Ideas & Games for 7th & 8th Graders
Hello Masayo,
Before I begin with my ideas, I just want to tell you that my son (19 years
old) is learning Japanese and is loving it!! I was trying to learn along
with him, but he has definitely taken off and left me in the dust!
Ideas for 7th graders: I have taught middle school and now teach elementary
school and games work very well.
For teaching vocabulary, try learning the TPR Storytelling method by Blaine
Ray. Very active, fun and extremely effective.
Games you can play as a large group: Bingo, lotto, correct-the-teacher,
Battleship, Tic Tac Toe,survey activities, creating books, baseball, circle
games (Magic circle for example), Telephone game (dress the king!), Mix and
Match, non-musical musical chairs, musical stuffy (pass a stuffy around and
when the music stops, whoever has it has to answer a question), relays,
packing suitcases, Hide an object game, etc.
Games in small groups (2 to 4): Battleship, tic tac toe, card games, board
games (such as Chutes and Ladders), dice games, memory, market place at
tables, orcering in a cafe at tables, etc.
Here is a start. If you want more details on any of these (you may not know
the rules), let me know!
Catherine
Hello!
I explained baseball and Mix and Match in another response so you should
find it on the posts. If you don't write me again and I will gladly type it
for you. (I have them saved on my computer at school).
Telephone game.
Line up kids in lines- 2 makes it more difficult, 3 a little easier. have
some objects, flashcards, etc that would match the French you are using. I
use it with vocabulary words, short sentences using adjectives. You can use
it with clothes and dress the king! Then whisper a word, phrase, whatever,
in the ear of the person at the end of each line. At your cue, the person
at the end of the line has to whisper it down so that it will eventually
get to the beginning of the line and the person at the front has to
physically pick up the flashcard or object and share with us what it is.
(or hand it to the king who will get dressed!)
I also play it less competitively that each line gets a different word and
that we just have to have each line get whatever I gave them. (I use this
method for first and second graders)
Packing the suitcase
Have some clothes, doll clothes work well and use them to present the
vocabulary. When the kids are beginning to have a feel for the vocab. , and
you have the clothes strewn all over, ask them to help you pack the suitcase
by saying:please put the shirt in the suitcase,e tc until everything is
packed.
When the kids have a pretty good recall for the vocabulary you can alter the
activity by having them pack it according to the weather. You can also
bring in weather maps of countries in which the target language is spoken
(the internet is great for this- find one, print it, make a transparency,
voilà!) and pretend you are traveling there. What do we need? (Get
weather maps from around the world and the weather will be drastically
different- Quebec, France, Senegal, for example in February for example)
Non-musical chairs
I just got this at a swap this fall and it is great fun!
Have the kids sit in a circle, with their chairs. Hand out pictures of
vocab or whatever you are practicing. 3 or 4 kids should have the same
pictures. so you are probably working with 5 or 6 words, phrases. You are
at the center and you have a card. You tell them you want a chair and this
is how you are going to try and get it: you will say a word other than the
card that you are holding, and everybody with that card must get up and find
a different chair, and you are going to sneak in and try to take one of
theirs. The next person in the middle will need to repeat the process. make
sure you tell them that the purpose is to not get stuck in the middle. My
little ones" reaction? In every class I heard someone saying: "This is
fun!" and they keep asking for me to play it again.
Hope this helps!
Catherine
SPOONS, by Dana Jordan Students should form groups of 4 or 5. Each group is playing their own
separate game. Each group receives a deck of cards. Each deck has ten (or
however many you want, but ten works good for me) different vocab words.
For each word there are 4 cards--2 in English and 2 in the TL. For example,
if the vocab word is "rojo" ther are two cards that say "rojo" and two cards
that say "red". In total each deck has 40 cards (10 words x 4 per word)
You also need a spoon for the number of people in the group minus one. For
a group of four, three spoons are needed. I also have little cards with the
letters F, U, E, R, A (for non-Spanish, "fuera" means "out") on them.
The object: When someone has all four matching cards (the two words in
English and the two words in Spanish--all the same word, not two separate
matches) he/she grabs a spoon and the others seeing that a spoon has been
grabbed go for a spoon. The person without a spoon gets the letter F (then
U, E, R, A) and are then technically out. But I tell them to keep playing
so they just aren't sitting there.
To play: The dealer deals four cards to each person and the leftover cards
go into the dealer's draw pile. The dealer picks up one card from the draw
pile and discards one of his five cards to the player on the left. (A
player can never have more than five cards in his hand.) Immediately after
discarding, the dealer draws another card, assesses his hand, and then
discards to the left. Meanwhile, the player on the left picks up the
dealer's discard and then discards one of his cards to the player on his
left, etc. The drawing and discarding to the left is constant. One doesn't
have to wait until each has a card and discards. When the dealer has
exhausted his draw pile, he takes all of the cards that the fourth person
(to his right) has discarded and starts a new pile. Then when someone gets
the four matches, everyone goes for the spoons.
