Hobbies Bingo Game
Students try to be the first one to get four names in a row (horizontally, vertically and diagonally) on their sheet.
Directions Around Town
In pairs, students try to be the first to work out the mystery sentence by following directions. Using their map they go to different locations which have been allocated an area of the classroom.
Name the Shops
Students play a barrier game where they have to identify all the shops in the row based on what each shop sells.
Find My Family
Students are given a card telling them who they are in a family. They move around the classroom trying to find the other members of their family by asking questions in Japanese. The aim is to be in the family that finds all its members first.
Mime and Guess
Students work in teams to decipher the meaning of the sentences they are given. Each team then acts out the sentence to the class who must guess what it is in Japanese.
Inviting Someone Out Game
The class divides into 2 and students circulate practising inviting and accepting/declining invitations to places. The winning side is decided by luck, depending on how many acceptances they receive.
Descriptions Using an Identikit
Students role play in pairs, describing the face of a “robber”. The policeman must re-create the face that the informant is describing, feature by feature.
Play: Cinderella
Students act out this children’s story which can be easily understood by an audience with or without knowledge of Japanese. The play can be used by students not only in the classroom but also as a presentation for a school event. There are 9 parts.
Play: Rabbit’s Present
Students act out this children’s story which can be easily understood by an audience with or without knowledge of Japanese. The play can be used by students not only in the classroom but also as a presentation for a school event. There are 8 parts.
Play: Seven Goats
Students practise and perform the short play しちひきのこやぎ which has a cast of 9 players, including 7 “kids” (child goats), the kids’ mother and a wolf.
Skit: The Big Turnip
Students act out this children’s story which can be easily understood by an audience with or without knowledge of Japanese. The play can be used by students not only in the classroom but also as a presentation for a school event. There are 9 parts.
BOARD GAME: Travel Around Japan
Students play a board game where they make their way around a map of Japan, practising inviting others to places by various means of transport.
BOARD GAME: School
Students play a board game about school. They advance according to their ability to talk about what happens in their school in Japanese. Chance cards provide an added element of luck.
Card Game Ideas
Students play the following games with picture/word cards: Vocabulary learning, Grab, Card Matching, Concentration, Guess the word, Definitions, Soccer, On the Buses, Human Board Game, What’s Missing, Reading activities
Using Flash Cards
Students can learn new vocabulary and play various games using the flashcards which cover many topics.
Play: The Juunishi Story
Students act out this story about the origin of the Juunishi (Chinese/Japanese zodiac). The play can be used by students not only in the classroom but also as a presentation for a school event. There are 15 parts.
Play: The Twin Millionaires and the Straw
Students act out this children’s story which can be easily understood by an audience with or without knowledge of Japanese. The play can be used by students in the classroom or as a presentation for a school event. There are 12 parts.
Skit: Ninja Rescue
Students act out this childrens' story which can be easily understood by an audience with or without knowledge of Japanese. The play can be used by students not only in the classroom but also as a presentation for a school event. There are 9 parts.
Choosing a Sports Kurabu
Students work in pairs to decide which of the four sports clubs (gyms) they will join. Each student and their partner go to two clubs, ask some questions and share the information. They then discuss which club they will choose.
Guess the Souvenir Group Activity
Students ask a series of questions to try to work out which souvenir another student is holding. If they guess correctly they win the souvenir.
Inviting Over the Phone
Students practise inviting/accepting/refusing in a scenario with a partner then participate in a class game where students are chosen at random by their phone number to perform the dialogue.
Role Play: Japanese Tea
Students work in groups of four to write a script and role play a difficult situation involving some bad tasting tea! Julie doesn’t wish to offend her Japanese hosts so she distracts them with questions about their house.
What is my Job?
Students try to win as many job cards as possible by asking questions to try and determine which job is on the card.
Counting Shapes
Students use their spatial skills to count the number of shapes contained within a larger shape.
Time Bingo
Students listen to the clock times read out by the teacher and compete to be the first to fill out their bingo card of clock times they have chosen.
My Holiday Suitcase
Students ask each other for various items so they can finish packing their suitcase. There are 12 items to obtain altogether.
Protected: Creation of Japan: Myth
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Manga: Bumbuku Chagama
Students read a simple version of the folktale in a manga format and answer 3 questions on the story and themes. Students are introduced to the “tanuki” and learn a Japanese song with 4 animal names and sounds (こぶた、たぬき、きつね、ねこ).
Omusubi Activity
Students learn about the traditional Japanese food, omusubi, by learning how they are made and the popular fillings used. They answer questions in Japanese and read in hiragana the procedure for making them.
Manga: Sarukani Gassen
Students read the manga of the story of Sarukani gassen. They can then perform the skit or use it as a base for discussion on the theme of revenge. This story is known to all Japanese children; the tale of the battle between the monkey and the crab.
Role Play: Weather Reports
Students will learn expressions describing weather. They will be able to role-play giving a weather report from various cities around the world.
Role Play: World Events Report
Students prepare and perform a skit in which a TV show host asks for updates and events via satellite from several different journalists around the world. Language: Weather and time around the world
Sealife Games
Students learn the words for 12 sea creatures as they play card games and observation games using the IWB.
Skit: Hello Mr Lucky! Game Show
Students prepare a TV show skit where they practise introducing themselves and answering about their favourite fruit (or other category). There are 4 people per group.
Skit: Koala at Customs
Students prepare and perform a funny, short (1 page) skit that takes place in Japan. There are two parts: the Passenger and the Officer. The passenger is found to have concealed a live koala in their bag.
Skit: Lost Pet
Students practice and perform a 2 person skit where a frantic person comes running into the RSPCA office desperately trying to find a missing pet. The officers try to help the owner as s/he describes the pet.