  Inside: How to play this engaging, comprehension based, role playing game in your world language classes.
Elimination. Werewolf. Mafia. (Although many tend to stay away from this name and rightfully so), Etc... This game is known by MANY names and is a pretty common deception based, role playing game that has been adapted not only by various board game/card game companies over the years, but by language teachers all over the world. Martina Bex blogged about it HERE and has some great scripts that can be used all year round. I found that I tend to like playing more like Sra. Chase describes on her blog HERE as it's more accessible for lower-level students. ( She also has version for French, German, and more on her blog) No matter the level of students-- this game can be easily adapted, played with 0 tech if you'd like or need, is incredibly communicative and comprehensible, as well as SOOO engaging. When I say this is the #1 asked for activity by students after I introduce them to it-- I mean it! Your students will be talking about it for months to come. What is it? In the version I play (which you can get HERE). The class is transformed into a town that is being plagued by a mummy (or mummies). It's important to note that my resource has a general "Halloween" vibe. I found using this theme made the game more comprehensible for my students, but you can play it at any point in the school year, so I will be using my terms for roles moving forward instead of traditional roles like angel, doctor, villain etc. I also don't like any death or violence in my game, so most of the time I have the mummies scare the townspeople into comas that they all wake up from if they mummies are captured and I have the mummies get arrested. Each student is given a role via cards from a deck of cards. Depending on the number of students you have in class you can increase how many students are playing as each role. Really the only prep comes from prepping your cards so you have the appropriate combination and number for each of your classes. Which I can usually do in a few minutes while students do the quick word search warm-up which is included in my resource. In a class of 25 for example I would prepare my cards as following: 3 Aces (Mummies) - their job is to attack and elimante all the other people in the game 1 Queen (Witch) - save the townspeople, so they can arrest all the mummies 1 King (Detective) - identify the mummies to help the townspeople arrest them 20 # cards (Townspeople) - arrest all the mummies before they are all put in commas (Really their are 5 major roles cards. So let's do some math -- # of students in your class -5 major role cards = how many number cards to add to your pile) Now pass those cards out to students with the importance of keeping identities secret stressed. Here's how to play: 1) After cards have been passed out I always review roles and who does what and when. You as the teacher will narrate the entire thing. In my resource I have included a typed out and simplified script to read on slides that include pictures of card and their corresponding jobs to help keep you in the target language while explaing the game, but also for the sake of time never feel bad if you want to explain the HOW part to students in English. They'll get plenty of good input during the game. The script in my resource is along the lines of: "Everyone in the town goes to sleep (students close eyes.) " BONUS TIP: I like to play instrumental "spooky" music in the background and walk around as I talk to cover up the sound of students moving etc. during the game. "The mummy (mummies) wake(s) up. The mummies attack ONE person." They mummy points at the person they want to attack. You as the narrator need to remember who , so I recommend writing it down. "The mummy goes to sleep" "Now the witch wakes up and gives a potion of protection to one person. The witch goes to sleep" The witch points at one person to save. I would also note who that is. If that person is the same person that the mummy chose they are safe from the attach. "Now the detective wakes up." They point at one person. You nod your head yes if they ARE a mummy and NO if they are not. "Now the detective goes to sleep." "Now the town wakes up" And all students open their eyes. Now that morning has come it is your job as the narrator to explain who the victim was if there was one and what happened. In my resource I have included 25 simple scripts for victims as well as one for if the witch correctly gives the potion , but you can really do whatever is comprehensible for your students. On my resources slides I have provided some simple phrases for students to use if they would like to participate and be a part of the conversation, but as the narrator and teacher it is my NUMBER ONE job to supply as much comprehensible input via the scripts and repetition of the story, so I mostly just tell them what happened and then instruct them to vote by pointing at who their vote is on the count of 3. Who ever get's the most votes is "arrested" and exits the circle and cannot talk. I instruct students that are eliminated that they are in comas and also CANNOT talk. But they can silently observe. Because I am deskelss I like to have students rearrange chairs into a circle and then as they eliminated I have them move their chair from the circle, so it's easier to tell who is in or not. Who wins? How does the game end? **The mummies win if they outnumber all other cards aka "townspeople and the major roles helping townspeople". **Townspeople win if they arrest ALL mummies. I do not announce if the witch or detective are eliminated I continue narrating their jobs so students don't get disheartened and they get maximum input repetitions. Don't want to do a "Halloween" themed version? Check out Martina's themeless ones HERE OR this Christmas one from Sra. Chase. You have other "themed versions" you'd like to share? Email me at sierra.depping and I'll add them to this blog!
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