Post by Enigma on Oct 9, 2006 12:29:52 GMT 7
Suitable for all levels and all sizes of classes.
A deck of cards has 52 cards (less jokers) – there are 26 letters of the alphabet.
Print / make 2 sets of each letter of the alphabet. Make them large enough to cover the entire card as well as big enough to be seen from the back of the classroom. Put scores underneath the letters of the alphabet when you are making them – letters that are used frequently in words get a lower score and letters that are found less frequently in words get a high score e.g. vowels all get a score of 1 and Q, X, Y, and Z get 10 points – the rest range in between. The letters should take up about two thirds of the card and the score roughly one third. Stick the letters with the scores on the cards. Stick blank pieces of paper with no scores on the jokers.
During class, separate the vowels from the consonants – include the jokers in the consonants pile. Shuffle the two piles separately. Ask students to pic cards – depending on level and number of students, go for 10 consonant cards and 5 vowel cards ending up with 15 cards in total – your choice to go for more or less cards – be careful with too many cards, especially vowels as it makes the game too easy.
Place the cards the students have picked randomly on the board – or somewhere where all the sts can see all the cards.
Sts are to then to 1) make as many words as possible, 2) make the longest word possible, 3) use letters with the highest scores. Jokers / blanks are any letter they would like. Each letter can only be used once in a word (unless they have picked 2 of the same letter, then they can use both letters once in a word), but all letters can be used in multiple words.
In my class, the student with the highest score i.e. has used the most difficult letters, wins. Ask students with the most words, the longest word and \ or the most difficult word to read them out loud for the rest of the students to check that the letters on the board coincide with the swords the sts have come up with. You can then extend the game and ask sts to make grammatically correct sentences with a certain amount of words they have come up with i.e. 5 words = 5 sentences.
A deck of cards has 52 cards (less jokers) – there are 26 letters of the alphabet.
Print / make 2 sets of each letter of the alphabet. Make them large enough to cover the entire card as well as big enough to be seen from the back of the classroom. Put scores underneath the letters of the alphabet when you are making them – letters that are used frequently in words get a lower score and letters that are found less frequently in words get a high score e.g. vowels all get a score of 1 and Q, X, Y, and Z get 10 points – the rest range in between. The letters should take up about two thirds of the card and the score roughly one third. Stick the letters with the scores on the cards. Stick blank pieces of paper with no scores on the jokers.
During class, separate the vowels from the consonants – include the jokers in the consonants pile. Shuffle the two piles separately. Ask students to pic cards – depending on level and number of students, go for 10 consonant cards and 5 vowel cards ending up with 15 cards in total – your choice to go for more or less cards – be careful with too many cards, especially vowels as it makes the game too easy.
Place the cards the students have picked randomly on the board – or somewhere where all the sts can see all the cards.
Sts are to then to 1) make as many words as possible, 2) make the longest word possible, 3) use letters with the highest scores. Jokers / blanks are any letter they would like. Each letter can only be used once in a word (unless they have picked 2 of the same letter, then they can use both letters once in a word), but all letters can be used in multiple words.
In my class, the student with the highest score i.e. has used the most difficult letters, wins. Ask students with the most words, the longest word and \ or the most difficult word to read them out loud for the rest of the students to check that the letters on the board coincide with the swords the sts have come up with. You can then extend the game and ask sts to make grammatically correct sentences with a certain amount of words they have come up with i.e. 5 words = 5 sentences.
