Choose a simple question and answer dialogue. E.g. Q What do you want to be? A I want to be a ~.
Review the dialogue and vocabulary: scientist, doctor, singer, etc. Choose one word from the vocabulary list (e.g. singer). This word is now the zombie word. (Later you will choose which students are zombies.) When a zombie is asked "What do you want to be?" the zombies can only answer with the zombie word: "I want to be a singer." To decide the zombies, have the kids put their heads down. Silently tap three or so kids on the shoulder. These students are now zombies. Instruct the students to play janken and the loser of janken asks the question "What do you want to be?" If a student meets a zombie, that student gets the zombie virus and becomes a zombie (and therefore can only answer with "I want to be a singer). In this way, the number of zombies increases and the humans get devorered.
When I explain this game I typically do it in two stages. Stage one is simply a janken game. Two students play janken: the loser asks the question; the winner answers. Then they go find another person to talk to. (I typically don't have them switch roles because I like to play with the option of being safe when you win in janken)
Notes
-Print out a picture of a cartoon zombie online or if you're good at drawing, draw a zombie next to the word you chose to be the zombie word.
I like this a lot. I will use this after the summer break. Thank you.
This is a great idea! Thanks a lot seems like a lot of fun :)
The kids go nuts for this game. They really love it. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!! In both of the classes I've played it with so far, a kid has come up right at the end to zombie-fy me :)
This was a huge hit! Thanks for sharing.
I know maybe sometimes these things feel like simple and common sense but , should we be telling the class at the beginning of the lesson the answer of the zombies ?
If not I am hot sure how everyone would know these differences
@yellowbird You tell them the zombie word at the beginning of each round. So the students know when they have been "eaten". You can time the round and say the zombies or humans win depending on which there is more of.
If we tell each student on each round the zombie word or phrase, naturally other students will know who is the zombie right, won't they try to avoid this person or run away? What do you do when that happens?
Sorry, I'm kind of confused on how it works until the end of the game.
Thanks!
@imkrn I didn't make the game but I believe the idea is that it's luck. If you win the janken (if the human wins, they can't be a zombie) and who you're paired up with determine your chances. Eventually everyone will become a zombie so it's just a matter of time. People can't run away because they don't know what the other person is going to say, unless they overheard one person's conversation
This has been a huge hit in my speaking-focused class this year! The students really enjoy it but they're totally just practicing a dialogue over and over. My JTE even asked me to explain it to another teacher she knows who wanted to try it!
I have very small classes, so I usually just have my students talk to every other student and then sit down. I also don't personally give stickers/rewards with this one, since the game itself is so enjoyable to them.