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Kings – A grammar game!

Ok, the other night I was playing Kings, the popular drinking game, at my house and I was getting very nicely smashed when I thought to myself, hey this would make an AWESOME teaching game! So the next day I took some asprin, drank some water and got to work. This is what I came up with. Hope you like it! :becky:

Kings – A grammar game!

Good for 6 or more students for intermediate level students and up.

Materials needed:

1 deck of playing cards with jokers (2 decks can be used for large classes)

Preparation:

Print out a set of rules for each student or write the rules on the black board before you begin.
Organize the class to sit in a circle with a table in the center for the playing cards.
Print out one point card for each student. (See file attached) Have the students fill in their name and any other information you see fit to put on their point card.
Print out one Card Legend for each student. I would explain each rule as the students pull the cards during the game. If you try to pre-teach all of the card tasks it will take too much time. (See the card legend I made for an intermediate class of adult students in China below.)

Rules:

Each card represents a different task. Students must pull a card in turn moving in one direction; clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Depending on the card they pull, the students must perform the task given to them. If they perform the task correctly they are given points which they mark down on their point card. If they make a mistake, points are subtracted. (Keep an eye to make sure they don’t cheat! Haha…)
As the teacher, you simply follow the game and make sure everyone follows the rules.

Points:

Correct answer = Plus five points.
Incorrect answer = Subtract 2 points.

Note:
This all may seem like too much at a glance, but trust me it isn’t. This game is really fun and the students love it! Also, I would suggest giving some sort of prize to the winner. It adds to the competitiveness of the game.

Card Legend:

2’s – Make a sentence using (to be) + (adj.) : all sentences must be 6 words or more

3’s - Make a sentence using (to be) + (adv.)

4’s – Ask a question using a past tense. : for question tasks I made the student ask another student who must answer. Points were given or subtracted for both students.

5’s – Ask a question using a future tense

6’s – Make a sentence using the simple present tense

7’s – Make a sentence using the present perfect continuous tense

8’s – Complete this sentence, “Have you ever...”

At this point it become fun, for 9’s, 10’s and face cards you can add some fun tasks to make the game more enjoyable. Here are some good ones…

9’s – Change direction : Counter clockwise to clockwise or vice versa.

10’s – Mime an animal : for this one, if the other students couldn’t guess the animal, points where subtracted from the mimic.

Jacks – Categories : Here the student who drew the card must name a category. The student next in turn must then name something within that category. Then the next student and so on… The first student who makes a mistake or doesn’t answer for 5 seconds looses points. The game continues on from the loser’s position.

Queens – 7’s : Here the student who drew the card must begin by saying the number 7, the next student in place must then say 14, the next must say 21 and so on. The first student who makes a mistake or doesn’t answer for 5 seconds looses points. The game continues on from the loser’s position.

Kings – Truth : Here the student who drew the card must ask a question to any other player in the game. The student who is asked must then answer truthfully. After the student answers the rest of the players hold a vote on whether or not the player lied. Points are given if they believe her/him, subtracted if not.

Aces – Make a rule : Here the student gets to make a rule. The rules are for any person who gets a wrong answer so not only do you loose points but you must perform some new task. During the last game one student made a rule where any loser had to dance around the table singing, “I am stupid, I am stupid”. It was very funny.

Jokers – Plus or minus 10 points! : Here the student who drew the card gets to either add 10 points to their score or minus 10 points from another players score.