Animals- Guessing Game and Discussion

Animals guessing game and discussion

with modals of speculation

Choose an animal and make a statement about it without saying which one you chose. Your partner(s) will get one point for each accurate statement they can make about which animals are possible or impossible based on what you said, including negative statements like “It can’t be…” Continue until they say “It must be...” and what they say is indeed the only option (i.e. they have used “must…” correctly). Don’t tell them if they have said the animal you thought of in their sentences before that point, just concentrate on whether what they have said matches your hints. For example, you should say “Yes, it could be a crocodile” if that matches your hints, even if that is not the animal that you chose.

Useful phrases for guessing and reacting to guesses “It might/ may/ could be…” “Yes, it might/ may/ could be… but…” “It might/ may/ could be…” “Actually, it can’t be… because I said… Also, it…” “It might/ may/ could be…” “Actually, I think it must be… because…” “It can’t be…” “You’re right. It can’t be… Also, it…” “It can’t be…” “Actually, it could be… because I said…” “It must be…” “Well, it could be… but it’s not. It also…” “It must be…” “That’s right. It must be… and is.”

Suggested animals to describe and guess

• aquatic mammals (whales, dolphins, seals, sealions, etc)
• bats
• bears
• big cats (lions, tigers, ligers, etc)
• birds of prey (owls, eagles, etc)
• birds (parrots, ducks, crows, chickens, geese, pheasants, grouse, pigeons, sparrows, storks, etc)
• camels
• cats
• cows
• crabs
• deer
• dogs (e.g. greyhounds and labradoodles)
• donkeys
• elephants
• fish (goldfish, tuna, sharks, sardines, mackerel, cod, koi, etc)
• foxes
• frog
• giraffes
• goats
• hamsters
• hedgehogs
• hippos
• horses
• insects/ bugs (ants, bees, butterflies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, silk worms, wasps/ hornets, fleas, woodlice, moths, dragonflies, centipedes/ millipedes, cicadas, etc)
• mice
• mink
• octopuses
• oxen
• pigs/ wild boar
• primates (monkeys and apes, e.g. chimpanzees and gorillas)
• rabbits
• reptiles (lizards, alligators/ crocodiles, snakes, etc)
• seahorses
• sheep/ lamb
• shellfish
• snail/ slug
• squid
• squirrels
• turtles/ tortoises
• wolves
• worms

Useful language for describing animals

Use the language below to help with the activity above:

• … alone
• … in… groups
• amphibian
• bird
• bug
• can…
• colourful
• common
• (not) cute
• dangerous
• disgusting (= revolting)
• easy to draw
• eat…
• endangered
• exotic
• extinct
• have…
• help with…
• in Chinese horoscope
• insect
• its eyes/ legs/ feathers/ scales are…
• its head/ body/ tail is…
• large
• lay eggs
• live in…
• make…
• mammal
• many
• native to…
• near here
• nice noise
• noisy
• pets
• rare
• reptile
• scary
• small/ tiny
• strong
• suitable for…
• wild
• you can eat

When you finish the game, ask about any language above which you don’t understand, are not sure you used correctly, etc.

Ask each other about your opinions on the topic of animals.

Suggested topics

• Animal rights
• Animal rights activists
• Aquariums
• Breeding
• Children and animals
• Cost
• Cruelty against animals
• Dangers
• Dogs’ mess
• Dressing up animals (= animals wearing clothes, shoes, ribbons, etc)
• Endangered animals
• Environmental education
• Exotic pets
• Experimentation on animals
• Factory farming
• Farming
• Free range eggs
• Guide dogs
• Hunting
• Invasive species
• Old people and animals
• Organic meat
• Pests
• Pet shops
• Pets
• Pets in apartments
• Spreading diseases
• Treating animals like children
• Veganism
• Vegetarianism
• Wearing fur (fur coat, fur stole, etc)
• Wearing leather
• Wildlife
• Zoos/ Safari parks

 

Suggested kinds of questions

• Advantages of…
• Consequences of…/ Effects of…
• Disadvantages of…
• How important…?
• In your experience…
• Opinion
• Solutions
• Suitability of… for…