Picture it: neon lights buzzing overhead, the scent of fresh pretzels wafting through the air, and a food court full of friends deciding where to go next. The mall was the place to be in the ‘80s and ‘90s—until everything changed. Fast forward to today, and those once-thriving shopping centers have become eerie, empty echoes of a bygone era.Â
But what if you could bring that energy back and turn it into an epic classroom experience?
Say hello to Everything Must Go, a high-energy, strategy-packed, and totally gnarly classroom game that takes the classic review session and cranks it up to eleven. In this retro-inspired trip through the waning days of mall madness, instead of just answering questions and moving on, your students will compete as rival retailers, fighting to keep their stores alive in a mall that’s falling apart one phase at a time. Will they go all-in on Brick & Mortar for quick cash, play it safe with Mail Order Catalogs, or bet it all on Online Storefronts and hope for a massive late-game payout? The choice is theirs—but only the savviest retailers will survive!
What we really love about this activity is how it compels students to fuse content knowledge with creative problem solving as they flex skill, strategy, and social savvy to become the rightful rulers of this fledgling retail space. Everything Must Go isn’t just about answering questions—it’s about playing the game. Every round, students earn revenue based on their answers and decide where to invest it. But this mall-themed review activity is no walk in the food court! Wildcards can shake up the competition at any moment, bringing booms, busts, and totally unexpected twists. Think you’ve got the perfect strategy? Think again! From flash sales to freak power outages, the market is always shifting, and only the most adaptable retailers will come out on top.
The best part? This retro retail rumble is as easy to run as your favorite arcade machine at the local mall’s food court (RIP!). Teachers don’t need to prep a long list of questions in advance or create complicated rules—just ask a question on the fly, assign a point value, and let the game take care of the rest! Whether you’re teaching history, math, science, or literature, this adaptable format ensures every classroom can jump in and start playing. No complicated setup, no lengthy instructions—just press start and watch engagement skyrocket!
This exclusive EMC² Learning resource is included in your annual site membership to our ever-expanding collection of low-prep, high-energy activities. And trust us—it’s worth it. With student-friendly score sheets, printable wildcards, and a full slideshow presentation, everything is set up to drop into your lesson plans today. Whether you’re reviewing content, prepping for an assessment, or just looking for a rad new way to engage your students, this activity delivers all sorts of retro-inspired fun and excitement.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your favorite neon t-shirt, sharpen your business instincts, and join the virtual mega mall that is EMC² Learning today. We’ll meet you at the food court!
The activities featured in this blog post are just a handful of the 900+ resources available and on their way to arrive shortly in the EMC² Learning library. This entire library is available to all members with an active Engagement Engineer or Engagement Engineer PLUS account, and is included with your annual site membership. We hope you’ll consider joining us as an Engagement Engineer to unlock a full year of site access. For complete details including our exclusive limited time offer for annual site membership, click here.
