BOARD GAMES - Japanese Teaching Ideas

Board games for practicing Japanese

Boardgames, sugoroku, すごろく for reviewing Japanese vocabulary and grammar.

Useful links for board games

Board game expressions
http://activity-resources.jpf-sydney.org/ar/ar_07/expression/e1.htm
What to say when playing a board game.

Virtual dice
Virtual dice from 6 faces to 12 faces. Dice can be custom made ie change from digits to words or hiragana. Use the virtual dice for interactive whiteboard games or other whole class boardgames.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/maths/dice/

Board game TEMPLATES

General board game TEMPLATE
Add words or pictures to this general board game template.

general_board_game
File Size:	41 kb
File Type:	doc

Japan board game TEMPLATE
Write one question for each number on the game board. Students throw a die and then answer the question corresponding to the number they land on the board, if they are correct they can roll again, if not they must go back to where they came from.

japan_board_game
File Size:	13 kb
File Type:	docx

Samurai board game TEMPLATE
Write question cards, using the card template below. Students roll the die and work their way to the castle. They answer a question each time they pass a gate. If they are correct they can continue, if not they must stay on the gate until their next turn and remain their until they answer a question card correctly. The first person to pass the golden gate and reach the castle wins.

samurai_board_game
File Size:	448 kb
File Type:	docx

Question card TEMPLATE
Create question cards for board games with this template.

question_card_template
File Size:	16 kb
File Type:	docx

Write Sugoroku TEMPLATE
Change the 'Kotoba' words on the game board to the words studied in class. Students then move from start to the goal by writing (or saying) sentences using the words they land on. The first to the end wins.

writing_board_game
File Size:	13 kb
File Type:	docx

Board games by topic

Aisatsu game
Students flip a coin and move one space for 'heads' and two spaces for 'tails'. When they land on an image they need to say the Japanese greeting. If the student can't they must go back two spaces.

Aisatsu game
File Size:	2273 kb
File Type:	doc

Animals and plants sugoroku
Name the animal and plants board game.
http://kotoba.littlestar.jp/sugoroku-ikimono.html

Clothing Hebi to Hashigo
Play snakes and ladders. When students land on a piece of clothing they say the name in Japanese. When they land on a person they describe what they are wearing in Japanese. When they land on a question they try and answer it correctly.

Hebi to hashigo
File Size:	867 kb
File Type:	doc

Countries and nationalities board game
Practice asking and answer questions about countries and nationalities.

Countries boardgame
File Size:	647 kb
File Type:	doc

Daily routine board game
Practice talking about nichijyou seikatsu using this simple board game.

Daily routine boardgame
File Size:	235 kb
File Type:	doc

Family kazoku game
Review name, age, numbers and family members in Japanese.

kazoku.jpg
File Size:	83 kb
File Type:	jpg

Food (Tabemono) sugoroku
Practice the names fruits and vegetables, and Japanese favourites with this board game.
http://kotoba.littlestar.jp/sugoroku-tabemono.html

Grammar Hebi to hashigo
Give Ss a list of grammar exercises (with answers on the back). Download the hebi to hashigo game board and give each group a copy. Ss roll the dice and go around the game board. Each time they land on a snake or a ladder they need to answer a grammar question (or other type of questions). If they are correct and they are on a blank square or a snake's head they remain where they are, if they are on a ladder they go to the square at the top of the ladder. If they answer the question incorrectly, if they are on a snake's head they go down to the square at the end of the snakes tail, if they are on a square with a ladder they remain where they are. The Ss (or pair of Ss if playing in pairs) who are first to reach 'gooru' win.

hebi to hashigo
File Size:	489 kb
File Type:	docx

Hiragana advanced board game
http://www.jpf.org.uk/language/download/gamesugoroku2.pdf
Review advanced hiragana.
RULES: Student has to say the hiragana on the square that his/her piece lands. If the player is not able to say it correctly, the player must roll the die again and go back with the number of squares that die represents. The first player to reach the GOAL is the winner.

Hiragana basics board game
http://www.jpf.org.uk/language/download/gamesugoroku1.pdf
Review basic hiragana.
RULES: Student has to say the hiragana on the square that his/her piece lands. If the player is not able to say it correctly, the player must roll the die again and go back with the number of squares that die represents. The first player to reach the GOAL is the winner.

Past tense: Nani o shimashita ka
A board game where students can practice saying what they did at various times in their lives.
Adapted from: www.eslprintables.com

Nani o shimashita ka
File Size:	51 kb
File Type:	doc

Revision game - Japan Quiz
Review basic facts about Japan with this game. (Rules included in the download.)

Revision game Japan Quiz
File Size:	2253 kb
File Type:	doc

School sugoroku
http://activity-resources.jpf-sydney.org/ar/ar_07/2/2_1.htm
Students say what they have done in each place around the school.

Soccer game: basic grammar
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/languages/japanese/assets/pdf/articles/j_soccergame.pdf
Review basic Japanese grammar.

Town and places - Watashi no machi
Play a game practicing the names of places around town.
Adapted from: www.eslprintables.com

My town
File Size:	279 kb
File Type:	doc

Time board game: Ima nan ji desu ka?
Students can practice telling the time in Japanese using this simple board game.

Download this Japanese time board game here in:
HIRAGANA
ROMAJI

Travel board game
http://activity-resources.jpf-sydney.org/ar/ar_07/1/1_1.htm
Students ask to go places around Japan.

Verbs Te form board game
Practice saying various te form verbs with this simple board game.

Doushi board game
File Size:	70 kb
File Type:	doc

Verbs te form: Nani o shiteimasu ka?
Practice the te form with this game of 'What are you doing?'

Nani o shiteimasu ka?
File Size:	139 kb
File Type:	doc

Vocabulary Review Game
Star Chance is a game designed to review any Japanese vocabulary. Print off the rules and cards (adapt them to what ever vocabulary you are studying). Students roll the dice and if the student lands on a space with a 'Chansu', they select a card from the 'Chansu' pile. This student reads the question aloud (remembering not to give the answer). If their partner completes the task as stated on the card they can remain on that square and keep the card, if they do not complete the task they must return to the square on the game board they came from. The next student pair then rolls the dice and continues the game. The first pair of students who collect all four coloured Star Chance cards and reaches the 'gooru' wins.

Star Chance RULES AND CARDS
File Size:	439 kb
File Type:	doc

Star Chance GAME BOARD
File Size:	48 kb
File Type:	doc