Wednesday, May 22, 2013


Pumpernickel! Another word guessing game!

 Have your students learned adverbs of frequency? (usually, always, sometimes)
Can they ask questions?
Do they know different locations?
Do they know lots of different verbs?

Then they are ready for this game!

I've always called it pumpernickel because I think that's a fun word to say! If you have a better word to say (maybe something that your students struggle with and need help pronouncing) then you should use that instead.

The rules of the game are easy, you have to answer questions about your verb without actually saying it. And the rest of the class has to ask questions about your verb. Instead of saying your verb we use the word, "pumpernickel."

So one way we can play it would be:

1. The teacher puts different words that they have practiced in a hat and pulls one out.
2. Student 1: Do you pumpernickel every day?
   Teacher:  Yes, I pumpernickel every night.
3. Student 2: Do you like to pumpernickel?
  Teacher: I LOVE to pumpkernickel.
4. Student 3: Do you pumpernickel in your bathroom?
    Teacher: No, I don't pumpernickel in my bathroom; it would be dangerous.
5. Student 4: Is it sleep?
    Teacher: Yes it is sleep!

Now student 4 can pick a word and the rest of the students will continue asking questions about pumpernickel.

  • Some teachers have students guess in a particular order. Other teachers choose from volunteers. Whatever works best for your class.
  • Now, some teachers play where students come up with their own verbs. That's awesome! An easy way to make this a no-prep game. However, I teach high school students. I can think of quite a few verbs I would NOT want them to use. 
  • If you have lower level students you can make more verbs by adding locations. For example, "go" can be, "go to church," "go to the dentist," or "go to the zoo." Eat can be, "eat dessert," "eat fast food" or "east vegetables" etc.
  • Pick a verb tense. You can use this to review a specific verb tense by making all questions in that tense
    • Future: Will you pumpernickel tomorrow?
    • Past Perfect: Have you pumpernickeled in a kitchen?
    • Past Progressive: Have you been pumpernickeling since you were little?
    • etc.
  • You can use nouns and adjectives instead of verbs, but verbs make this game extra fun!
I LOVE word games!  If you are looking for other word games try: ink-pinks or guess the rhyme.

If you end up using this in class let me know how it goes and if you changed it. If you don't use it in class I'd love to know about what other word games do you like?

No comments:

Post a Comment


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...