- Set of actions (see attachment)
- Chopsticks (1 chopstick per student, you can buy them at 100 yen store)
- Envelopes (1 envelope per group, from 100 yen store or use the leftover “Eiken envelopes ” at school)
Preparation Needed: Laminated actions (1 set per group)
Mark 1 chopstick per group with K for King and 2 chopsticks with S for Servant and leave 1 chopstick empty
To prevent chopsticks from breaking, tape their ends with duct tape (or any other tape is OK)
Teaching Suggestions:
Write KING & SERVANT on the blackboard with big letters.
Act out the difference in meaning between King & Servant with your JTE (the funnier the better)
Introduce new vocabulary by writing it on the blackboard and ask the JTE to write Japanese meaning next to it as you go along for students future reference:
1. shout (ALT shouts)
2. out loud (ALT shouts again in a BIG VOICE, use the difference between low and loud/big voice)
3. scream (ALT screams out loud)
4. count (have JTE count form 1 to 10)
5. draw (draw a picture on the blackboard, difference between “write a letter” and “draw a picture”)
6. ask (tell JTE to ask a question to one of the students)
7. turn off and turn on the lights (tell JTE to go and turn the lights off and on)
(I believe in the mnemonic technique and acting out all that new vocabulary and goofing around with the JTE will really help introduce the meaning of each new word. Also, the students reaction to the ALT shouting and screaming out loud is priceless…)
• Explain how to play the game. Let the actions do the talking for you.
Have the JTE select a chopstick and then choose 2 random students from the front to also pick one, leaving one chopstick for the ALT. The person with the K on the chopstick takes the envelope with actions inside, picks one, reads it and tells the servants what to do. I usually stage this so that the ALT is the KING. (If a student is the King make sure you go and help them out with the reading/meaning if necessary.)
Detailed Explanation:
• Tell students to make groups, distribute envelopes with the game materials and let the game begin.
Variations:
You can play this game with any number of students in one group, but it works best in the group of 4.
You can decide how many students are Servants:
- 1 King and everyone else is a Servant
- 1 King and only 1 Servant, while others keep time (you can make it a rule in case the servant doesn`t do what he was told within 30 seconds other members can tell him a page in textbook from which he must read out loud, or sing “nani nani” song…)
In Japan this game is known as 王様ゲーム “Osama ge-mu”.
Cautions:
- This activity works great! Even students who are usually reluctant to participate are out there shouting and screaming and singing.
- Before wrapping up the game make sure to ask the students to check under their desks for laminated actions, since the game can get wild.
- Ask the students not to break the chopsticks (tapping with chopsticks is a stress relieve outlet for the kids, as long as they don`t break it I don`t mind them tapping).
Attachments:
