Author Topic: Class Warm Ups - Games (Read 23841 times)

beaver4 · « **on:** April 07, 2011, 10:37:48 AM »

I sometimes find small talk repetitive and so do my students, so we have started playing a game at the beginning where the students submit questions and i put them in an envelope. I then call a random student number and draw from the envelope. The kids like it cause it makes them excited to hear if their question is picked or if they will have to answer. I attached an example page of questions i cut up and used the first time, since then they do it themselves.

hj2010 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2011, 01:50:02 PM »

Hi guys,

This is my post from a thread in the middle school section.
http://waygook.org/index.php/topic,4734.0.html

I thought it would be great to have a dedicated post for elementary level warm ups.

I teach elementary, so I'm not sure how these warm-ups go down in middle or high.
I find warm-ups extremely helpful and crucial to getting the students into 'English mode'.
My criteria - short, fast, little prep needed, maximum student contribution, exciting, fun, around 5 minutes, and does not necessarily need to be related to the lesson.
I always do a review after the warm-up for about 5 minutes before starting the lesson proper.

Here's my list:

1. Pass the ball - many good powerpoints can be found on this site.
2. I spy (Eye spy???) - 'I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ___'. Emphasise that it must be currently seen. Kids love the 'beginning with' part because it sounds like 'bikini'
3. Anagrams - simplified - I usually use the name of the chapter we are studying and the students can make words using less than all of the letters
4. Scattegories - give them a letter and a couple of minutes to write down words starting with that letter. Advanced students can also get a category to use
5. 20 questions - usually more like 100, but anywho... encourage them to search for information about the thing, not just give random guesses
6. Pictionary - give one student a vocab word to draw on the board, and the other students have to guess what it is
7. The Drawing Game - two or more students go to board with pen/chalk ready. Teacher gives an object for them to draw and they have 10 seconds to draw it. The more absurd the better. Class then votes who is the winner, and that student stays on for another round. For advanced students, add adjectives (eg 'draw a pretty, fat gorilla'), or simple subject verb sentences (eg 'draw a shark eating a bus')
8. Chain game - link the last letter of a word to the first letter of the next. ie dog great tuesday. For advanced students, give them a category. For a harder game, tell them they cannot use the same link letter twice (and give them a category!)
9. A - Z Categories - students must go through the alphabet with a word related to the category you selected (ie food - a = apple, b = banana, c = cake, d = doughnuts etc). Countries is a good category for advanced students. Lower students (phonics) do not need a category
10. Ski buzz - counting game. Replace all numbers ending in three with ski, and all numbers ending in seven with buzz. For advanced students also replace multiples of three and seven with their respective monikers. (1 2 ski 4 5 6 buzz 8 9 10 11 12 ski 14 15 16 buzz for easy) (1 2 ski 4 5 ski buzz 8 ski 10 11 ski ski buzz ski 16 buzz ski 19 for advanced)
11. Rhyming game - give a word, students need to make it ryhme. May be done in teams, writing down words or spoken. This is usually quite hard for Korean students. Keep it simple.
12. Red light, Green light - for the 1st - 3rd grade learning the alphabet type phoincs kids. Teacher says 'green light' and students start writing the alphabet (teacher chooses upper or lower case). Teacher says 'red light' and students must stop writing and wait. 'Green light' off they go again. First to finish the alphabet correctly wins.

That's all I can think of for now. If anyone has any ideas on how I can 'level up' my warm-up-ness please let me know!

Cheers

mmarion · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2011, 02:50:27 PM »

here is another good activity!

mmarion · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2011, 02:52:38 PM »

Oops, sorry, here is another one. I gathered pics off of failblog and created a powerpoint, just ask students whats wrong with each picture. I was able to teach words like "dive" "firetruck" "upside down" etc too

Alfie · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2011, 03:11:43 PM »

I can't use any "warm up" type things for one of my after school classes because it sends them WILD!!! They just cannot settle after them at all. It doesn't seem to get them into English mode at all, it gets them into playtime mode! Disaster!!! :o

plasticdrummer · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2011, 03:21:30 PM »

Here's a rock paper scissors game to get kids speaking as a warm up.

theyowman · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2011, 03:25:55 PM »

Some good ideas here, but any short review of the previous lesson and an intro discussing the days lesson is good enough as long as you get their attention.

boxofrain · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:10:13 PM »

At the start of class, I play a song, and have kids move (I encourage dancing) in a circle. When the music stops, I yell a number 1-5. The students must form groups of that number. Then I have a topic written on the board, or I show a picture and the students must discuss that topic. Usually I start with the basics, "weather", "feelings" then I move onto review "Give directions to your house from school."
My kids always have fun and speak English the entire time!

murcart23 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:21:12 PM »

A simple but fun activity for the 3rd and 4th graders is 'Do This, Do That.' The premise is similar to Simon Says, except "do this" means the students should copy you, and "do that" means they shouldn't. It wakens them up at the start of class, and also helps train them to hear the difference between "this" and "that" (something which a lot of my 3rd graders found difficult in chapter 2).

wong812 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:28:52 PM »

I've been playing a game one of my grade 5 students taught me.

Stop The Bus

Divide the class into teams.

Pick 4 categories. Examples can be.

Country
Colour
Food
Sports or games

Teacher chooses a letter from the alphabet. For instance "C"

First team to guess all the categories beginning with C has to put up their hands and shout "STOP THE BUS!!!"

