Activities List

It's a Kind of Fish!

1. Before you begin the activity pre-teach the phrases that are useful for describing something we don't know the name for. Illustrate by holding up an object, such as a key, and asking the following questions: 'What's it made of? (metal) 'What's it used for?' (locking and unlocking things) etc.
   
   
2. On the board, build up a range of useful phrases such as: 'It's a kind of…', 'It's something like a…', 'It's made of…', 'It's used for…' etc.
   
   
3. Divide the class into groups and give each group either a collection of pictures of everyday objects such as a lamp, a bicycle etc. or strips of paper each with an everyday object written on it. Make sure they are face down. (You could add more difficult objects such as a corkscrew or a ladle, things that they may not know in English. If you do this and the group share a first language, then let the class give the name of the object in their first language and then you can tell them what it is called in English.)
   
   
4. Ask the groups to sit in a circle and tell the first person in the group to pick up a picture or strip of paper and to give their group information 'clues' about the object, but not to say its name.
   
   
5. The group have to listen to each 'clue' and try to guess what the object is.
   
   
6. The group get 5 points if they guess after the first clue, 4 if they get it on the second, 3 on the third, 2 on the fourth etc.
   
   
7. Each group keeps a record of their score and tries to beat the other groups in the class.
   
   
8. While the groups are doing the task, go round and monitor and make a note of the best 'clues' you hear being used to feedback to the class at the end of the task.