TIRED AND OUT OF IDEAS? TRY SOME OF MINE...
*Index of new ideas and old favorites*
Presentations
Simon
Says
Scattergories
Show
'n Tell
Pictionary
Charades
Who am I
Telephone
Battleship
I spy
Chain
Stories
Guess
what I have
Please
send me your favorites so I can add them!
Explanation of Activities
PRESENTACIONES ORALES Here are some ideas for making oral presentations a successful part of the quarter or semester. I have different ideas depending on the level: Spanish 1, 2, or 3 (all first year Spanish classes).
*Make sure students write new or unfamiliar vocabulary on the board before starting their presentations (including Eng. translations)--this way the class is being bombarded with lots of new and interesting vocabulary and the those giving the presentation(s) can be confident they are being understood while speaking only in Spanish.
I suggest students begin a "cuaderno" of all
the new or more coloquial Spanish words and phrases. It's something simple
that many students realize too late would have been a good way to remember
cool expressions they encounter in class but aren't repeated in the book.
*Each person OR group MUST talk to me (the teacher) before doing their presentation.
*GRADING: Everyone starts off with 100% (of whatever you decide it's worth). Every English word spoken = -1% of your individual grade on this project.
Spanish
1
Because they are just beginning I found the best presentations are usually a sort of "show and tell" excersise.
Instructions: Each student must sign up to bring something unique to the class at some point during the quarter/semester. The student will present the object, describing it in as much detail as possible and tell why it is special or important to them. It is mandatory that each student prepare his or her presentation ahead of time and bring it in to my (the teacher's) office hours to be corrected and get approval for the item they will be showing.
NOTE: This is important because if they do not show you what they have written ahead of time, they often try to "wing it" on the day of their presentation, or they will use (and memorize) incorrect Spanish which makes it a waste of time and very boring for the rest of the class. When they do come to visit me, I always try to "spice up" the presentations whenever possible. There are always subtle things that they can do to make their presentation more interesting and more understandable to the rest of the class, i.e. they can do anything from bringing in a hobbie and have everyone try it (if it's something they like to make), or if it's a food item, I always encourage bringing in a pre-made batch of whatever they are making to show the final result and to then pass it around for everyone to try.
Spanish 2
For this level I have students present either: (a) how to make or do something, or (b) tell the class about a trip they went on or something incredible that happened to them (for this they must speak in the past tense, using as much preterite as possible). I always encourage the use of as many props and pictures as possible. For more ideas please see Spanish 3 below.
Spanish 3
For this level I encourage as much freedom and creativity as possible. I also give them an option A and B because many students like the idea of working in a group, but some students simply don't have the extra time to meet outside of class. Remember: each person OR group MUST talk to me (the teacher) before doing their presentation.
OPTION A:
1-2 people
Ideas for individual or small group presentation
a. Show how to prepare some kind of food and explain why it's important to you (you're always welcome to bring enough for everyone to try). Explain how you learned to make it or what it reminds you of etc... - in the past tense.
b. OR tell about a trip you've both been on
(or you've been on alone) and bring pictures or movies (eg. a brief video
clip) to explain etc...
OPTION B:
2-4 people groups: (approx
3-5 min. per person)
Instructions: Do a well prepared theatrical presentation of approx. 5-10 minutes--all in the past tense, subjunctive, or using other specific grammar conjugations which we have learned in this class. The presentation must be prepared ahead of time and I must approve it. It's very important that everyone in the group speaks in the past tense or the subjunctive (or uses other specific grammar point) at some point AND that everyone speaks for approximately the same amount of time--you will, however, be graded individually.
Ideas for large group presentations
a. Childhood memories (fictional or real)
b. Something amazing you did or saw happen.
c. A typical day in your family while growing
up.
d. An incredible trip you went on.
e. A group of friends sitting around remembering
the past. (maybe dress up and be a character very different from yourself-
ie. a football player acts as if he were a cheerleader in highschool etc.)
f. A class reunion for any grade level you
want.
g. A (problematic) cooking show.
h. Bring in pictures and tell about a real
or virtual trip--ideally to a Spanish-speaking country. (food and music
can spice up the presentation).
Note: Encouraging students to surf the web for ideas (e.g. music, recepies, maps, etc.) will encourage creativity and they will learn more.
GRADING: Everyone starts off with 100%. Every English word spoken = -1% of your individual grade on this project.
Simon
Says * Simón Dice
The easiest way to learn anything is by doing!
Those of you who are familiar with the term "TPR" or "Total Physical Response"
should be interested in this idea.
