Recommended level: Junior high grade 3

Tree Game (Output Variation)

Also known as:

  • Tree Game

Description

Students make pairs and receive one copy of the game sheet, one dice and 3 ohajiki of a different colour (e.g.. 3 red and 3 yellow). Students then place their ohajiki in each of the boxes marked A-F along the top. Only one ohajiki can be placed in each box and players can’t share a box. An eraser is then placed in the [START] box at the bottom of the tree. The ALT/JTE starts a timer for 3-5min.

Players janken and the winner rolls the dice. If the outcome is a 1, 2, or 3, the eraser is moved to the upper left box. If the outcome is a 4, 5 or 6, the eraser is moved to the upper right box. Both players then repeat the target English in the box. The next player then rolls the dice and the game continues until the eraser lands in one of the top lettered boxes. Whoever’s ohajiki is in the final box wins one point. The eraser is then reset at the [START] and players can rearrange their ohajiki. 

The game repeats until the timer ends. Players then compare points to determine the winner. Players can then rotate pairs for another round with a new partner. 

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Janken Elimination

Description

Students are in pairs and each pair has one or two sets of small flashcards. They shuffle the cards and place them face down between themselves. On the blackboard, assign each of the big flashcards a point value.

Students janken. The winner gets to choose and turn over a card. The pair says the target English together. The winner of janken gets that card. This continues until there are no more cards face down. Students then count how many points they won!

Missing Word Hunt

Description

Before the lesson, set aside sets of flashcards made up of 5 out of the 9 words. Make sure there is enough flashcards for each student to get 1 card. Each student is given a worksheet and a small flashcard. They keep the flashcard secret from their friends. There are 4 secret flashcards that no student has been given. The student’s goal is to work out what these 4 flashcards are.

First students mark on their worksheet what flashcard they have been given. Students all stand up and make a pair. Pair exchanges the target English and they mark down what flashcard their friend told them. At the end of the round, all students then write down their guesses for what the 4 secret flashcards are. Reveal the answer and check how many students got right!

Notes

I played this with just vocabulary but it can probably be played with answer only and question/answer.

For the demonstration, I only had 3 cards: 2 which were handed out (one to ALT and one to HRT) and we had to guess what the 1 secret flashcard was. Then we explained that during the game there is actually 4 secret flashcards and 5 flashcards that friends might have.

Donut Prediction Game

Description

After reviewing all of the necessary vocabular and grammar, students make two donuts for two connected grammars, for example country and food or time and daily activities.

Students decide who starts, and that student tries to guess what cards they will turn over, for example: “I get up at 6”. Then they select and turn over a card from only one of the donuts. If that card matches their prediction, then they can get 1 point. If not, for example, they turn over the 7 o’clock card, they then use that card to make a new prediction: “I get up at 7”. Then they select and turn over a card from the other donut. If this card is a match, they can get 1 point, for a second chance at getting points. They can get 0, 1 or 2 points for each turn. Then play moves to the next student.

Notes

This game was originally shown to me by Aireen in a kenshu.

This should only be used when students can produce the language. The outcomes are limited, but not decided, so they will need to know the vocab and target grammar.

I sometimes use this as a single donut and a single vocab after playing the donut game. I did this with 3rd grade students with the vocab “what do you want? / I want a red heart”. We played it immediately after the normal donut game.

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Character Battle

Description

Students make groups. One volunteer from each group quickly draws a character on the board. Each character is given 20 ‘HP’ life bar. A flashcard is placed over each character.

Groups are randomly chosen. The chosen group first picks who to attack by making a sentence using the flashcard above it. They then roll a dice to see how much damage they do, taking that many ‘HP’ from their life bar. A group that is attacked gets a ‘shield’ for the next round and can’t be attacked. If a character’s life bar drops to zero, they lose – but can attack as a zombie, where the damage they roll is doubled.

Notes

It’s best to put a very strict limit on how long the students have to draw their character, or they’ll get too distracted!

Up vs Down

Description

Students make pairs and get one set of cards and a die. The first player gets points for face down cards and the second gets points for face up cards. The students place all their cards face up in a 3×3 grid. A timer is set for 1 minute.

The first player rolls the die and turns over as many cards as the number they rolled. Both players say the target English for each of the cards as they’re turned face down. The next player then rolls the die and can turns that many cards back face up, again, with both students saying the appropriate target English as they go.

When the round is finished, the winner is the player with the most cards facing in their direction. Players then switch who is the face up and face down player. After that, the pairs can be rotated.

Notes

Rounds should be short, though the length depends on the length of the target English they’re using.

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Secret Number

Description

Vocabulary cards placed on the board are assigned even numbers from 2-18 (assuming 9 cards). The students make groups and each group gets a whiteboard and pen. The teacher randomly picks an odd number from 1-19.

The students repeat the teacher calling the target English until the timer goes off, and whichever card is called last becomes the keyword. Each round, the teacher says if their chosen number is ‘up’ or ‘down’ from the keyword’s assigned number. Each group writes what number they think the teacher might have picked.

One group can volunteer to guess at the teacher’s number. If they get it right, the groups that had the correct number get one point and the teacher picks a new number. If they don’t, the teacher keeps the same number into the next round. This continues until the rounds are up, and the group with the most points wins!

Secret Vocab

Description

The teacher picks a small flashcard and keeps it a secret. Students repeat the teacher until the timer goes off, and whichever card is called last becomes the keyword. If the keyword matches, the class wins one point, and the teacher picks a new small flashcard. This continues until all the rounds are complete.

Quick Janken Discard Game

Description

Class vs the teacher. The flashcards are on the blackboard. ALT/HRT sets a timer and calls the target English. The students repeat. When the timer sounds, the last called flashcard is the keyword. Using a set of small flashcards, the ALT/HRT discards cards one at a time until the keyword is found. The amount of discarded cards is the amount of points to be won. One student volunteer plays janken against the HRT. The winner of janken wins the amounts of points indicated by cards discarded. After a few rounds the team with the most points is the winner!

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Red Riding Hood

Description

On the blackboard, draw a house and 15 spaces going toward the house. Split the class into two teams and designate one team as Mr Wolf and the other team as Red Riding Hood. Place Red Riding Hood on space 5 and place Mr Wolf on space 1. 

ALT/HRT sets a timer and calls the target English and students repeat. When the timer sounds, 1 student from the Red Riding Hood team rolls the dice. ALT/HRT moves the game piece that many space forward. Next 1 student from Mr Wolf team rolls the dice. ALT/HRT moves the game piece that many spaces forward. If Mr Wolf lands on the same space as Red Riding Hood, team Mr Wolf wins. If Red Riding Hood makes it home without Mr Wolf landing on the same space, Red Riding Hood team wins.