My goal: using Spanish as much as possible to give my students the maximum amount of comprehensible input.
My students’ goal: Have fun while using Spanish.
How often in a typical school week do we teachers hear “Can we play a game today?” Especially when third and fourth quarters roll around, students are tired and are looking for new ways to activate their brains. So I have been on a mission to give them what they want while sneakily jam packing their “games” with Spanish.
One method is to use circumlocution to create clues that can fit into a game style activity. This way they are getting double the amount of Spanish. I created “Quién tiene…?” circumlocution card games that they can play independently or as a whole class. (Click HERE to check out the discounted bundle for the year set or HERE to see individual games). Read on to find out the 3 different games you can play with these cards…
Relay Race:
The first version of the game is a relay race and involves the whole class. To start, the entire class stands up. The teacher selects one student to begin. Any student can start but to add some additional CI ask the class a simple question (what is the weather today, what time is it, etc). The first student who can answer, begins. They will read the bottom half of their card that contains the clue. For example “Quien tiene ‘están al lado de la ventana.’” The student that has the answer to the clue will answer “yo tengo ___.” (In this example “yo tengo ‘las cortinas.’” That person reads the bottom of their card with the clue. Then they sit down.
This process repeats until the entire class is seated.
Since my students are competitive, I count how long it takes them to complete the round. Then we see if they can beat their best time. A second option is to say that if they can do it in under a certain amount of time by the end of the week, they will get a prize. A third option is to have different classes complete against each other to see who has the best time.
¿Dónde está mi compañero?:
This activity is also a whole class activity. Pass out the cards to the students. Each student should have at least one card. If you have a smaller class, some students may need to take more than one card.
Students walk around the classroom. They read their clue to their classmates and try to find the person with the correct answer. Once they find the match, they can sit down. Once the entire class is seated, the teacher will know the activity is completed.
Matching:
This version of the game requires small groups. Print the cards single sided and cut them out. Print several sets so that each group of students has a set. Multicolored sets are included so that it is easy to keep them separate.
Put the students into groups of two or three. I recommend groups no larger than three so they all stay engaged.
Students should line up the cards so that they match the clue with the correct answer. Students can sit on the floor for this activity so they have plenty of space to lay out the cards.
To check out the cards already created, ready to print and play click HERE for discounted bundles to use all year long and HERE for the individual activities. Enjoy!
No Comments