This well known child's game is perfect for teaching beginning vocabulary: body parts, items in the classroom, plural command forms etc... Have everyone stand up. If you say "Simón Dice" in front of the command (ie. Simón dice toquen la cabeza...) the students must do the command, but if you just give a command without first saying "Simon says", then the person who does the command must sit down. Make sure you go fast so the game stays interesting. I usually do at least one practice round and encourage students to keep trying to do it in their chairs even after they're out and have to sit down. If there are 3-5 students that are very good, then I have them come up and be Simón (each taking a turn telling the class what to do next). They love it and it gets the blood flowing!
Write categories on board:
Nombre / País o Ciudad / Comida / Objeto
/ Verbo
(all must be Hispanic and in Spanish, ie. Spanish
cities, and names etc...)
Give them a letter and let them go. The first group
to come up with a word for each column which begins with the letter you
have chosen, wins. I suggest you don't let them use dictionaries, at least
not with Spanish 3. The 1st group to get them all yells something like,
'Para' (to stop everyone else). Then they read what they have while you
fill them in on the board. If any other group has the same word- then the
winning group doesn't get a point for that one (I usually add that any
English spoken disqualifies your group from that round).
Have students bring in an object from their childhood
to describe in detail to the class.
The rules are the same as in normal pictionary, only I generally divide the class into 2 large groups so the game goes faster and so they can draw on the board. (Please let me know if you have a better idea or variation to this game that works better). I once did this by having a student (who had offered) put all the new vocabulary in fortune cookies - I divided the class into 2 groups and had each group sit in a circle. They took turns coming up to the board and opening a cookie and trying to draw something so that their group could guess (this meant everyone had to know the vocab. which I had told them they were going to need for a game). If the drawer doesn't know the word, the team forfits their turn.
In old fashioned charades people generally don't speak, so I adapted this fun game for my Spanish classes as a sort of "who am I" game. I give them a piece of paper with a famous person on it and they have to use all the Spanish they can to try to describe themselves to the class (ie. soy rubia, delgada...). If they get stuck, the class can ask them yes or no questions (in Spanish of course) until they guess who they are.
You could also just have them pick their own character and prepare a detailed description outside of class or in small groups in class.
Who am I/Famous people on the back game
Tape the name of a famous person on the back of each student and have them walk around the room asking yes or no questions (only) to try and guess who they are. They love it! Maybe give prises (ie. small candy) to the first ones to guess who they are. Yes, college students still love to get candy!
Telephone (pictures or traditional)
Draw a simple picture of a house, a tree, and some clouds (or something of this nature). You'll need 2 copies of the picure. Divide the class into 2 groups. Each group sits in a row and only the first person can see the picture which they attempted to explain piece by piece to the person behind them. Only the last person draws what they are finally told the picture looks like. The group who's picture looks most similar to the original (after whatever time you think is sufficient) is the winner. Remind students that all the describing must be done in Spanish!
Students get in groups of 2 and each person
has a variation of the same (or similar) picture. Without looking they
must discuss their pictures and together decide what the differences are
between them. I set them up as though they were playing battleship with
half of their book up blocking the picture from their partner. You may
also have one student with a picture which they have to explain while the
other student attempts to draw it. Use your own creativity to come up with
fun variations to this game. Write example sentences on the board of the
grammatical construction you want students to be using.
Divide the class into groups of 2-3 people. Each group must decide on one thing (or maybe one person) in the classroom which they write a detailed description of together. Collect the descriptions and have each group take turns guessing with yes/no questions what the group has written a description of. Use the written description either to keep them honest (so they don't change their item/person), to correct and pass back, of whatever you think is best.
There are several ways to do this. One is to have your students form small groups and give each group an interesting first sentence. All group members start writing a story beginning with the same first sentence. After a couple of minutes you clap your hands or say "cambien"--every student gives their paper to their left hand neighbor, and receives one from their right hand neighbor, after which everyone reads and then continues their neighbor's story. Repeat this until the sheets have returned to their original owners, who can now finish the stories they started. You might have the stories polished for homework and turned in to be corrected, or have each member of the group read their story to their group and together decide on the funniest one. Then have them work as a group to correct all the grammatical mistakes they can and have a contest to see which group turns in the best story (maybe have it be a contest for the story which is most creative and the one which had the best use of Spanish).
Here are some ideas for beginning sentences:
One day I woke up and discovered I was invisible.
One day I woke up in an unknown house.
One day the President accidently dialed my home
number.
One day I decided to only tell the truth.
One day I ran into [famous person] in the supermarket.
One day I discovered I could read people's minds.
Use your imagination!
Another idea is to to have students describe common household items and have the class try and guess what they're describing, or have them select an item from their backpack to describe first in a group and then to the class to see if they can guess it. The group can help them with the vocabulary they will need, or describe it all together. Students always have really interesting things in their backpacks!