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Cool Category Game
I played this game with my beginer class in Mexico to learn the vocab. at the begining of each unit and they loved it. It's simply the same kind of thing as the tv game show "Family Feud". All you need is a whiteboard/blackboard,a bunch of 8"*10" pieces of paper and tape.
Pick a category for example "TOP 5 THINGS YOU WOULD FIND IN THE KITCHEN", then on the pieces of paper indvidually write words like "REFRIDGERATOR", "STOVE", "FOOD", "MICROWAVE" and "DISHES" (make sure you use paper the students CAN'T see through). Then on the board, at the top write the category, then stick the pieces of paper one under the other on the board so the students cant see them. On each side of the board let the students pick a team name and write the team name with three big empty boxes under each team (these are for the strike outs).
Now the game begins:
There are two teams. Line the teams up so they are all beside each other.You start by flipping a coin or something similar to decide which team goes first. Outloud to the class you announce the first category: "TOP 5 THINGS YOU WILL FIND IN A KITCHEN!" You go to the first student on the first team and repeat the category. He/she then has to guess a word. Once the student says a word you say: "SURVEY SAYS ..." (its fun to play-up being the host of the show so I always say it loud and with lots of enthusiasm). If student says "FOOD!", the team gets one point, you flip the word over so all the students can see it and you continue with the next person on the same team. If the student says a word that is NOT in the category, the team gets an "X" in one of the boxes on their side and you go to the first person on the opposing team. The game continues until all the words in the category are revealed OR one team gets three "X"s. Once you are finished with that category, all you have to do is stick up on the board five more words in a different category and erase the "X"'s to start a new round. (It's even a good idea to switch around the team players so everyone feels like a winner).
When I played this game with my kids they liked it so much I'm pretty sure they forgot they were learning.
Kendra Ottawa Ont.
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