AlphabetShopping   Scroll Down!

Materials Needed:

• AlphabetShopping attachment - one set for each group
• Paper shopkeeper hats (optional)
• Plastic laminated credit cards (optional)

Detailed Explanation:

1. The final goal is to have students make creative and interesting pictures using uppercase letters - an ''S' becomes a snake - and then sell them in a simple shop setting.
2. This activity is usually done over the course of two periods, although it can be condensed to one period if needs be.
• 1st period:
• The letters are introduced, drilled and an easy game is played, for example, some type of what's-missing game.
• Then, put the students into groups of 4-6 and hand out a set of alphabet cards to each group.  Explain the students are to turn the letters into pictures of something that resembles the letter's shape: 'G' becomes Doraemon's face, 'O' becomes a clock, etc.
• The rest of the lesson is spent preparing the letters, cutting, drawing and colouring.
• 2nd period:
• The first part of the lesson is spent reviewing the letters via whatever review you find works best for your class.
• Then, do a good/bad demo with the ALT/JTE using shopping phrases. I try to keep the phrases as simple as possible:
• Customer: Hello.
• Shopkeeper: Hello.
• C: This 'G', please.
• S: OK, here you are. (hands over the item)
• C: Thank you, goodbye.
• S: Goodbye.
• Have the class practice the phrases with the ALT, first the ALT plays the role of shopkeeper and then as a customer.
• Finally, half the groups are told to set up their shops, while the other groups play the role of customer.
• After a certain period of time the roles are switched.
• This next step is optional. If there is time, have the students make a circle and show which letter they purchased, and why they purchased it (in Japanese, of course).

Variations:

• This activity can be done in one lesson if the children have covered letters before.
• Imaginary money could be used to encourage some competition.  The group who earns the most money would be the winner.

Teaching Suggestions:

• When this idea was first proposed to me by a HRT I was sceptical about using letters for a shopping lesson because it didn't make complete sense to me, but I was wrong. Spending so much time looking at individual letters allows the children to remember letters individualy, rather than having to go through the alphabet A-Z in their head in order to remember a certain letter.
• I find shopping activities like this especially useful for those classes where some kids constantly demand attention, as you and the HRT can take a more hands on approach with these children without disrupting the activity for the other children.
• With more advanced classes, it can be interesting to have them make their names from the letters.
• Providing paper hats and plastic laminated credit cards can help to increase the children's motivation. BTW, it's fun to encourage the children to make sound effects when imaginarily swipping the credit cards.
• I find shopping activities like this especially useful for those classes where some kids constantly demand attention, as you and the HRT can take a more hands on approach with these children without disrupting the activity for the other children.

Tips/Cautions:

• If you are having the students make their names from the cards, then I would place more vowels on each of the printouts and maybe a few more of the more common letters to ensure nobody is left without.
• Encourage the children to be creative, but not to spend too much time on any one letter, as they will be giving it away during the lesson.

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This page was last modified on Friday, April 09, 2010 12:15:32 AM