Memory card game
Overview
Purpose
To recognise and pronounce names of animals in French.
Learning outcome
Students use and respond to simple classroom language (French in the New Zealand Curriculum Level 1.7).
Skills
- Speaking
- Reading
Type
Pairs activity
Related units in Oui! kit
- Unité 9 Tu as un animal chez toi?
Instructions
This is a memory game in which pairs of students match up picture cards of animals with word cards giving the French names. Since the cards are placed face down, the aim of the game is to remember the position of each card in order to successfully pair them.
Materials
To download the templates for the cards, select from the following Word or PDF formats:
- Memory cards templates for 'Memory card game' activity (Word, 53KB)
- Memory cards templates for 'Memory card game' activity (PDF, 471KB)
Each pair of students needs one deck of cards. Each deck contains nine animal cards and nine name cards.
Steps
- Divide students into pairs.
- One student in each pair shuffles the 18 cards then lays them face down on the desk.
- The other student starts the game by picking up two cards. If they are matching word and picture cards, the student claims the pair and has another turn. If the two cards do not match, the student lays them face down again in the same places.
- The dealer then selects two cards and repeats the process.
- The game ends all the cards are paired. The student with the most pairs wins.
Tips
- Laminating the card sheets before cutting out the cards will prolong their life.
- As they pick up the cards, students pronounce the word or name of the animal on the card. This helps them recall the French words and practise their pronunciation.
Variations
- Show the class a series of objects on a tray for a set number of minutes, instructing the students to memorise the objects. When the time is up, take away the tray and ask the students to recall the objects in French. (Classroom objects vocabulary learnt in Unit 6 could be used here.)
- Students play pictionary in pairs. While one student draws an animal, the other tries to guess the animal's French name.
Further learning
- This game can be played for any thematic topic, such as hobbies or food. Photos can replace pictures. It can be used for extension or for learning-centre work.
Language to use
- C'est un chien et un rat. Ça ne va pas.
This is a dog and a rat. They don't match. [Literally: They don't go (together).] - C'est un chien et un autre chien. Ça va.
This is a dog and another dog. They match. [Literally: They go (together).]