Time: 15 minutes

The Rugby Game

Description

Players: 1v1 or 2v2

Each group receives a game board, a deck of red mini cards and a deck of green mini cards. Students decide who will be the red team and who will be the green team.

The red team starts at the ‘start’ line and green team starts at the ‘goal’ line. Both decks are shuffled and placed face-down in front of each team. The red team’s goal is to make it to the ‘goal’ line while the green team are trying to stop them.

Start a timer for 3-4 minutes.

The red team draws the top card of their deck and places it on the field while repeating the target English on the card. They can place their card anywhere on the starting line. The green team then draws the top card of their deck and places it anywhere on their starting line while repeating the target English.

Players repeat their turns, placing cards on the field. Cards can only be placed either on the starting line or where an arrow from a previously placed card is pointing.

If a team wants to take over an occupied square, both teams play janken. The winner places their card on the space and the loser card is returned to the bottom of the deck.

If the red team reaches the goal line, they receive 6 points and all cards are shuffled into the deck. Play then repeats until the timer ends. If the red team has not made it to the goal line when the timer ends but have placed a card on either the 2 point or 4 point line, they receive that many points. The red team then adds up their total points.

Teams then switch starting positions. Green team is now attempts to score while the red team tries to stop them. A new timer is set for round 2. After the timer ends, both teams compare points to determine the winner.

Notes

The images on the cards can be changed to match the target english for the unit. 

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The Unlucky Donut Game

Description

This game can be played 2v2 in teams.

1. Each group receives a deck of mini cards that contains 3 donut bomb cards and one dice. The cards are shuffled and arranged on the desk in a circle shape.

2. Team 1 rolls the dice. They then flip over cards into the center of the circle up to the number they rolled (minimum 1). They do not have to flip over every card, they can stop at any time. Everyone repeats the target English on each card that is flipped over. If they have not flipped over a bomb card, the team keeps the cards they have flipped over.

3. If a donut bomb card is flipped over, the turn immediately ends. The team does not receive any cards. All cards flipped over are returned to the circle and the bomb card is removed from play.

4. Team 2 then take their turn. Turns repeat until all cards have been collected. The team with the most cards wins 1 point. All cards are then shuffled and the game is reset for round 2.

Notes

  • The cards in the attached file can be edited for any target English. ‘Right click’ + ‘change picture’ is the easiest method.
  • Feel free to make any changes to the rules. Variations are welcome.

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Shut the Box

Description

This game can be played 1v1 or 2v2. 

Each group receives a game board, 12 mini cards and two dice. The mini cards are shuffled and placed face-up in the spaces on the game board. Repeating cards are ok if you have less than 12 target English terms. Students then decide which pair will go first.

Team 1 rolls both dice and adds the two numbers together (e.g. 3 + 5 = 8). They then flip as many cards on the board face-down as possible adding up to their total (e.g. 8 = card 5 & 3 or card 7 & 1 or card 4, 3 & 1 etc.) Students repeat the target English for each card as they flip it over. Team 1 then takes a second turn rolling both dice and flipping over cards. Team 1’s round ends when they can no longer flip over any cards. Team 1 then count how many cards they managed to flip over. 

The cards are then shuffled and returned face up on the board. Team 2 roll the dice and take their turns. Once team 2 can no longer flip over any cards, both teams compare how many cards they flipped over and the team with the most cards wins 1 point. Both teams can continue playing until the teacher calls ‘finished.’ Pairs can then shuffle around the room if time allows for more rounds.

Notes

  • This game can be played 1v1 but playing 2v2 allows for more peer support. 

    A potential variation is to have one team trying to flip cards face-up while the other team tries to flip cards face-down. That way teams can alternate their turns. Feel free to try any variations to the rules.

Pass the Bomb

Description

Each group receives a deck of cards and a bomb token. Each deck contains a mix of target English cards and ONE explosion card.

The deck in shuffled and placed in the center of the group. Students play janken to decide who starts with the bomb token. Each student starts with 5 points. The starting student flips over the top card of the deck and repeats the target English on the card.

The student then passes the bomb token left/right/across depending on the direction of the arrow on the card and the number or places (e.g. 2 left, 3 right etc). The student who receives the bomb token then flips over the next card. If a student flips over the explosion card, the round ends and the student loses one point.

All cards are then shuffled back into the deck and the next round is played. Play continues until the teacher calls ‘finished.’ Students then count how many points they have remaining and the student with the most points left is the winner.

Notes

  • The file attached is for the target English “I want to be a~” but can be changed for any other target English. 
  • The first sheet of cards is enough for one group. 
  • You can add more than one explosion card to the deck but the students tend to find it more exciting if there’s only one in the deck.

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Card Attack

Description

The students make groups. Each group is assigned a vocabulary card and picks which Card Attack card they want to use (from a choice of any random 3 cards). Each group’s chosen card is put on the board, below their vocabulary card.

A group is randomly picked. The class asks the target English question to that group, who then pick another group to attack by giving an answer that uses that group’s assigned vocabulary card.

Depending what card they have, they will do from 1-3 damage. They also do bonus damage, or have their damage reduced based on what type of card they are attacking. Red cards do +1 damage to green cards but -1 damage to blue cards, and so on. Stronger cards do more damage but have less health. Any group that lands the final attack that reduces their opponent’s health to zero or below wins one point. Groups whose card is defeated get to pick a new card.

