WEEK
ONE
THEME
EDUCATION
1.11.5

1.61.10

1.111.20

WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
NOVICE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.1

In my bag, I have…
The more the merrier, given enough chairs
A bag full of typical student items (see next page)
To learn basic vocabulary
The activity leader has participants sit in chairs in a circle.
While the participants are seated, the activity leader introduces vocabulary
by pulling items he or she has out of a back pack. For example, “In my
bag, I have a book…” and “In my bag, I also have a blue pen.”
When he or she is finished, the activity leader then goes into the middle of
the circle and explains the rules.
In this game, the person in the middle tries to get a seat by calling out
something that he or she has in his or her bag. For example, he or she
might say “In my bag, I have… a book!” In this case, any participant that
has a book in his or her bag must stand up and try to find another seat.
(Please note: students need not carry their bags with them; they can
simply think about what they normally carry with them.)
A few important rules: (1) you can’t sit back down in your own seat or the
seat next it (this usually gives the person in the middle a chance to take a
seat, and leaves someone new in the middle), and (2) you can’t use the
same word someone has already used. If a participant says a previously
used word, or cannot think of a word, he or she is out, and the leader
removes a chair.
The activity continues until there are only three people left.
Sample Vocabulary for “In my Bag, I Have…” (Activity 1.1)
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Back pack
Black pen
Blue pen
Book
Calculator
Cell phone
Dictionary
Eraser
Flash drive
Folder
Glasses
Highlighter
ID card
Keys
Lunchbox
Marker
Notebook
Paper
Paper clip
Pencil
Pencil box
Scissors
Snack
Stapler
Tape
Tissue
Wallet
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
NOVICE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.2

Picture dictation
The more the merrier
Paper, pens or pencils, markers or crayons
To practice basic vocabulary and listening skills
The activity leader distributes paper and pens to participants and explains
the rules.
In this activity, participants are going to do a “picture dictation”. The activity
leader describes an education-related picture (e.g., a typical American
classroom) to the participants, without showing them the picture.
Participants listen carefully and draw what the leader describes.
The activity leader describes the full scene of the picture, as well as
individual objects in it, using only English. He or she walks around, looks at
the drawings, and gives support as necessary. He or she encourages
participants to color their pictures and make them as realistic as possible.
At the end, the activity leader asks all of the participants to describe their
drawings—in English!—and why they drew them that way. Participants
then vote on which picture comes closest to the picture from the dictation.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
NOVICE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.3

Last man standing
The more the merrier
One small ball
To learn basic vocabulary
In this game, participants try to remember and shout out as many words
related education as they know.
The activity leader asks everyone to stand in a circle. He or she then
explains the rules.
 First, the activity leader says a word related to education and passes
the ball to someone else in the circle.
 That player then shouts out a different word related to education,
and passes the ball to another person.
 If a participant repeats a word, or can’t think of a word, he or she is
out. The leader decides if the word is related to education or not.
 The game continues until there is only one person left.
 The activity leader can then restart the game with the same theme
(education) or a new theme related to education (books, authors,
languages, etc.).
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
NOVICE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.4

Five alive
The more the merrier
None
To learn basic vocabulary and numbers
The activity leader asks everyone to sit or stand in a circle. To ensure they
know how, he or she then has the group count to 20.
The activity leader then introduces and describes the activity’s vocabulary:
basic academic subjects (see next page).
The activity leader then explains the rules.
 Participants take turns counting from one to 20.
 However, participants must replace the numbers 5, 10, 15, and 20
with an academic subject (science, math, history, English, etc.). For
example, instead of “15”, the individual could say “Math”; instead of
“20”, the next individual could say “Russian”, and so on.
 If a player that makes one mistake, either in counting, or in saying a
word, the activity continues. But if a player makes two mistakes, he
or she must leave the circle.
 Players cannot use a word that has already been used. The activity
leader decides if a word is a proper academic subject or not.
 The game continues until there’s only one player left.
Sample Vocabulary for “Five Alive” (Activity 1.4)
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Algebra
Anthropology
Architecture
Astronomy
Biology
Botany
Calculus
Chemistry
Computer Science
Creative Writing
Economics
Engineering
English (or Russian, or Turkmen, or any other language)
Environmental Science
Geography
Geology
History
Literature
Math
Medicine
Music
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Science
Sports
Statistics
Theater
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
NOVICE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.5

