Activity

Are you a skunk?

A mix of Zombie Game and the theater game Skunk.

My 3rd graders absolutely love Zombie Game (thank you nickteacher), so for our last class, we played an adjusted version to fit with Let's Try 1's "Who are you?" story. I based this off of a Werewolf-type game we used to play in children's theater called Skunk, although I can't find any proof of it online now, lol.

Start each round by picking 3-4 skunks, and telling the kids to keep their identity secret. The rules are mostly the same as Zombie Game - set a timer (I usually do 3 minutes), have the students go around playing janken and asking each other a set question, and have the skunks answer with a designated skunk word. Unlike Zombie Game, though, in Skunk Game, students don't become skunks when they meet a skunk - they find one more person, do the exchange one more time, and as they're walking away, fake their death in a very dramatic way and go stand at the front of the room. (Note: some classes understood the "one more time" gimmick, but it always took a long time and in other classes it worked better just to have the students silently return to their desks after being skunked).

At the end of the round, all remaining students return to their seats and Skunk Court begins. Ask students if there's anyone they think is a skunk. When a student says a name, have the class ask that student, "Are you a skunk?"

With really little kids, it'll probably be obvious who was chosen from the first round, but you can limit the number of guesses the students get each round and play until all the skunks are caught (I'd like to see the skunks catch on and accuse random students). For a lighter and quicker game, you can also let the "dead" students return to their seats, and give everyone the right to accuse.

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Submitted by kirig19 March 1, 2023 Estimated time: Flexible
Inspired by Zombie Game
  1. noveena March 1, 2023

    This looks so fun! Thank you for sharing!

  2. Judekichi March 10, 2023

    Oooh, I can see this being translated into a JHS formatted game as well. My JHS students love debates/Jinro type games. Will keep this idea in mind!! Thank you!!

  3. kirig19 March 14, 2023

    @noveena Thank you! :) Zombie Game is always a hit, haha

  4. kirig19 March 14, 2023

    @Judekichi ohhhh I love teaching them doubt/suspicion phrases! If you try it out, I hope it goes well! :D

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