Everyone's mental for this game right now and you can use it anytime.

delia218 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:05:34 PM »

For the younger grades, I like to use a Hello song. There are so many versions, so you can choose one that uses "how are you" responses too.

They respond well to physical commands too.... just simple things like stand up, sit down, jump, clap etc. I just say 5 - 10 and it gets the moving and awake to start class.

I've added one more each week and got to more difficult vocabulary like stretch, freeze, bow, hug, salute, etc.

You can turn it into a short game if you say the commands quickly and students who don't respond have to sit. A few remaining students or the team with the most students up get a point/

wrangly · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:24:31 PM »

My co and I do a yoga warm up. We try to keep them seated so they don't go crazy. It's good for them to be stretching/moving around a bit (especially at the end of the day). Some of them don't like it very much - "No teacher. Yoga is bad!" - sometimes we offer to have them lead the stretch and that makes them a little happier.

Also I have them repeat the directions after me so they are using English while we do this. If you are struggling to fill a period with a lesson, this is a good way to kill a little extra time.

rasa · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:33:50 PM »

I'm not sure if this is "Korean style" or just my cT's preference, but he always wants me to start the lesson with an "opener" that gets students' attention. Not just a warm-up of reviewing the language, but something really funny or attention-grabbing. So I usually use a short video (tv commerical, song, clip) and it keeps them settled really well.

knox · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:37:49 PM »

When my hello songs fail and the class wants some interaction,
this quick and simple PPT introduces them to simple Mathematics in English.
Once they have grasped the 4 main concepts; and assuming they can count a bit
...let the games begin.

Speak out sums to the class.
They write down the sum(s).
Then, they write down the answer.

It can be an elimination game (like Golden Bell) or
it can be a group game / warm-up.

*if groups are too evenly matched, introduce a time element and up the difficulty of the sums -after everyone has had a good go in hearing sums in English and outputting them in English.

Adamski · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:38:47 PM »

Here are some that i found on genki english that work really well:

- For grades 1 -3 i do a whole class TPR warmup. They must repeat the teacher and do the action. Stand up, sit down, open your book, jump, clap, clap 3 times etc. You can add a new on every week. Fun stuff like jumping jacks, mario jump etc.

- For all elementary grades 1-5 i find this works well:

http://www.genkienglish.net/Lines.htm

It's good because you can change the questions for any topic or level.

Another one inspired by the above, that i find works the best is as follows:
- Give each row of desks a number 1-6.
- Roll a dice and whatever number it lands on, that row has to stand up.
- Give them a command (clap, jump etc) or ask them a question.
- The first to follow the command or raise their hand and answer the question correctly can sit down.
- keep going until there is only one student left standing.
- the students in that kid's row (to the left and right) must then all stand up.
- repeat until their is only one kid left standing
- the kids in that row to the front and back have to stand up.
- repeat
-if the same kid stays standing cos he/she is a bit slow, just roll the dice and pick another row to stand.

Adamski · « **Reply #15 on:** April 11, 2011, 02:43:13 PM »

Quote from: wong812 on April 11, 2011, 01:28:52 PM

I've been playing a game one of my grade 5 students taught me.

Stop The Bus

Divide the class into teams.

Pick 4 categories. Examples can be.

Country
Colour
Food
Sports or games

Teacher chooses a letter from the alphabet. For instance "C"

First team to guess all the categories beginning with C has to put up their hands and shout "STOP THE BUS!!!"

Everyone's mental for this game right now and you can use it anytime.

i dont get this. could u explain?

joyyoj · « **Reply #16 on:** April 19, 2011, 08:02:38 PM »

I use this song in kindergarten classes.
http://

green3 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 19, 2011, 09:08:28 PM »

Drawing pictures is great idea!
I'll use it in the classroom :)

miaj33 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2011, 10:15:14 PM »

Quote from: Adamski on April 11, 2011, 02:43:13 PM

Quote from: wong812 on April 11, 2011, 01:28:52 PM
I've been playing a game one of my grade 5 students taught me.

Stop The Bus

Divide the class into teams.

Pick 4 categories. Examples can be.

Country
Colour
Food
Sports or games

Teacher chooses a letter from the alphabet. For instance "C"

First team to guess all the categories beginning with C has to put up their hands and shout "STOP THE BUS!!!"

Everyone's mental for this game right now and you can use it anytime.

i dont get this. could u explain?

i'm guessing that the first team to say a word that begins with "C" in the categories country, colour, food, and sports/games wins.

Adamski · « **Reply #19 on:** April 20, 2011, 09:18:43 AM »

Quote from: miaj33 on April 19, 2011, 10:15:14 PM

Quote from: Adamski on April 11, 2011, 02:43:13 PM
Quote from: wong812 on April 11, 2011, 01:28:52 PM
I've been playing a game one of my grade 5 students taught me.

Stop The Bus

Divide the class into teams.

Pick 4 categories. Examples can be.

Country
Colour
Food
Sports or games

Teacher chooses a letter from the alphabet. For instance "C"

First team to guess all the categories beginning with C has to put up their hands and shout "STOP THE BUS!!!"

Everyone's mental for this game right now and you can use it anytime.

i dont get this. could u explain?

i'm guessing that the first team to say a word that begins with "C" in the categories country, colour, food, and sports/games wins.

ahaaaa. cheers!