I also like to play this game during the first term with my high school first years to see how well they've gotten to know each other so far. They have a lot of fun with it, especially with the second half!
Extra Materials:
- Index cards or cardstock cards
- Masking tape
- Tape measure or meter stick
Warm-Up: Making Guesses
Today is all about making guesses. Introduce the students to the word "guess" (JP: 推測・すいそく). Now they have to make some guesses about me, their ALT! I'll ask a few simple questions and give the students a chance to talk with each other before calling for answers. Keep your questions easy, related to things you may have already gone over like your age or country or favorite somethingsomething.
Then it's the students' turn! Students janken, practice pronunciation, and try to guess each other's answers.
Part 1: Questions and Cards
Put the students into groups of 4-6 depending on the size of your class. Give each group a deck of blank index cards and a question sheet. Practice pronunciation of every question on the sheet.
Game Procedure (~15 mins):
All students take one index card.
In their groups, students janken to choose a Question King (QK).
The QK will choose one question from the sheet to ask the group.
The QK will write their answer secretly on their card. The other students in the group must try to guess the QK's answer and write that guess secretly on their own cards.
After writing, everyone will reveal their answers at the same time.
The QK will place their card in the center of the group. Any cards that matched the QK's card may also be placed in the center!
If an answer does not match the QK's card, that answer must be erased! Use that same card to write a new guess for the next round.
Students take a new card if necessary.
Choose a new Question King and play another round!
Encourage the students to move quickly. They want as many cards in the center as they can, so they need to ask as many questions and make as many guesses as they can!
Part 2: Tower Time
When the timer goes off, all pencils go down and questions stop! Take up all blank and non-matching cards. The matching cards in the center are the only cards that can stay!
While you or the JTE is taking up cards, give each group one or two long strips of masking tape.
Now, using only their matching cards and tape, the groups will have about 10 minutes or so to build a card tower! The rules for this are up to you, but here's what I do:
- No Japanese! They can only speak to each other in English.
- They may tape the base of their cards to their desk, but they cannot use any extra materials! No books or water bottles or anything else to support their tower
- They cannot tape the top of their tower to the ceiling or light fixture!
- Tape is limited! They cannot ask for more.
- They may fold or cut the cards however they wish
I usually play this game a couple weeks before summer vacation, so the fans and AC are on full blast. I DO NOT turn them off! It forces the students to be creative to make the tower stable!
When the timer goes off, all hands must come off the tower! They cannot hold it steady or touch it at all! Go around each group and measure the towers. You can judge the winners however you like: tallest, most stable, most creative, etc.
Pachipachi for the winning team! Recycle the cards!