I can… Bingo!
The more the merrier, working individually
Bingo sheet (see next page) pens or pencils
To learn basic vocabulary
In this activity, players find five other people in the room who can perform
activities on the bingo sheet, creating a complete horizontal, vertical, or
diagonal line. Participants must ask each other questions in the form “I can
(or can’t) do activity X. Can you?”
The activity leader starts by introducing the concept and having students
ask each other questions they come up with on their own. For example,
the activity leader might say, “Sasha, I can read Uzbek. Can you?”, to
which Sasha might reply, “Yes, I can read Uzbek”. Sasha then asks a
similar question to another member of the audience. For five or ten
minutes, the activity leader encourages participants to ask each other
questions along these lines, the more creative the better.
The activity leader then distributes bingo sheets (see next page) and
explains the rules.
Participants stand in two concentric circles, pairs facing each other. Each
person in the pair picks an activity, and asks, “I can [do something from the
bingo sheet]. Can you?” If the partner can do the activity, that square is
complete. Once both have asked, the inside circle rotates right. When
someone has completed a full line, he or she then yells “bingo!” The
activity leader checks the sheet to make sure it is correct.
The activity continues until there are three winners.
Bingo Chart for “I Can… Can you?” Activity (1.5)
“I can
memorize a
poem.”
“I can teach
you some
math.”
“I can type
very fast.”
“I can spell
the word
‘science’.”
“I can drive a
car.”
“I can sing.”
“I can
understand
some
English.”
“I can play
the piano.”
“I can use
Google.”
“I can use the
3D printer.”
“I can draw.”
“I can play
sports.”
“I can speak
Uzbek.”
“I can play
chess.”
“I can use
Facebook.”
“I can code.”
“I can write
with my left
hand.”
“I can ride a
bicycle.”
“I can use the
internet.”
“I can write
an essay.”
“I can read a
book in one
day.”
“I can walk to
the library
from home.”
“I can
dance.”
“I can say
something in
German.”
“I can read
Russian.”
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
INTERMEDIATE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.6

My teacher is the best!
The more the merrier, in groups of five
None
To practice speaking
The activity leader divides players in groups of five.
He or she then explains the activity. d
In this activity, participants tell stories about their favorite teachers and
identify criteria for the best teacher.
 First, participants take turns telling the group about their favorite
teachers and what made them so good.
 Once all five members in the group have described their favorite
teachers, each group must vote for the best teacher among those
described.
 Then, the participant with the best story from each group must
describe their favorite teacher to the full group.
 Once all of these stories have been told, the full group votes on the
best teacher.
 If time allows, the activity leader asks players to identify the traits of
the best teacher. The activity leader writes the traits down on a
whiteboard or flip chart so everyone can see them.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
INTERMEDIATE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.7

First day at college
The more the merrier, in groups of five
None
To practice speaking
The activity leader divides participants into groups of five. He or she then
asks the members of each group to choose from the following roles:
freshman, mother, bookstore owner, brother/sister, professor.
The activity leader then explains the rules.
In this activity, players act out the following roles and scene as creatively as
they can—in English! The leader introduces the scene and gives five
minutes for preparation. The teams then perform their skits.
 The freshman has recently been accepted to college and needs to
get ready for his or her first day. He or she is excited but nervous!
 He or she visits the bookstore owner, who recommends which
supplies are useful and which are not.
 He or she asks the mother what to wear on the first day, to make the
right impression.
 He or she asks the brother or sister what to expect and how to
make friends.
 When the day arrives, the student discovers that he or she forgot to
buy a notebook and is unable to take notes during their first lecture.
The professor is not happy, and wants to know why the student
forgot the notebook!
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
INTERMEDIATE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.8
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You’re accepted! (Part1)
The more the merrier, in groups of four or five
The “Tips” list below (see next page)
To practice speaking and introduce interview skills
This activity is designed to help participants understand the basics of a
college admission interview.
The activity leader divides the participants into small groups of four or five,
and then explains the rules.
In the first part of this activity, participants practice speaking English by
reading through the very wrong interview tips on the next page and
discussing them in their small groups.
In the second part of this activity, the activity leader calls on groups one by
one to read one of the “tips” and describe how they would correct it.
The activity leader encourages everyone to speak.
Tips for a Successful College Interview (Activity 1.8)
 Get out of bed and go to the interview in whatever you’re wearing.
This helps you save time!
 Arrive to the interview late. It’s good to show the college that you are
a busy person.
 Don’t bring your resumé or other materials. This shows you have a
good memory.
 If the interviewer offers to shake your hand—don’t do it! Tell them
you prefer to hug.
 Don’t make eye contact with the interviewer and don’t smile. This will
show them that you are a serious person.
 Don’t listen too closely as the interviewer is talking. This shows that
you are thinking about other, more important things.
 Speak very loudly and quickly! It’s best if you speak so much that the
interviewer doesn’t have a chance to talk.
 When the interviewer asks questions about your life, make your
answers as interesting as possible, even if they are not true.
 If you don’t have experience in a certain field, just say you do! They
won’t check if it’s true.
 Don’t show too much interest or enthusiasm. You don’t want them to
think that you are too interested in attending their university.
 At the end of the interview, walk out of the room without saying
anything. They will love your confidence!
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
INTERMEDIATE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.9

