Time: 15 minutes

Lucky Combination Hunt

Description

Students are in groups and each group has two sets of flashcards (the two sets that make the target sentence). The groups shuffle the cards and place them face down in their group.

ALT/HRT sets a timer and calls the target English at random, creating random combinations of one card from each set. When the timer sounds, the last called combination is the lucky combination. Continue this until all combinations have been created (e.g. if you have 9 flashcards in both sets, make 9 combinations).

Once all combinations have been created, students then take turns in their groups to turn over the cards, trying to find the lucky combinations. When they find a matching combination, the group gets one point. If the two cards they opened do not match the combination on the blackboard, both cards are turned face down. 

Notes

I play this as an input/output hybrid game so when students are turning over the cards in their groups, have them challenge the target English as a group. I did this with the schedule unit for grade 4 and found it was quite effective and the groups were able to say the target English to a level that I was very happy about. 

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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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Secret Alphabet Colouring

Description

Each student is given a small flashcard which is kept secret. For round one, give them one card of ‘E’, ‘T’, ‘A’, ‘I’, ‘J’, ‘H’, ‘P’, ‘Y’, or ‘Q’, and a worksheet (for round one the worksheet with ‘E’ in the top left space). Students colour in the square corresponding to the secret card they were given. 

Students make a pair and janken. The loser tells the winner their secret card. The winner colours in the square corresponding to the letter they were told. Students then make a new pair and the flow continues. As students colour in more letters, the shape of a specific letter should become apparent on the grid. This is the secret letter (Round 1 = ‘F’). 

Notes

For round 2, the flashcards that need to be handed out are ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘L’, ‘M’, ‘N’, ‘S’, ‘X’, ‘W’, ‘V’ and the worksheet is the one with ‘A’ in the top left corner. Secret letter = ‘S’

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!

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!

Line Bingo

Description

Place 4 flashcards on the board. Students are put into pairs and each pair is given a set of small flashcards. The pair takes out the 4 flashcards that are on the board and arrange them into a line in any order they want.

ALT/HRT sets a timer and calls the target English. Students repeat. When the timer sounds, the last called flashcard is the keyword. All pairs who placed that card at either end of the line can turn it over. If the card is in the middle, they cannot turn it over. The card that was next to the card that was turned over becomes the new end card and can be turned over if it is the keyword in another round. The first group to get bingo are the winners!

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PPT Monster Game

Description

Split the class into groups based on how many vocab flashcards you have. Each group is assigned a flashcard. Repeat with a timer. The last card called is the group that gets to attack. One student is chosen to roll a dice for attack. Every three rounds student can pick one box to open for a power up. 

Notes

  • With grades 3 and 4 I find you don’t need groups to get points for defeating the monster, as they are happy just beating it. 5th grade and up may need to points for extra incentive.
  • I found letting the students use the power up 3 times helped the game move along faster, as an unlucky class will have a tough time getting past round 3.
  • The last three rounds are ‘boss’ rounds where the monster has phases, and refills their health bar.
  • Rounds 1-3: 7 health points. Rounds 4-6: 13 points. Rounds 7+8: 26 points. Round 9: 39 points.

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