Notes

  • There are three sets of card types, each with a ‘triangle’ of effectiveness. The most simple way to play the game is to first only use one set of cards (for example, red, green and blue), and introduce the other two sets later in the game (or from the second time the game is played onwards, after the students have become familiar with the rules).
  • It is advisable to print out and show the effectiveness charts (see ‘Card Attack Chart.pdf’) and leave them on the board so the students can refer to them while they play.
  • You can either print and cut out the ‘marble’ images (also in the ‘Card Attack Chart.pdf’ file) and put small magnets on them to use as damage counters, or just keep track of everything by drawing marks on the board manually.
  • In this version of the game, the whole class plays together in their groups. In this case, you’ll want to use the full page cards in the latter part of the ‘Card Attack.pdf’ file.
  • This game can also be played within groups (or in pairs) by printing and using the small cards at the beginning of ‘Card Attack.pdf’. It’s recommended that you play this version of the game after the whole class has played together before.
  • While the game may seem rather complicated, many students are familiar with how this type of game generally works! Just make sure to demonstrate that attacks do +1 damage to cards they are strong against, -1 damage to cards they are weak against, and that the team who deals the final blow to a card wins one point.
  • An easy way to ensure a different group is picked randomly each time, while still ensuring that each group gets a turn, is to have use small number cards. Shuffle the deck and pick a card, and the group that matches the card has a turn. Leave that number card out of the deck for subsequent turns, until all groups have been selected at which point all the cards are shuffled back together and used again.

Lucky Dice

Description

Students are in groups of 4. Each student is assigned a number 1-4.

ALT/HRT sets a timer and calls the target English. When the timer sounds, the ALT/HRT rolls a die. If a 1 is rolled, then all students numbered 1 get 1 point. If a 2 is rolled, then all students numbered 2 get 1 point. If a 3 is rolled, then all students numbered 3 get 1 point. If a 4 is rolled, then all students numbered 4 get 1 point.

If a 5 is rolled, all students get 1 point. If a 6 is rolled, all students lose 1 point.

Notes

The first time I played this we used a spinning wheel instead of a die which also worked well.

Timer Dice

Description

STS make groups and get a set of cards. Each group picks 3 cards. At the start, all cards are worth 3 points. The STS repeat the HRT/ALT as they call out the vocabulary until the timer goes off. The HRT/ALT then rolls a dice. The number from the dice becomes how many points the last card that was called is worth. After 6 rounds, the game is finished and the groups see how many points their 3 cards are worth in total.

Notes

  • The number of cards each group picks will depend on how many total cards there are in the set. The more cards in total, the more cards the students should pick at the start of the round (a good amount is roughly 50%).
  • The amount of cards picked can change each round to add a sense of development in the game.

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Card Battle

Description

  • Students get pairs and a set of cards. Split the cards evenly between them, leaving one out (kept secret!). Students can see their own cards, but are secret from their pair.
  • The teacher gives values 1-9 to each card on the board. Higher cards win, except a 1 will beat a 9.
  • Janken. The winner asks the question, and loser answer with any of their cards. Loser then asks the question, and the winner answers with a card.
  • The card with the higher value wins, and that student gets 1 point.
  • Check points and switch pairs every few minutes.

Notes

  • With multiple sets of cards this could be done with a group, although I haven’t tried it.
  • You could do this with just the answer as well.
  • 1 beats 9 so the 9 card isn’t too strong. Feel free to experiment with different values and rules to make it more difficult/strategic. 
  • Inspired by the board game Stratego.

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Territory Game

Description

Students make pairs. They get one set of cards and a territory game board. They shuffle and place 6 of the cards on the middle two rows of the board. The teacher sets a timer and the students janken. The loser asks the winner the question, and the winner answers by choosing a certain card. They can then move the card to an adjacent space, as long as there is no other card on that space already. A card can’t be moved more than one space at a time, or past any other card that’s blocking the path. When time is up, each student gets one point for each card that is on their half of the board.

Notes

  • If using the template version, print it at A3 size and the spaces will be the right size for small (roughly 9.2 x 6.5cm) cards to go on in the spaces.
  • This game can be used to practice vocabulary, grammar, or questions and answers.
  • To practice vocabulary or grammar without using a question, the students janken and the winner simply says the target English that matches the card they choose to move.

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Search Game

Description

The students put all their cards face down. The teacher calls out the target English and the students repeat, until a timer goes off. The last card that was called is the key word. Students each pick one card and turn it over when the teacher says ‘go’. If a student turns over a card that matches the key word, they get one point. If no one gets the matching card, each student picks another card and turns it over when the teacher says ‘go’ again, until the card is found. They then shuffle the cards face down and start the next round.

Notes

  • An important point to this game is you don’t want students racing to turn over cards, as that will make things messy and disorganised (and unfair). Make sure that students wait for you to say ‘go’ before turning over one single card. You’ll need to say ‘go’ as many times it would take for each group to turn over every card, even if some groups find it on the first or second try.
  • The size of groups will depend on the number of cards you have in each set. For example, if you have 6 cards, it makes sense to play in pairs as this would give both players 3 chances to find the keyword. If you have 9 cards, playing in groups of 3 also gives each player 3 chances.
  • If you have a number of cards that doesn’t divide evenly between the students playing (e.g. prime numbers where the number isn’t equal to the number of students playing), one or more cards will not be turned over in a round. For example, if there are 7 cards and students are playing in pairs, after 3 chances to find the keyword there will be one card left. If this left over card is the keyword, then no one wins a point for that round.