You’re accepted! (Part 2)
The more the merrier, in two concentric circles
Interview questions (see next page)
To practice speaking and introduce interview skills
This activity is designed to help participants understand the basics of a
college admission interview.
In this activity, participants break off into pairs, one playing a college
applicant, one playing a college interviewer, and sitting in two concentric
circles. It is important that all interviewers are in one circle and all
applicants are in the other. The activity leader distributes interview
questions to the interviewers (see next page).
The activity leader then explains the rules.
In this activity, participants take part in a mock interview. Interviewers are
representatives of different U.S. colleges and are looking for high-quality
students. Applicants are interested in studying at the best universities for
them. Applicants go around the circle and answer the interview questions,
spending three minutes with each interviewer. When all interviews are
over, interviewers announce their top picks and why.
Interview Questions for “You’re Accepted!, Part Two” (Activity 1.9)
 What do you want to study and why?
 Why do you want to study at (enter university name)?
 What achievements have you accomplished in high school?
 What extracurricular activities have you participated in?
 Have you done any community service?
 What is your biggest strength?
 What is your biggest weakness?
 What do you plan to contribute to this school?
 What do you expect to be doing ten years from now?
 What is your favorite book?
 What do you like to do for fun?
 Why do you want to go to college?
WEEK ONE
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
EDUCATION
INTERMEDIATE
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.10

University admission panel
The more the merrier, in groups of four or five
CVs and selection criteria
To practice speaking English and introduce the
college application process
This activity is designed to introduce students to the university admission
decision making process.
The activity leader divides the participants into small groups of four or five,
and then distributes sample resumés and decision-making criteria.
The activity leader then explains the rules.
In this activity, participants take part in a mock university admissioncommittee meeting. Each group represents a different university and uses
different selection criteria to judge the fake applicants. Groups have 30
minutes to evaluate the candidates’ resumes and decide which two
candidates they will accept to their universities.
When the evaluation period is over, each group will announce their top
picks and why.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.11

Two achievements and a lie
The more the merrier, in two groups
Paper, pens or pencils
To practice basic vocabulary and speaking
The activity leader divides the audience into two teams, asks everyone to
sit facing the front, and then explains the rules.
In this activity, participants must write down three things to tell the other
group about themselves—two things they are truly proud of from school or
their education, and one thing they have made up. For example:
 1: “I received the best score in my math exam.”
 2: “I participated in a robotics competition.”
 3: “I was the fastest student in a 100-meter race.” (Lie)
Teams rotate sending volunteers to the front of the room to say all three
statements—two true accomplishments, and one lie, without revealing
which is which.
The members of the other team then ask the volunteer three questions to
try and figure out which statement is a lie. The volunteer is allowed to lie to
try and trick the other group. If the other group guesses correctly, they
score a point. If they guess incorrectly, the volunteer’s team scores a point.
Repeat until everyone has had a chance to participate. The team with the
most points at the end wins.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
1.12

ACTIVITY TITLE: Total recall
PARTICIPANTS: The more the merrier, in groups of four or five
SUPPLIES: To include, but not limited to: a magazine, a book, a
dictionary, a notebook, a newspaper, a sheet of
paper, a pen, a pencil, a cell phone, a calendar, a CD,
an eraser, a folder, a ruler, a stapler, glue, a paper
clip, a map, a backpack.
GOAL: To learn new vocabulary
The activity leader divides players into groups of four or five and introduces
a set of education-related objects on a table at the front of the room, giving
their names in English. There should be at least 20 items in the set, and
the leader should spread them on a single table.
In this game, groups will take turns competing with each other to test their
memories. The activity leader asks two groups to leave the room. When
the groups are gone, the leader removes five items from the table,
rearranges the objects, and then covers it with a tablecloth or blanket.
The groups then come back into the room and stand at opposite ends of
the table. The activity leader uncovers the table for twenty seconds.
During that time, members of the groups try to remember what’s on the
table without taking notes. When the time is up, the leader covers the
items again and gives the group one minute to write down the item names,
in English, on a piece of paper.
The activity leader compares the lists to see which team won. Two new
teams then compete, continuing until all have competed against each
other.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
1.13

