In groups or pairs, each get one set of cards. Groups divide cards into Plus cards, Minus cards, and Double cards (For a standard set of 9: 4 Plus, 4 Minus, 1 Double). Repeat with timer. Groups see where they put the last card called, and get (or lose) a point. If the card is their double card, their current points double.
Draw a 10 block wide by any height square. Pick a random group to answer the question. Show the first card (or ask the question). The group answers with the corresponding sentence/answer. One member from the group picks a random piece out of a box/bag, and places it on the game board. The pieces can’t be suspended in the middle of the board (must follow gravity like Tetris). The group that hits the top line is eliminated, or the game resets.
Worksheet instructions:
Game rules: STS are in groups and each ST gets the above mentioned worksheet. On the blackboard/PowerPoint have the list of words needed for the blank spaces in the sentences. STS work together to put the correct words into the blank squares and then work out the word that the special letters are spelling.
I have attached the worksheet I made for my class, but sadly I can’t make a template for this as it is dependent on the language of the class.
The students make groups and get one set of small flashcards. Each group has the same number of ohajiki (or erasers etc.). Students can put their ohajiki on any of the cards. More than one student can put their ohajiki on the same card if they like.
The teacher sets a timer and calls random vocabulary until time runs out. The students repeat. Each group gets one point for each ohajiki they have on the card that was last called.
In later rounds, the groups start with a certain number of points and lose one point for each ohajiki on the card that is called last.
Teachers: Demonstration, praise students for good communication. Call the target English until the timer goes off.
Students: Place their ohajiki, repeat the teachers, see how many points they win.
Split the classroom (not STS but actual room) into two sections: A and B. You can place signs on each side of the class if you want to for clarity or you can just say it. Split the flashcards on the board into groups A and B.
STS have a short amount of time to decide what section they want to be in. STS stand up and move to the side they decided on. Once STS have decided, ALT/JTE sets a timer and calls the target English. STS repeat. When the timer sounds, STS standing in the section of the last called flashcard get 1 point! Give STS a chance to change groups if they want to between each round.
I played this with my JHS class and found they didn’t change groups between rounds. So to make it more interesting I kept secret what group of flashcards was A and what one was B. I also did round 1 as plus 1 point and round 2 as -1 point. The final round I made a ridiculous number like -100 points and +100 points, and found this got a good reaction out of the STS
A timer is set, and the teacher picks a card from the first set, and says the appropriate target English. The students repeat, then a card from the second set is picked, with the teacher saying the target English and the students repeating again. If the two cards match (that is, they form a correct sentence like [Vietnam] is in [Asia]), the class gets one point and a card from the first set is picked again. This continues until time runs out.
STS are arranged into groups. Write each groups number on the blackboard and assign a flashcard to each group. On the blackboard next to the group numbers, shuffle and place separate number cards 1~9 face down (if doing 9 groups. Adjust the maximum number to the amount of groups you are playing with. E.g if there are 5 groups, do 1~5).
ALT/JTE sets a timer and calls the target English. When the timer sounds, the last called flashcard indicates a group. This group can choose a number between 1~9. Once they have chosen the number, reveal the face down cards next to the group numbers on the blackboard. The group that has the number that was chosen is eliminated. Continue until one group remains!
STS are in groups and each ST is given a worksheet. The worksheet has the target English questions. For example, I did this for reviewing ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘why’, and ‘how’ so I had these 6 questions with some spaces below. As a group, STS come up with answers that answer the question. The goal is to write the craziest answers and make the craziest story in the class! At the end of the writing time, have groups present their stories to the class.
If you have spare time, you could also have the class vote on the best story.
I played this with my JHS Grade 2 students and they got really into it.
This kind of activity also works as a fill in the blank – so give STS set sentences with blank spaces that they have to fill in (again with the idea of making crazy sentences).
Each flashcard is assigned a random multiplier, for example ‘x2’, ‘+10’, ‘/3’, ‘-20’. A ‘high score’ is written on the board, which is the number to beat (this can be an arbitrary number, the previous class’s score, etc). Students repeat the teacher until the timer goes off, and whichever multiplier that is under the card that’s called last becomes the first part of the ‘maths line’ sum. This continues until there are no more rounds. The result of the sum is written down, and if it beats the ‘high score’, the class wins.
Place the flashcards in an square grid (i.e. 2×2, 3×3, etc). Students repeat the teacher until the timer goes off, and whichever card is called last becomes the keyword. The dice is rolled. If it rolls a 1, the vertical line of cards the keyword card is on are turned to be face down. If it is a 2, the horizontal line is turned around. 3 is left diagonal, 4 is right diagonal, 5 is both horizontal and vertical and 6 is both diagonal directions, all centred from whichever card is the keyword. If a card is already face down when it is selected by the dice, it is turned back to face up.
If you don’t have enough magnets to turn the cards face down on the board, you can just remove them and put them back up as necessary.
