Board Games
Also Known As:
- すごろく (sugoroku)
Contents
Time
20-45 min (depending on the length and difficulty)
Materials
- Board Game
- Dice for each group
- Playing pieces, also known as こま (koma)
- Or have the students use their eraser or other small object
Directions
Students form groups of up to 5-6 people and janken to decide the order. Students roll the dice to move forward and say the vocabulary/answer the question on the square. The first person to reach the end wins!
There are two ways of reaching the end, and the students will undoubtedly ask which one. Usually the most popular way (if asking everyone besides the person who rolled) is requiring them to roll the exact number it takes to reach the final square. If the number is over the required amount, they must go back that many spaces. This can take forever, for better or worse. For a faster, simpler ending, allow them to reach the finish as long as the number is over the minimum required.
Adding batsu squares always keeps things interesting, whether skipping a turn or moving backwards.
Variations
- Candy Land style: instead of dice, prepare the board to have a color on each square and cut squares of colored paper to match. Students take a square from an envelope (without looking of course) and move to the next square with that color. You can also slip in some alternately lucky/unlucky cards to match up with specific spots on the board. Depending on where they are, these can move them far ahead or way back.
Suggested Topics
Elementary School
Vocabulary
- Colors
- Fruits
- Animals
- Numbers
- (put 'equations' on the squares to make it tougher)
Grammar
- Do you like ___?
- Using vocabulary on the squares, they ask the person to their right/left
- What ___ do you like?
- Using the categories on the squares, they ask the person to their right/left
- Can you ___?
- Using the sport/instrument on the square, they ask the person to their right/left
Junior High School
Grammar
- Write questions using the target point, practicing reading along with speaking/listening. Students must answer or ask the person next to them
Writing/Spelling
- Put letters on the squares, students say/write words that start with the letter
Review/Comprehensive
- Categories
- To practice vocabulary, put categories like colors, animals, fruits and students name 2 or 3
- For added difficulty, use categories like 'blue things' or 'hot things' or 'food from Japan'
- Make some squares special group activities, like a short game of hangman or karuta or simon says (yep, for junior high)