ACTIVITY TITLE: In the hot seat
PARTICIPANTS: The more the merrier, in two teams
SUPPLIES: Clue words written on both sides of separate sheets
of paper
GOAL: To expand vocabulary through synonyms
In this activity, players try to help their teammate in the hot seat guess a
word by giving clues, without saying the word itself or any of the forbidden
words.
The activity leader divides participants into two groups and has them sit on
opposite sides of the room, facing each other. The activity leader places
two chairs (“hot seats”) in the middle of the room so that there is one facing
each team. Each team chooses a person to sit in the hot seat facing them.
The activity leader stands between the students in the hot seats and
explains the rules.
 The activity leader holds up a clue word from the provided list.
Participants in the hot seats cannot see or look at the word.
 Teams have one minute (or any amount of time you see fit) to get
their teammate to guess the word on the paper, without saying any of
the forbidden words.
 The participant in the hot seat listens to their team mates and tries to
guess the word.
 The first to guess the word correctly wins a point for their team.
 New participants take the hot seats.
 The game continues until the activity leader runs out of words.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
1.14

ACTIVITY TITLE: Make me laugh!
PARTICIPANTS: The more the merrier
SUPPLIES: Question prompts on small slips of paper; small
pieces of paper for answers; pens or pencils
GOAL: To practice creative writing
In this activity, participants compete with each other to write the funniest
response to a prompt, as selected by a rotating judge.
The activity leader asks the first judge to select a prompt from a hat. For
example, the prompt might be, “If you were an animal, what would you be?”
Audience members then have one minute to write a response on a slip of
paper, which they think the judge will find funny. The activity leader
collects the answers, shuffles them, and reads them aloud. The judge
chooses the answer that he or she finds the funniest. Whoever wrote it
earns a point.
The activity continues until all prompts have been read. The person with
the most points—the funniest person!—wins.
Prompts for “Make me laugh!” (Activity 1.14)
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If you were a food, what would you be?
If you were an animal, what would you be?
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
If you wrote a book about yourself, what would you call it?
If you could keep any animal as a pet, what would it be?
If you found $1,000, what would you do with it?
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be?
I would love to join you at the movies, but I really need to ______.
If you invented a perfume, what would you call it?
What is the most dangerous thing on earth?
What is your favorite time of day?
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it
be?
What is your favorite dessert?
If you owned a private jet, where would you fly?
What is the best thing at school?
What is the one present you always wanted, but never received?
What’s the saddest movie you’ve ever seen?
My hidden talent is ______.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.15

Sentence pyramids
The more the merrier, in groups of four or five
Paper, pens/pencils, whiteboard
To improve vocabulary
In this game, groups compete with each other to expand a short sentence
into longer ones. For example, the activity leader writes “Tom will study” on
the board. Groups then have five minutes to build a sentence pyramid,
adding one word or phrase to each level of the pyramid. The activity leader
should encourage groups to build sentences related to education.
After five minutes, the group that has the most levels gets a point, and the
group that writes the longest (grammatically correct!) sentence gets a point.
The activity leader then writes a new sentence and the process begins
again. The game continues for several rounds and the team with most
points wins.
Tom will study.
Tom will study tomorrow.
Tom will study in Ashgabat tomorrow.
Tom will study in Ashgabat tomorrow with his friend.
Tom will study in Ashgabat with his friend tomorrow morning.
Tom will study in Ashgabat with his friend tomorrow morning at the library.
Tom will study in Ashgabat with his friend tomorrow morning at the library on Archabil.
Maybe Tom will study in Ashgabat with his friend tomorrow morning at the library on Archabil.
Other starting sentences could include: “She speaks English”, “Max took a
test”, “The teacher got mad”, “Enesh applied to college”, etc.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
1.16

