Unit 11 Activities

Pair
“Packing: What’s in your suitcase?”
Estimated time:
30 to 40 minutes (dependent on group size)

Materials:
Boxes or other small containers (students can bring to class ahead of time – boxes from food items such as cereal work well)
Pictures of vocabulary items from Unit 11 and other vocabulary that students already know (such as clothing and personal items)
Packing lists for each student (created by teacher/parent – see below)

Objective(s):
The students will identify traveling vocabulary in the target language.
The students will read and find items on a list in the target language.
The students will ask and answer questions about items.
The students will exchange items with each other using the target language.
The students will present their items to the class in the target language.

Procedure:
On a day before the scheduled activity, the students are asked to bring in boxes or small containers that will serve as pretend suitcases. If desired, the students can decorate the boxes using target language vocabulary and target culture decorations (perhaps with a travel theme). Beforehand, the teacher/parent also prepares packing lists for each student in the group. Each list should have 5 vocabulary items from Unit 11 and other vocabulary that the students know (such as clothing and personal items). The combination of items need not be logical. In fact, the activity is more effective if the combinations are somewhat funny.

The teacher/parent tells the students that they will be taking an imaginary trip today, and that they will each need to pack a suitcase. The teacher/parent asks the students which items they might need if going on a trip. Students should remember the traveling vocabulary from Unit 11 and other vocabulary for things such as clothing and personal items. The teacher/parent tells the students that s/he has made a packing list for each of them, and that they might be surprised what they need!

The teacher/parent gives each student an individual packing list, and places 5 pictures of vocabulary items in each student’s suitcase. The items should not match the list. The students should walk around the room, asking each other for the correct items. Depending on the age and target language abilities of the students, the teacher/parent may choose to allow students only to trade items (one for one), or to require students to give items to the asker without receiving an item in return. Once all of the items have been exchanged and all of the suitcases match the packing lists, the students can present their suitcases to the group.

Assessment/Monitoring Progress:
This activity allows students to interact with their peers in the target language. Most students should be fairly comfortable with the task, but may revert to using their first language when interacting with peers. The teacher/parent should facilitate the activity by moving around the room and providing students with the necessary vocabulary and target language structures.
If students run into difficulty, try limiting the number of items that students must collect. For example, the packing lists can be made shorter, or some of the correct items from the list can already be in the suitcases. For an added challenge and for fun, try including more vocabulary items (perhaps things that definitely would not belong in a suitcase!).

Group
“Mystery Suitcase”
Estimated time:
10 to 15 minutes

Materials:
Two small boxes or other opaque containers (decorated like suitcases, if desired)
Small objects or pictures of vocabulary items from Unit 11 and other vocabulary from previous units
Combination lock (or facsimile created by teacher/parent)

Objective(s):
The students will ask and answer questions in the target language.
The students will describe items in the target language.
The students will guess the names of objects and pictures that they can not see.

Procedure:
The teacher/parent tells the students that they will be solving a mystery today. S/he reminds the students of some of the vocabulary from Unit 11 plus other vocabulary they have previously learned. The teacher/parent tells the students that they will use this vocabulary to guess what is in a mystery suitcase that was left behind by a friend.

The teacher/parent shows the students the two suitcases – one with a combination lock, and the other without. The teacher/parent tells the students that they need to guess what is in one box, in order to learn the combination for the lock on the other box. The teacher/parent models the following activity, and then asks the students to participate.

The teacher/parent places an object or a picture of an object in the box without the combination lock. Occasionally, the teacher/parent tapes a piece of paper with one number from the combination lock onto the object or picture. This should be done randomly, according to group size and the amount of time that the teacher/parent wishes to spend on the activity. Students take turns guessing what the object or the picture is, using the target language to describe and/or ask questions about the object or picture. If the box contains only a picture, the students will have to guess without any information, and the teacher/parent can answer. If the box contains an actual object, the students can feel the object with their hands in order to make a better guess. Each student gets one turn to say something in the target language about what is in the box, and then the box is passed to the next student. If desired, a student can take over the role of teacher/parent in leading the activity.

For fun, the mystery suitcase can contain treats for the students, which they will receive when they open the combination lock. It may also contain funny items that will make them laugh. Be creative!

Assessment/Monitoring Progress:
In this activity, students must work both individually and as a group. It will work best if students are allowed to help each other guess what is in the “mystery suitcase.” If students have difficulty, use simpler objects and no pictures, so that students can really feel what is in the suitcase. Objects can be limited to vocabulary that the teacher/parent is certain the students know. Students should be encouraged to describe the item in the box. For example, perhaps it is round or soft. This will help them guess what the item is.

For younger students, try the following variation. One student comes to the front of the room, and the teacher/parent tapes a picture to student’s back. The other students in the group must help the student figure out what the picture is by using the target language. Numbers from the combination lock for the suitcase can be given to students who successfully guess the picture taped to their back, and students can work together to open the combination lock.