Prefecture Quiz (Updated to 32)

*Disclaimer: This is an updated version of the original Prefecture Quiz that I found here.
I used the eight from original, and over the last two years, have developed it to include 32 prefectures in total.
If your prefecture is not here, please take no offence.
And even more, if your prefecture is here & I did it terrible justice, I apologise.
I just chose at random while actively avoiding Tokyo as that is a good one to leave open for possible answers.

This quiz is a favourite of mine to use.
I use this for third grade JHS and above due to the grammar used but it could be worked for a high level second grade JHS class.
It is a good lesson to have after tests as a bit of fun so the students can unwind. It also helps them to learn to take the meaning out of what they hear & that they don't need to know every word.
I use an entire class for this but it can be made work for any amount of time.

1. Explain that this is a gambling quiz and a group activity. Show them the small pieces of paper you have (I use A8 size) and explain that they will answer by writing prefectures in English on this paper.
2. Use the example to explain. Tell them not to answer out loud & to just think about it. (I have used my own prefecture (Ishikawa) as the example so please change to your own. Make the first hint very vague while the other hints obvious to them because they live in the prefecture.)
3. Give them hint 1 and explain that if the team wants to guess, that they'll write the prefecture in English on the paper, raise their hands & you will take the paper.
4. Write on the board that if they answer after hint 1, they can get 100 points.
5. Give them hint two, write again on the board that answering after hint 2 is 75 points.
6. Repeat for hint 3 which is 50 points.
7. Repeat again for hint 4 which is 25 points.
8. Ask them then for the answer, which they should have all worked out easily.

9. Explain then that if groups answered wrong, they get 0 points. Tell them that they can only answer once.

10. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 (pairs if a very small class).

11. Give each group between 8-10 small pieces of paper followed by a number/letter & to write it on each piece of paper.
    (Usually I will never go over 9 prefectures in a class of 40 but can go up to 15 in a class of 6 so give more paper if you think you will need it)

12. Start the quiz. Give a little time after each hint for them to answer. I recommend encouraging them to answer. It will make things more fun for everyone involved!

13. Each time you take the paper, give to the JTE to write the possible points on the other side to keep track.

14. When you've collected all the answers, and finished the four hints, ask the class for the answer.

15. Read out the answers in sets (100 point answers followed by 75....)

16. Have the JTE keep track of each teams points on the board.

17. Repeat.

I have put the first 12 in an order that I like doing.
There are purposefully misleading hints that some groups will fall for.
(Eg: For hint one of Aichi, most groups will write Tokyo. While for hint one for Osaka, nearly all groups will write Nara.)
(I try to keep my students on their toes and if it is too easy, it is the wrong answer. I'm a little mean.)
This will increase the energy of the class but be warned that they tend to get noisy.
This quiz will encourage students who don't like English but do like social studies and Japanese culture to take an interest.
(Fruits etc are almost always the last hint because your students will know where it is right away I assure you. Every situation is the same in this case.)

Files:

Small files

Prefectures Quiz.docx (28.2 KB)