ACTIVITY TITLE: 20 Questions
PARTICIPANTS: The more the merrier
SUPPLIES: Slips of paper with the names of famous people or
characters (see next page)
GOAL: To practice asking yes/no questions
In this game, participants try to guess the name of a famous person or
character by asking a volunteer 20 yes or no questions, in English.
The activity leader asks for a volunteer and gives him or her a slip of paper
with the name of a famous person or character on it. (If the volunteer
doesn’t know the person, the activity leader can help or give a new one.)
The volunteer sits or stands at front of the room.
Members of the audience may ask any question of the volunteer, as long
as it is a yes or no question. The audience has 20 questions to guess who
the person is. Members of the audience take turns asking questions—a
“yes” response earns a follow-up question.
If a member of the audience correctly guesses the volunteer’s character, he
or she becomes the next volunteer. If, after 20 questions, no one has
guessed the identity of the character, the volunteer reveals it and the
facilitator picks a new volunteer.
Famous People and Characters for 20 Questions (Activity 1.16)
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Abraham Lincoln
Albert Einstein
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Beyoncé
Bill Gates
Charles Darwin
Christopher Columbus
Cinderella
Dr. Seuss
Elvis Presley
George Washington
Harry Potter
Helen Keller
Isaac Newton
J.K. Rowling
Jane Austen
Julius Caesar
Leo Tolstoy
Little Red Riding Hood
Marie Curie
Mark Twain
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Michael Jordan
Muhammad Ali
Neil Armstrong
Sherlock Holmes
Steve Jobs
Walt Disney
William Shakespeare
Winnie the Pooh
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.17

Knowledge knots
The more the merrier, in teams of two
Handout (see next page), pens or pencils
To practice basic vocabulary and writing
In this activity, teams of two compete to unscramble quotes related to
education from famous people.
The activity leader has the participants form pairs—preferably beginners
with more advanced learners. He or she then explains the rules.
Pairs will compete to correctly unscramble all twenty quotes in the shortest
amount of time. If, after twenty or thirty minutes (depending on the
participants’ speed and level), the teams have not unscrambled all twenty
sentences, the activity leader can call time and ask which teams
unscrambled the most, congratulating them in order.
The first three teams to finish (or the three teams who have completed the
most) will then pick their favorite quote and explain to the group what they
like about it.
If time permits, the activity leader can ask participants what quotes they
already know in English.
Scrambled Quotes for Knowledge Knots (Activity 1.17)
1)
“Ti si iombplssei orf a nam ot lnaer waht eh hntiks eh laeardy swkno.” (Epictetus)
2)
“Nyoaen owh hsa nerev mdae a mtseiak ahs eevnr rtied ytanihgn ewn.” (Albert Einstein)
3)
“Tlel em adn ll’I freogt; wohs em dna I mya mreembre; nivlvoe em dan ll’I nduetrnasd.” (Proverb)
4)
“Inne tethsn fo dceatuoni si euoaernmtceng.” (Anatole France)
5)
“Fi a amn epmties ihs psure inot ihs deha, on nam nca atek ti awya rofm ihm. Na vemnsitetn ni dkwnlgeeo laaswy yasp
het bset nitesret.” (Ben Franklin)
6)
“Fi eppole idd tno od islyl htgins, tnihong netliintgel wdoul veer teg node.” (Ludwig Wittgenstein)
7)
“Nscinurttoi odse cumh, tub anurcgeetmnoe sode eevytrhnig.” (J.W. Goethe)
8)
“I uldwo rtaerh eenrnttai dan poeh htat eopple larneed sometighn tnha ucadtee opepel nad phoe tehy weer iendteraent.”
(Walt Disney)
9)
“Het mhnau brani si peiscal. Ti attssr owrkign sa oson sa oyu teg pu nad ti esdon’t sotp ntiul yuo gte ot hcsolo.” (Milton
Berle)
10) “Nhwe a caehter ascll a oby yb shi etnrie name, ti emnas rotuble.” (Mark Twain)
11) “Aernlnig sratts itwh faiulre; hte frits aiflure si het geibninng of edutaiocn.” (John Hersey)
12) “I laerned eht valeu fo ardh okwr yb orwinkg arhd.” (Margaret Mead)
13) “Uadciento si ruo apsstopr ot teh utfuer, orf ootmrwro lbnoegs ot eth eoeppl ohw rpeaerp rof ti ydota.” (Malcolm X)
14) “I sertdta iaednrg erlitraute at evntseeen or teeghien, dan I lfet hits rxeta btea ot ifel.” (Richard Ford)
15) “Eht ililtraeet fo eth nwttey-risft cetnyur ilwl nto eb hoets ohw ncanot aerd dna wrtei, ubt ohste hwo cnnaot alren, nrulean,
nad rleeran.” (Alvin Toffler)
16) “Lsef-deuoctain si, I rlmfyi elbieve, het noly dnki fo udeatcion htree si” (Isaac Asimov)
17) “Ethaecrs epon teh odor, btu uoy ustm enert yb uoyrsefl.” (Proverb)
18) “I hvae on espcial latnte. I ma nyol plateyosasin ucruios.” (Albert Einstein)
19) “Ytr nto ot vahe a godo mtie... ihts si uspspdoe ot eb uctndoeaial.” (Charles M. Schulz)
20) “Eth awy ot egt dogo sidea si ot teg slot fo asdie, dan rowth teh dab seon yaaw.” (Linus Pauling)
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.18

