Also included: Taste Game, Materials Game, Hotter Colder Game

With students in a circle around a big table or sitting on the floor, point to something small and ask the first student to name it (in English). If they don't understand, then teacher gives an example like a pencil or eraser and asks the student "Something bigger?" or goes to the next student. Children (not the teacher) ask the same question in sequence in the circle. Say "something bigger" (det-der-ro = something, big = kun-ga in Korean) while acting out big and small with your hands and arms. Kids will probably say "sky" or "sun". "Universe" is the upper size limit but older children will also understand imagination (sang-sang).

Then we go smaller "something smaller" (small is cha-gum in Korean) and they begin to exchange hints in Korean and English and thus teach each other smaller and smaller words in English. They often say "ant" and then "baby ant" or "ant egg". With even smaller objects kids need teacher's help so I scrape my tooth with a fingernail (yucky) to show that everybody has bacteria and some kids will later say "baby bacteria" jokingly. Beyond this you have to remind them of virus (gyun in Korean). They already know about big computer viruses. And finally sketch an atom, electron etc. etc and talk about electric machines, which includes their own bodies!

This is a great way to build vocabulary while introducing the phrases:

(Tell me, teach me, give me) something bigger.

(Tell me, teach me, give me) something smaller.

A variation is to make it a Hotter and Colder Game.

Another is to make it a Materials Game and ask for something plastic, metal, wood, stone, cement, copper, iron, water, gas, leather, cloth, glass, meat, etc.

Another variation is make it a Taste Game with real/authentic/concrete examples/foods: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, hot, spice, creamy, oily, fishy, spicy, fruity, meaty, bland etc. and then ask for examples of various foods. This can be slow going unless the kids are 12 years or more. I find it needs to be repeated several times. You will have to bring foods in small plastic containers and tooth picks for tasting. Coordinate this class with other teachers so you can all share the food preparation effort/time.

Copyright Robin Tim Day