Since I never let anyone go "out", the person with the fewest letters wins a
coupon. If, with about 3 min. left there is a tie, we have a "spoon-off",
the two people and one spoon.
A couple of tips: I have about 7 different decks when we play. One deck
for each team and one deck for me to shuffle and switch with the teams so
they aren't playing with the same ten words for the whole period. Groups get
about 4 different decks throughout the game. Making the cards can be a pain.
But you can get students with neat handwriting to help.
I take a 5x3 index card and using seven different colored markers (one for
each deck) I draw a horizontal line across the card. Then I cut them
vertically, so now I have two cards. Then I write the vocab word at the top
of the card, flip the card around and write it again--so that no matter how
the card is picked up, the student can quickly see the word. The first time
I did this I wrote it once in the middle and it was hard for the students to
see what they had in their hand.
I used this to review for the final, and I think that it really helped. By
the way, everyone should go through the words they don't know before dealing
or even after dealing.
I hope I explained that clearly enough. Let me know if you have any more
questions.
Dana Jordan
from Michelle Farfan: Here are a couple things I do for end of year vocab reviews:
1) Outburst.
Like categories. I play 2 against 2. One group gives a category and the
other two need to orally guess as many words as they can. They get one point
for each word and 5 for the starred words.
Have the students make the game cards. Give out so many vocab categories at
the top of an index card (physical adjectives, parts of the body, furniture,
vegetables, etc). Each student gets X number of index cards and for HW they
have to come up with 6 words in TL that would fit in that category. They
write them in a list format on the card. Then they randomly star one of the
words.
2) Vocab puzzles.
Imagine a sheet of paper divided up into a bunch of boxes or triangles. Each
student is assigned a vocab topic or chapter. On one of the four sides of a
box they write the English and directly on the other side of the line they
write the TL of the same word. They fill up all the lines like this with
different vocab words. Then they cut it out on all the lines and put it in
an envelope. The next day each student exchanges with a partner and needs to
"put the puzzle together". To make it a little more challenging, they can
write vocab words on the outside perimeters (which won't have a match).
3) Have kids make up word finds, crossword puzzles, hidden pictures, vocab
games, ect.
Of course you have to do all this ahead of time so you can check for errors.
If you're short on time, I just tell the kids that if the spot an error to
let me know and they'll get an extra participation point. That really keeps
them focused.
4) Musical Vocabulary
Kids sit in a big circle. You start out by handing one student a vocab
picture flashcard. They have to say the word and pass the card to the
student on their left who does the same, etc. Then slowly you start adding
cards to the circle. You can have about 10 cards going at a time. Each time
the student must say the word outloud or the student to their left doesn't
have to accept it. When the music stops, all students with FC in their hands
have to stand up and use the word in an original sentence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michelle Farfan
mama2alex99@aol.com
Spanish Teacher
Elk Grove High School - Elk Grove, IL
by Mary Young wasn't sure how well these games were known by the current audience.
They make the circuit on FLTEACH from time to time because they have
staying power.
Here are my descriptions. If they are too cryptic, try the Archives.
I'll bet they are there, and probably explained more clearly than this.
Flyswatter: (you need a list of vocabulary and 2 clean flyswatters of
different colors)
First I mark a grid on the board and play pictionary with the vocabulary.
They draw inside the grid spaces. I make them leave the pictures up for
round 2, the Flyswatter Game (Tue-mouche)
I use two flyswatters but you could use rolled up newspapers. They need
a long, lightweigt thing to hit the board with.
Two students stand at the board. I use a boy and a girl and the class
gets into the boys v. girls competition of it. I call out the French
name of one of the pictures. Whoever swats the picture first gets a
point for their team. Rotate play (I leave a pair at the board for about
7 - 10 items -- watch the pacing)
The Bomb Game: (cards described below + questions/vocab)
This was a lot of work. I prepared cards that fold in half to conceal
the following:
4 cards with a balloon, each worth 1 point
4 cards with a sun, 2 points
2 cards with a French flag, 4 points
4 cards with a bomb, minus 1 point
4 cards with 2 bombs, minus 2 points
2 cards with mushoom clouds (A-bombs),
clear all points off the board
for both teams.
(The hard part is making it so the kids can't see through the cards!)
Use this game with any set of questions you choose -- trivia, unit review
questions, interview questions, vocabulary, etc.
