Detective
Subject: Creative writing
Skills: Writing, Speaking, Listening
Level: Pre-Intermediate
Recommended Age: 16+
Number of Participants: 4-12 players
Time: 30-40 minutes
Place: Classroom
Equipment: A black- or whiteboard
Materials: A piece of chalk or a marker
Preliminary Preparation. Not required
Immediate Preparation (5-7 minutes).
1. If possible, arrange the game participants so that thay are standing in a semi-circle infront of the board.
2. On the board, write down the following or any similar quiestions:
How many guests knew the secret?
When was the champagne poisoned?
Who locked the door?
Why was the body near the window?
What was burnt in the chimney?
Whose footprints were in the garden?
Where is the diamond?
3. Explain to the players that each of them should, on their own, write a short detective story in their notebook, answering these quiestions. Allow them a reasonable amount of time to complete this task. While the students are writing, circulate, monitor and assist, if necessary.
How to Play. When everyone has finished, bring the class to order. Afterwards, invite Player A to come to the borad, to stand facing the other game participants and to read out their detective. Then it is Player B, whose turn to come to the board and so on. The game continues around the circle as long as all the detectives have been read out. The winner of the game is the student, whose detective is considered to be the best. If necessary, you can ask the game participants to vote.
Advice.
1. Since the task takes a long time to complete, it would be more feasible to set it for homework. In this case, the game itself should be carried out in the next lesson.
2. In order to orginize the assessment or/and vote, after Player A has read out their essay, you might give them an average mark, for example five points. Then you or/and other game participants assess the essay of Palyer B in comparison with that of Player A and so on.
Variation. If you wish, you can extend this activity. To that end, invite the players to write questions similar to ones on the board on separate pieces of paper. When everyone has finished, collect them and redistribute. Writing detectives by these questions may be set for homework. In this case, you might continue the game in the next lesson by adding the old and new results.