Fortune teller
Overview
Purpose
To recognise and respond to questions and instructions in Japanese.
Learning outcomes
Students are able to:
- communicate using days of the week and numbers (Japanese in the New Zealand Curriculum Level 2.7).
- communicate personal information (Japanese in the New Zealand Curriculum Level 2.1).
- use and respond to simple classroom instructions (Japanese in the New Zealand Curriculum Level 2.5).
- communicate about relationships between people (Japanese in the New Zealand Curriculum Level 3.3).
Skills
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
Type
Pair activity
Related units in Hai! kit
- Introduction Shookai
- Unit 1 Konnichi wa
- Unit 2 Sayoo nara
- Unit 3 Denwa bangoo wa nan desu ka
- Unit 4 Mite kudasi
- Unit 5 Dare desu ka
- Unit 6 Hanbaagaa ga suki desu ka
- Unit 7 Kuriketto o shimasu ka
- Unit 8 Petto wa
Instructions
The objective of this activity is to use the fortune teller to prompt students through a full conversation.
Students play in pairs, using one fortune teller between them. They should speak only Japanese throughout, including greeting their partner at the beginning, and saying thank you and goodbye at the end.
Materials
To download the template for the fortune teller, select from the following Word or PDF formats:
- Fortune teller template for 'Fortune teller' activity (Word, 26KB)
- Fortune teller template for 'Fortune teller' activity (PDF, 251KB)
You need one copy for each pair of students. Note that this template needs to be copied in colour. If you don't have access to a colour photocopier or printer, you could colour code the triangles using numbers, or have the students colour them in.
Making the fortune teller
Give each pair of students a copy of the fortune teller template, and tell them to cut it out. To fold it, give them the following instructions as they do it.
- Fold the template along the outer set of dotted lines, so that the numbers and colours fold over to the back of the page.
- Fold only the numerals back over – that is, fold the four new corners back into the centre. All you now see are the colours on one side and the numerals on the other side.
- With the number side up, fold along one diagonal line (between numerals 2 and 20) then unfold. Fold and unfold along the other diagonal line (between 10 and 12).
- Again with the number side up, fold and unfold along the other two crossing lines (between numbers 20 and 10, and between 12 and 11).
- Put a thumb and forefinger under two of the colour flaps. Put the other thumb and forefinger under the other two colour flaps. Use the forefingers and thumbs to push the fortune teller out into four pyramid shapes (as shown in the diagram on the fortune teller template).
Using the fortune teller
- Student A holds out the fortune teller closed up (that is, only the colours are visible) and asks Student B to choose a colour.
- Student B replies with the colour name and then spells the word.
- Student A asks Student B to choose a number.
- Student B replies with the number and then counts from one up to that number.
- Student A turns out the number corner and asks Student B the question underneath the chosen number.
- Student B replies, using a full sentence.
- Student A then asks the adjacent question.
- Student B replies, using a full sentence.
- Student A says a version of 'thanks and goodbye'.
- Student B replies.
- Students swap roles and repeat the process.
For a model of one of a possible conversation, see 'Language to use' section below.
Tips
- Practice making a fortune teller before the lesson, so that you can guide the students.
- Note that the colour green (midori) is not taught by Unit 8. Here are all the colours used, in noun form:
- ao blue
- aka red
- kuro black
- midori green
- kiiro yellow
- shiro white
- chairo brown
- pinku pink.
- Give the students a time limit for this activity, such as five minutes, then ask them to find a new partner.
Variations
- Adapt the fortune teller for use with other units by:
- simplifying the questions for use with earlier units
- making the questions more difficult for use with later units.
- Student A could spell out the word while opening and shutting the fortune teller the same number of times as there are letters.
Further learning
- This activity is ideal for extension and for use in a learning centre.
- Students create their own questions to write into the fortune teller template, then share with rest of class, or add to learning centre resources.
- Pairs of students could pretend to be a television interviewer and a celebrity, and so practice simple conversations using the expressions learnt in Units 1–10.
Language to use
Student A begins the game, holding up the fortune teller in the closed position.
| Student A: | Ohayoo/konnichi wa Hello |
|---|---|
| Student B: | Ohayoo/konnichi wa Hello |
| Student A: | Nani iro desu ka. Which colour? |
| Student B: | Aka, kudasai. A - K - A. Red, please. A - K - A. |
| Student A: | Nan ban desu ka. Which number? |
| Student B: | San. Ichi - ni - san. Three. One - two - three. |
| Student A: | Chokoreeto ga suki desu ka. Do you like chocolate? |
| Student B: | Hai, suki desu. Yes, I do. |
| Student A: | Juuissai desu ka. Are you 11? |
| Student B: | Iie, juunissai desu. No, I'm 12. |
| Student A: | Arigatoo. Ja mata. Bye. See you later. |
| Student B: | Arigatoo. Ja mata. Bye. See you later. |
Another useful phrase:
- Hansamu desu ne.
Under the flaps.