Kanji Shiritori: Ride the Wave of Idioms!
Kanji Shiritori tests your vocabulary, creativity, and quick thinking.
There are moments where students' personalities shine, and others where they get unexpectedly stuck.
How will you ride the 'wave' of these idioms?
Rules
"Japan" (Nihon) → "Bookstore" (Honya) → "Stall" (Yatai) → "Kitchen" (Daidokoro) → ...
Idioms of two or more characters are allowed (e.g., "Kokontouzai").
Connect idioms starting with the last kanji (e.g., "Nihon" → "honya")
Even if the reading is different, it is okay if the kanji is the same (e.g., "Daidokoro" → "dokoroyou")
Flow
1. Starting the game
The teacher writes the first idiom on the edge of the blackboard. The Shiritori starts from there!
2. Student participation
Students take turns going to the blackboard. It is also okay to start writing from the 'second character onwards' of the idiom.
3. Add excitement with time limits
Set a time limit, such as one minute per person, and announce, 'Only X seconds left!'
4. Using dictionaries
If you allow the use of dictionaries, making students explain the meaning of the word will deepen their learning.
5. How to End the Class
Use a lighthearted penalty game right after the bell to get some laughs. Things like "being the one to call the class to order" or "cleaning the blackboard" work well.
🎲 How to Decide the Order: Use Rock-Paper-Scissors to Build Excitement!
Have students in the four corners of the classroom stand up and play rock-paper-scissors with the teacher.
The winner chooses to "start themselves" or "have the opponent start."
Proceed in a zigzag order → This makes the answering order easy to understand and keeps the tempo up.
After the last student, it goes back to the first student again.
💬 Realization from Shi-Garu: The "Trap" of the Starting Position
You might think that in this game, "starting yourself" is an advantage, but it is actually the opposite.
Since the game goes around the classroom several times (each person gets several chances to answer), it is actually more beneficial to "have the opponent start," as it reduces the number of times you have to answer.
🏐 Make it Even More Exciting with Team Battles!
Each row counts as one team.
Consultation within the team is allowed → Work together to think of "easy-to-connect idioms."
When the right to answer moves to the next team (row), attack with "hard-to-connect idioms."
Penalties are a collective responsibility → This creates a sense of team unity.
For example, since people in Row A are teammates, they consult with each other to choose idioms that are easy for their next teammate to answer. Then, the last person in Row A thinks of an idiom that will be difficult for the first person in the opposing team, Row B, to answer, and passes it to them.
It's similar to how you play volleyball, isn't it? You connect with your teammates and shake up the opponent. The longer the rally of idioms continues, the higher the energy in the classroom rises.
Word games you can use in class (link)
“Sun”: What does it become if you add one stroke? An 8-character brain-teasing quiz
“East”: Find them by breaking it down! A kanji search that fills the blackboard
“Word games” are not just games; they are a treasure chest for the classroom that brings out students' vocabulary, creativity, and collaborative skills.
Please try them out in your own classroom.
I would be happy if you could share your thoughts or examples of how you adapted them in the comments.
いいなと思ったら応援しよう！
応援していただけると嬉しいです。いただいたチップは、クリエイターとしての活動費として活用させていただきます！！(^o^)/