UPDATE: for 'be verb' I've added a few new card options to replace 'boy' and 'girl'. I figure these might be a bit more useful for writing self intro, 'I'm a music lover', etc. and less binary than boy or girl.
I added a 'visit' card since 'go' (especially 'been') doesn't work well with some grammar points. (especially passive voice). You may need to modifiy the vocabulary sheet. Depending on the lesson I sometimes remove the go cards.
Cutting out and laminating cards is my spring project so I figured I'd post this now.
There are two versions. One is for the 'Be Verbs' and the other is for 'Assorted Verbs and Verb Tenses'. Both versions follow the same rules.
Hand out the vocabulary worksheets to each student and tell them we'll be playing a card game but first we should check the vocabulary.
Demonstrate the activity using the Big Demo cards to help. If you are using the 'assorted verbs' cards then also point out which of the verb forms they should be using. The cards have four forms on them however any activity will probably only use one. Also the assorted verb cards have pictures as well as verbs. It is up to the ALT and JTE if the picture must be used to make the sentence or whether they can make sentences just using the verbs.
Make groups (4 is a great number in each group) and decide on a dealer. The dealer should shuffle the cards and deal them out to the others. Each student gets 7 cards. The remaining cards are put in the center of the table. Then decide who goes first and have the order continue clockwise from that person. The dealer or the first player turns over the top card of the pile and places it face up beside the pile. The first player then play a card if it is the same suit (heart, diamond, club or spade) or the same verb or vocabulary. The student shows the others the card and makes an English sentence before putting the card onto the face up pile.
The sentences vary depending on the language point being practiced. The 'be verb' sentences might be 'I am 12' or 'I am not a boy'. The assorted cards can range from 'I eat bananas' to 'bananas are eaten by monkeys'.
If the student does not have a card that matches the suit or the action then they must draw a card from the face down pile. They can play that card if it matches but if not it is then the end of their turn and the next player gets a chance to play. Students cannot play more than one card at a time.
There are a few special cards. If the suit matches they can be played. They include 'plus 2' in which case the next player must draw two cards and miss their turn, 'skip' in which case the next player misses their turn and 'reverse' in which case the order of play is changed. If you like then you can included the rule that the next player can avoid the effects of the card and pass it onto the player after them if they can play the same card that was used against them.
You might want to include a rule that if players fail to say something in English before putting down their card then they must draw 2 more cards.
Once a player has only one card in their hand they should call out 'uno' and you can use the special rule that they cannot end of a special card. That part is optional.
Once one player has used all their cards then they are the winner and the game should end. If there is time then reshuffle and play again.
If all the cards in the draw pile are used then shuffle all the cards and in the face up pile and make a new draw pile. The top most card in the face up pile shouldn't be reshuffled.
Great! My students loved it. Thanks for taking the time to make these.
A suggestion for the worksheets - I think it's a good idea to add the noun used with the verb, so instead of just having "eat" written by the picture, have "eat bananas", that way it's easier for students to make sentences at the bottom.
Good idea rebvandev. I started doing that when I use the cards for 'Go-Fish'. It made things clearer.