What would you do?
The more the merrier, in groups of four or five
Slips of paper with scenarios (see next page)
To practice listening and speaking skills
In this activity, participants listen to and read a scenario with a tough
situation or an ethical dilemma.
The activity leader asks participants to sit in groups of four or five. He or
she then passes out the first scenario, reads it aloud, and gives each group
three minutes to discuss how they would handle the situation. After the
discussion, the activity leader asks each group to explain their view.
The activity leader then passes out another scenario and the activity
continues.
Scenarios for “What would you do?” (Activity 1.18)
1. Your best friend is a year younger than you in school and is now taking many
of the same classes you took. In one of her classes, she needs to write an
essay on an important historical figure. She asks if she can see the essay
you wrote for the same class last year. “Sure,” you say, “of course!” Next
week, your friend says “Thank you so much for letting me see your essay.
With your help, I got a perfect score!” When you look at her essay, you
realize it is just your essay with her name at the top. What would you do?
2. A group of your friends is saying some mean things about another one of your
friends. They’re calling him “lazy”, and he sometimes is, but they’re also
calling him “dumb” and a “loser”, which isn’t true. "Hey," someone says to you.
"You haven't said anything. What do you think? You agree with us, don't
you?" What would you do?
3. Last week you took a really hard test and today your teacher is returning it
with your grade. You are surprised to see that you got a perfect score! Your
teacher marked every answer correct. Looking through the test, however, you
realize that she has graded your test incorrectly, and marked many answers
correct that you know are wrong. What do you do?
4. A bigger student in your class is always mean to you. He always bumps you
when he walks by and he calls you names. He knocks stuff out of your hands
and spreads rumors about you. You don’t think you can take it anymore.
What would you do?
5. You have a very important science project due tomorrow and you haven’t
started it. You plan to spend several hours doing it tonight, after you get
home from school and eat dinner. As you are leaving school, a good friend
reminds you that you promised to help her study words for her English test,
and she will be upset if don’t. What would you do?
6. Suppose you have one test question left to answer and time is running out.
You've studied hard, know the material, but you just can't remember it.
Looking to the right, you see your friend’s answer and the teacher doesn’t
notice. What would you do?
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.19

Scary funny
The more the merrier, in groups of four or five
None
To practice basic speaking extemporaneously
In this activity, participants must think about the funniest or the scariest
thing that has happened to them and tell it to their groupmates in under two
minutes. Each member of the group will have two minutes to relate a story,
either their funniest or their scariest (not both).
After each member of the group has told his or her story, each small group
will select the funniest story and the scariest story.
One by one, each of the participants with the scariest stories will tell them
to the full group. The activity leader will set the clock for two minutes each.
Next, also one by one, each the participants with the funniest stories will tell
them to the full group. The activity leader will again time for two minutes.
Finally, the full group will vote on the funniest and the scariest stories.
WEEK ONE
EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
REFERENCE
NUMBER
MIXED
ACTIVITY TITLE:
PARTICIPANTS:
SUPPLIES:
GOAL:
1.20

Prehistoric chat room
The more the merrier
Paper, pens or pencils
To practice basic written English
The activity leader has players sit in a circle, distributes paper, pens and
pencils, and asks each person to choose a chat-room nickname. The
activity leader then goes into the middle of the circle and explains the rules.
In this activity, participants chat in a pre-internet chat room. Because
there’s no internet, the activity leader plays the “operator”, exchanging
messages between participants. However, the operator has gone a little
crazy and delivers messages to people who aren’t the intended recipients.
Each participant should write their nickname and a simple question at the
top of their paper to start the chat log. For example:
“Dragon2002: Hi there! Are you enjoying your summer vacation?”
When a participant finishes writing his or her question, he or she holds the
paper in the air. The operator then delivers the paper to someone else.
Participants must reply to the message they just received, regardless of the
question and whether they were the intended recipient. The process
continues until each participant has a full chat log. The activity leader then
gives each participant his or her original paper, so they can see how the
chat developed. The activity leader asks some participants to read their
chats out loud.