and a USB link, for downloading custom-created content from a PC.

"Some parishes have suggested paying for this with funds generated from an 'out of uniform' day at their elementary schools," Kapcar noted.

Developed for a wide audience, the game can be used in traditional classroom settings, parish schools of religion, catechist formation, Confirmation or other retreats, family game nights, whole community events, church festivals and fundraising activities, Kapcar said. The "Catholic Basics Level 1" game cartridge offers categories such as Parade of Saints, Biblical Sites, The Rosary and Pope-Pourri. Categories including It's a Miracle, The Life of Jesus, Books of the Bible and You Have the Rite are featured on the "Catholic Basics Level 2" cartridge.

Teachers and catechists can also create their own games to review and reinforce any lessons they are teaching, noted Kapcar, by using the Classroom Jeopardy! CD software to type clues on a PC or Mac, then download them to a blank cartridge.

"I think this game will create a lot of enthusiasm in Catholic schools and parishes throughout the U.S.," said Kapcar, a former Catholic school teacher himself. "I presented this game at the Office for Cathechesis for the Archdiocese of Chicago and they could not stop playing."

"With the launch of Catholic Jeopardy! Pflaum brings a level of interactivity and education to religious education tools that we've never seen before," said Bret D. Thomas, president and publisher. "Yet Catholic Jeopardy! is consistent with our vision of providing sound catechetical materials to help children learn about our faith."

Kapcar estimated several dozen orders had been placed nationally at press time for Catholic Jeopardy! and said the game had already generated local interest, including at St. Mary's Parish in Oxford where it was purchased for use on a retreat. Kapcar said he is looking forward to demonstrating the game at area schools and parishes.

To play a sample game of Catholic Jeopardy! or place an order, visit www.pflaum.com/jeopardy.