“Cakewalk” activity

I am sharing this activity I experimented with because I think it can be very versatile.  I created it using the vocab for our current unit (Descubre 2, Lección 2), and commands.  But the basic concept of it can be used for any time you need to randomly partner students up for chats.

When students saw the seats lined up, they all thought we were playing musical chairs.  I told them it’s more like a Cakewalk, except they don’t get cake – they get coupons.  This is why I named it Cakewalk.

Basic instructions:

• Print the situation cards here:  CAKEWALK Commands activity
• Line chairs in a row, back to back. Each chair has a “situation” on the seat.
• Students walk around the chairs to the music.
• When the music stops, students grab a situation card from the seat in front of them.
• Student A presents the situation to the person who has the chair opposite them, Student B, who then offers advice with a command.
• Student B presents the situation card he/she has and Student A offers advice.
• When they both finish, they sit down.
• When all students are seated again, choose numbers randomly. The student who has that number on the situation card has to share the situation AND the advice that was given to them in order to get the prize (coupons, in my class).

Things to consider:

• If there is an uneven number of students, one is on the end and thinks of advice for the card he/she has in order to be prepared if that number is called.
• I passed out the situations while they were at their seats and we read a few aloud to practice first.  Then I had all students bring their cards and chairs to the middle to set it up.
• I would like to use this with some other interactive prompts – they can be asking any sort of question to apply to a variety of grammar/vocab practices.

Written follow up: Return to your seats with your cards and share them with your table groups. Choose 4 situations at your table. Write the card number and your “advice” for each that you choose.

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