Set the bomb cards on the board grid style. I number the rows and assign
letters to the columns so the kids can identify which card they want from
their seat -- in French ("Cé trois, s.v.p.") You could let kids come to
the board to open the cards themselves, but i have a problem with them
seeing through the cards, like i said.
Students take turns answering for the team. Ask one of the questions.
If s/he answers correctly s/he chooses one of the folded cards. Open
the card and administer the appropriate points, plus or minus.
(Set up for misses any way you like. After a miss I usually open it up to
anyone in the room for an individual participation point, but no 'bomb'
points for the team.)
The fun is that the score doesn't reflect the number of correct answers.
A team can come from behind with one well-chosen card, or have nothing
and get the A-bomb and wipe out everybody's score! You can have more
than 2 teams, too, if you like.
Can be frustrating, but is fun for a while.
The Circle Game --
(my favorite from college)
IT stands in the center of a circle of seated players. IT goes up to
someone and asks (in L2) "How do you like your neighbors?"
The seated player can answer in one of 3 ways, eliciting 3 reactions from
the other players. Each time IT tries to get one of the seats in the
shuffle.
If the player says "All right" everyone in the circle is to move one
seat to the right.
If the player says "I like my neighbors a lot" they all must scramble to
another seat --NOT the one to the right.
If the player answers "I don't like my neighbors" then IT asks, "Who
would you prefer?" The player then names two other people in the circle.
The two players sitting right next to the speaking player must exchange
seats with the two others named. Four people move, plus IT, who can
usually get a seat on this turn. Whoever is left without a seat is the
new IT.
This can get violent, especially with football players in the class.
They like to tackle the cute girls! You have to watch them and keep it
from getting too rowdy.
In French they say,
"Est-ce que tes voisins te plaisent?"
"Ça va"
"Oui, ils me plaisent beaucoup"
"Non, ils ne me plaisent pas."
--Que préfères-tu?
-- Silvia et Ivan. (or whomever)
I use this to practice all kinds of questions and answers from the
current lessons.
"Tu viens comment à l'école?"
-- à pied
-- en bus
-- en voiture*
* "Avec qui?"
--Avec Silvia et Ivan
Mary
Hi,
A really fun game for practicing vocabulary at almost
any level is "Chat appelle chien". Students sit in a
circle(fairly large one). Each gets the name of an
animal, fruit, body part, whatever. One student stands
in the center with a rolled-up newspaper. One student
starts and calls out chat appelle eg."cheval". Cheval
must immediately call someone else. If he hesitates,
student with newspaper is allowed to hit him gently on
feet or knees and he goes to the center. I have
played this many times with high school students and
it's always been their favorite.
Hope this helps.
Colors: (loud but fun) Bring a variety of different color balloons.
Blow one up, say the color and bat in into the students. They are to
keep it off the floor and each time someone touches it they have to say
the color. After it has made the rounds, put it aside, do another
color. After you have done all the colors, while the last balloon is
still being batted around, re-start another balloon, adding one every
few minutes until all balloons are being batted around simultaneously.
(That was from a Best of. . .presentation at Central States in Columbus,
OH.)
Numbers: (1) Math flash cards.
(2) Buzz: Replace a number by Buzz. Anytime that number comes up or a
multiple of that number comes up, students say Buzz. If you lose your
place you're out. Ex. Buzz = 4. 1,2,3,Buzz,5,6,7,Buzz (4x2),
9,10,11,Buzz, 13, Buzz, 15, Buzz. . . Get's really tough in the
forties!
(3) Counting game: Students all stand. First person says 1, 2 or
three numbers. Next person says the next, one, two or three numbers.
Third person, same thing. Continue until someone hits 10--they're out.
Start back at one. Keep going until only one player is left. If kids
know 1-10 really well, you can start with 11 and go to 20, or 1-100 but
by 10s.
(4) Dot-to-dot drawing. Give kids two grids with numbered dots. On
the top grid they draw something. Then they tell their partner the
numbers and have them do the drawing on the bottom grid. Then switch
roles and partner becomes the person dictating numbers and the other kid
draws.
(5) Counting races. I have classes count to 100--each kid saying one
number. I put their time on the board and challenge the next class to
beat it. Anything with competition is a winner.
Elma Chapman
Lakeland H.S.
LaGrange, IN 46761
chapmane@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu
With colors there are quite a few listening games that you can try:
-TPR with colored blocks. When the students know very little of the TL I
simply have them line them up in a row. (I have my row hidden from view).
When I am done, I take my row out of hiding and the students can self
correct.
- I have the students color a picture according to my directions. I make the
colors very goofy- a purple sun, that kind of thing.
-Swat the bug is good with colors for listening as well.
