Introduction

This game is based on pantomimic skills on the part of the performer and creative skills on behalf of everyone else. It also aims at activating vocabulary and motivate students to enrich their English vocabulary. 

Target group and Time

The game can be played from grade 5 onwards; one round might take up from 1 to 4 minutes. Since the game requires at least a basic vocabulary knowledge, I would play the game once the students have become acquainted with certain word fields (activities, families, everyday situations).

Learning objectives

One of the main objectives is to revise specific vocabulary and ingrain it better. Furthermore, it will help students to lose inhibitions concerning acting and speaking up. Solidarity is created through team work and students will be more likely to help each other at finding the correct word afterwards.

Instructions to set up the activity

The teacher comes up with a variety of situations that he or she thinks the respective age group can identify and deal with. Two or three people pantomime the situation and their classmates have to guess what they want to depict. It is advisable to opt for situations whose adaption is likely to raise laughter in order to motivate students even more. 

Some examples:

One school kid is to play a naughty dog that simply won't listen to its owner and tries to run away. The owner desperately holds on to the leash and struggles for authority.

One school kid imitates a brazen baby that doesn't want to eat. (The actors are not allowed to make noises.) A parent tries to feed the baby but the baby keeps pushing the food away or simply spits it out. 

Two kids play tennis. After a while, one of them wins and is in seventh heaven. His rival, however, is devastated and begins to cry. 

Letting it run

Example: Teacher explains the situation to the first couple that is about to pantomime. He or she has to make sure the students understand what they are about to act and convey and helps them out with ideas to present the situation well. The teacher then goes over to those ones who attempt to guess the situation that is acted and tries to help out with vocabulary questions.