Spanish language teachers swear by the flyswatter classroom game to help students learn language, geography and culture. Find out how to lead this activity in your classroom, and learn some of the variations of this popular game.
The flyswatter game is a popular activity in language classrooms, often used to review vocabulary . Learn some new variations on the game to complement your Spanish lessons.
The Basics of the Flyswatter Game
If you’re not familiar with the flyswatter game, the following is the basic outline:
- Choose two students to compete against each other. You may also divide an entire class into two teams, with the two students representing their teams.
- Give each student a flyswatter.
- Place answers on the board or wall.
- The first student to slap the correct answer with the flyswatter wins.
Flyswatter Game Ideas for Spanish Class
Use the following Spanish games for a lesson activity to help your students learn the language and also discover more about the geography and culture of the Spanish-speaking world.
Yes/No or True/False Listening Comprehension Game
Write S__í and No or Verdadero and Falso in large letters on the board or tape signs to the wall. Create a list of questions requiring a yes or no answer or a list of statements that could be considered true or false. For instance:
¿Hay veinte alumnos en esta clase? / Are there 20 students in this class?
¿Juega al básquetbol Pedro? / Does Peter play basketball?
Señora Blanca es una profesora de matemáticas. / Mrs. White is a math teacher.
Hay un examen en esta clase mañana. / There’s a test in this class tomorrow.
Questions can also be based on class readings to assess comprehension or to help students study for a test. Read each question or statement out loud. The winner is the first student to slap the correct answer with the flyswatter.
Get students even more involved in the game. Before playing, ask them to create the statements or questions to practice sentence formation. During the game, give several students the chance to read the questions or statements to practice pronunciation.
Geography Game
Place a large outline map of the Americas on the wall. Alternately, depending on the focus of your geography studies, the map may only include Central America or South America. You can use a manufactured map, draw your own on a roll of paper or use an overhead projector to project a map onto the wall. The map should not have any country names. Read the name of a Spanish-speaking country. The first student to slap the flyswatter on the outline of the country wins. For a bonus point, ask the student to also name the country’s capital.
Famous Faces Game
Choose two famous figures from the Spanish-speaking world and place their names or pictures of them on the board or wall. Read facts about their lives and accomplishments. The first student to slap the flyswatter on the correct person wins. Use this activity after reading some Spanish biographies to test retention of the material or play the game before studying some of these famous faces to pique interest.
The Appeal of Games
Spanish games for a lesson activity can provide some memorable moments in the classroom while using students’ heightened interest to enrich their learning. Although the supplies are humble, the flyswatter game proves to be a hit in the classroom time after time.