-Hand out postcards of paintings or scenes from countries where the TL is
spoken. Have a bunch at each group of tables or desks. Name an object and
color and any student who can find a postcard with the item that matches,
can grap it and raise it. (This also encourages cultural discussions as
well.)
For producing, you can play Tic tac toe, either as a large group or in
pairs.
You can also make a Chutes and Ladders game.
You can hand out cards with colors on them to different kids in the room.
Tell the whole class: "Susie has "jaune" and so on. Have the students with
cards place them face down so no one can see. Then do something else for a
bit- whatever you do, homework, the weather, etc. Then go back and ask if
the students remember who has the different colors.
A game of ZAP! is always a favorite ( you place colored papers or whatever
on a table. One student leaves the room and the class decides on which color
is "electrified". When the student returns, he picks up the different
papers, saying the color. When he picks up the "electrified" color the
class calls out ZAP! and that is the end of that student's turn.
Battleship style games work well, too.
Another idea is to have the kids sit in a circle, with chairs. Hand out one
colored paper to each student (have about 3 papers of one color). Then you
stand in the middle and tell them that you want a chair. You have a paper
as well. You call out a color and everyone with that color has to find a new
chair. You will try and slip into a chair. Whoever is left will have to
call out a color and on it goes. The only rule is that you cannot call the
color that you are holding. If you have a smallish number of students you
can periodically change the colors to have them use a larger number of
colors in the TL.
And any of these can be used with numbers I think.
But another idea is to have the kids stand in a circle. You toss a nerf
ball to someone and call out a number- the student who catches the ball has
to say the next two numbers.
For example- you call out 16, the student has to say 17, 18.
Then the student can call out a number and so it goes.
I forget the name of this one but it is a classic. You decide on a number or
a multiple- Then the students one by one count to whatever number you choose
(10, 20, 100). When a student says the "magic number" or a multiple of that
number is reached that student is out. You keep counting until everyone is
out.
Stuff the library card:
You get library book card pockets, the ones that used to be pasted inside
library books and which held the cards the librarian stamped the date on
(all B.C. of course - before computers). You can still purchase them through
your school's librarian's catalogue. You then use library cards if you have
them or 3x5 cards work, esp if you trim them a little. You then write things
on the cards and on the pockets e.g. masc. fem neut on the pockets and TL
words on cards; students then place the card in the appropriate pocket.
Karuta is where you paste pictures of things on cards and you call out the
word for the thing in the TL and students try to grab the corresponding card
from the pile before anyone else gets it.
Go fish: I use 3x5 cards laminated after I've put pictures on them plus
cards with words or phrases. The students are dealt picture cards and have
to match word cards to the pictures. In Sp I use pictures of the characters
from Destinos and phrases that they would say. The student who has cards
that don't match their pictures then reads the word or words and others in
the group listen for a card they could use. An unclaimed card is discarded.
The idea is to get all the cards that go with your pictures.
Flyswatter: you write vocab words in one language on the board or on butcher
paper and you get 2 flyswatters and arm two students with them. You call out
the word in the language other than the one on the board or paper and the
first kid to swat the right equivalent gets a point. Watch for duels with
flyswatters.
The bingo activity can vary but just having the students make flashcards and
lay them out so they turn over any you call until they get all across or all
down or all cards turned over works as a game. There are, as I said, many
variations on this one.
Baseball is where you set up bases in your room and in order to get to
first, a player has to answer a question. four players from one team assume
home plate and the three bases. The runner, a player from the opposing team,
steps up to home plate. Pitcher asks the questions. catcher and runner both
try to answer the question first. If catcher answers first, runner is out.
If runner answers first he advances to fiirst base. If it's a tie, another
question is asked until there is a clear winner. If runner answers first and
moves to first base, repeat the process of asking a question. If baseman
answers fist, runner is out. If runner anwers fist. he advances to second
bse, etc. Points are scored only after runer gets all the way around the
bases, returns to home plate, and must answer one last question against the
catcher. If catcher answers first, even if runner has advanced through all
the bases, runner is out at home., no points. After three outs, the other
team is up. Recommended for two or three innings, may be played for parts of
two or three class periods.
Please remember, games must be integrated into a program. If you are harried
and harassed, surely use the games as a filler but don't expect students to
gain a lot of knowledge from the games. My advice is to get good books on fl
teaching and use those ideas to build your courses. I've been doing this for
well over 10 years and am only just beginning to get a feel for what needs
to be done. I know teachers who grab all the goodies at conferences and
workshops but continue teaching the same way year after year. Write down on
a piece of planning paper what activity or game you are going to use first
and use it, make yourself use activities and then see how they could better
fit into an overall program. You cannot wait until you've got the perfect
syllabus and curriculum.
PBarrett@cox.net Pat Barrett
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