Activity

Fortune Flowcharts

A flowchart of questions that ends with a mini omikuji.

This is a print-and-go activity with a PPT.

This is a fun activity to do around New Years when people have been visiting shrines and getting omikuji. We did a 10-15 minute warm-up and spent the rest of the class on this.

The first slides on both files are for use on a projector. You can ask your team-teacher or a volunteer, etc. questions from the top to the bottom and then let them look at their omikuji. I make sure to point on the projector so the students can see me reading the question that's together with the last answer.

The next slides are printable sheets for the students to get in pairs and ask questions to tell one another's fortunes. They come in pairs A/B, 1/2, 3/4 so when you print them double-sided (flip on the short side) you should get a sheet you can cut in half to form perfect pairs. If you are lazy like me, you can give half of the class A and half of the class B and tell them to go find someone with the opposite letter. The A/B pages are for if-would grammar. The 1/2 and 3/4 are simpler and more challenging respectively to help me adjust to different classes. You should change the questions and formatting to suit your classes if you have time/energy. (And then tag this activity and share it back here so I don't have to make new questions next year...<.<)

The back has a space for them to write their own and we usually leave the projector on through the class so they have both their page and the demo slide to use for examples. They also choose their own fortunes so watch out for bad luck when you let them ask you questions. When they finish we have them choose new pairs and ask questions to give their own fortunes.

Bonus Ideas:
Name the shrine after yourself, your JTE, your school, etc.
Put a bonus omikuji in your answers like 大大吉.
At least two of my JTEs enjoyed it so much they grabbed spare sheets and wrote their own omikuji and joined in asking students when they finished. Bring enough papers for other teachers to join too!
Let students ask you their questions when they finish as well.

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Submitted by KozaALT January 24, 2023 Estimated time: 35-45 minutes
  1. onighost January 25, 2023

    Great idea for a nice simple activity! Can't wait to give it a go.

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