Brief Description: One student is chosen as a killer mosquito. Students shake hands and greet each other in Spanish. If the killer mosquito scratches someone's hand, that person "dies". The game continues until someone discovers the killer, or everyone is out of the game. Game Set-up/Rules: 1. Explain the general premise of the game. 2. The students will put their head down and close their eyes, the teacher walks down the rows of desks and taps one person on the head. They will be the killer mosquito. 3. Students get up and start shaking hands and greeting each other using Spanish. They must be continuously shaking people's hands, and may have to end up shaking the same people's hands several times. 4. If the killer mosquito scratches someone's hand (they may be strategic in who they choose), that person should then shake two other classmates hands normally, scream dramatically, and then "die" (fall over to the ground then return to their desk). 5. The game will continue until everyone is out of the game, or until someone still in the game yells "Párense"/Stop. That person then can guess who the killer was. If they are right, they "save" everyone and a new game starts. If they are wrong, they are out of the game. ***This is a fun game that gets everyone up and moving and interacting with each other. A few dramatic screamers help to break the ice and gets people laughing! A good classroom culture builder.
Yo Tengo
Brief Description: Students place their chairs or desks in a circle. Have one student start in the middle and say something they have or have done. All students who also have the same thing, or have done the same thing move to a new chair. The person stuck in the middle without a chair has to say the next statement. Game Set-up/Rules 1. Set-up chairs in a circle and have the students sit down. No chairs/not enough room? You can have the students stand in a circle and have them mark their spot with their folders. 2. Choose one student to stand in the middle of the circle, and remove their chair from the circle. 3. Have that student say "Me llamo_________ y yo tengo_____________", With Spanish 1 students, I actually allow them to say whatever they'd like in English after "Yo tengo".... even if it is something like "yo tengo been to California". Obviously linguistically that doesn't work, and it is Spanglish, but the main goals here are: -team building -learning students names -students learn two new vocab phrases: Me llamo, and yo tengo If students are advanced, this could be modified to be any statement made in the preterite of something they've done. 4. If it is true about the students sitting in the circle, they need to find a new chair to sit in, as well as the person who was in the middle. The person left without a chair reads the next statement. *This is a good game to get everyone up and moving. It is a good way for students to share information with each other about themselves and to learn students names!
Killer Look
Brief Description: Students stand in a circle and then look at someone in the circle. If that person is staring back at them, they both are out of the game. Game continues until there is a winner. Game Set-up/Rules: 1. Have students stand in a circle. 2. Explain that students will look down, look up into the ceiling, and then look at one person in the circle. 3. If they are staring at someone who is staring back at them, they should scream, and then "die" and sit down. If they are looking at someone who is not looking back at them, they are safe. 4. I call out the commands in Spanish... everyone look down, everyone look up, everyone look! 5. The game continues until there is one winner, or two winners depending on if you have odd or even numbers. * A fun game that helps to form classroom community and a good 5-10 minute time filler!
Two Truths and a Lie
Game Set-up/Rules: 1, Students all write two truths and a lie. With my Spanish 1s, I often allow it to be done in English. But, you could certainly find ways to incorporate Spanish into this part. 2. Place cones (10-15), or some sort of place markers down the hallway or open space about 3 feet part from each other. 3. Students all start even with the first cone. One student reads their two truths and a lie. 4. You can interject Spanish here... have them introduce themselves in Spanish, or tell the class how they are feeling, or a characteristic about themselves in Spanish before continuing. 5. The students vote by raising their hand which one is the lie. 6. If they are correct, they move up to the next cone, if they are wrong, they move back. If they are already at the beginning/the first cone they just stay there. Continue until someone makes to the last cone, or until all of the two truths and a lie have been read. *A great game to get to know the students better, build relationships among the students, and get students feeling comfortable with one another.