Taboo Vocabulary Game

Type of Assessment

Formative assessments monitor learning while summative assessments evaluate. This activity will serve as a summative assessment. Its effectiveness depends upon students already having a good understanding of the unit’s content. If they do not already have the vocabulary words memorized, they will struggle to participate and not have as much fun.

Learning Objectives

• Describe vocabulary words
• Use vocabulary words in a sentence

Game Description

This game is an adaptation of Taboo, a popular word-guessing game. The teacher creates cards based on vocabulary words and concepts from the unit. Consider choosing a mix of easy and hard vocabulary words.

How do you plan the game?

Here is a video on how to play traditional taboo. IAs you can see below, have modified the game to work for a classroom setting.

Preparation:

Make at least 6 Taboo cards per student or use the traditional taboo game cards.

Step 1:

Students are divided into two equal groups

Step 2:

Phase one of a turn: Start 60 second timer

a. One student (Clue Giver) draws a card
b. Clue Giver describes the vocabulary word without using any of the taboo words
c. The rest of his/her/their teammates (Guessers) try to guess the word
d. The opposing team (Checkers) makes sure Clue Giver does not say any of the taboo words
e. One of four things can happen
• If the vocabulary word is guessed, Clue Giver’s team gets a point
• If Checkers catches Clue Giver saying a taboo word OR using pantomime, Clue Giver must discard the current card (no points awarded)
• If Clue Giver does not know how to describe the word, he/she/they can discard the current card (no points awarded)
• If the timer goes off, phase one of the turn is complete. Proceed to step 3
f. Repeat steps 2a-2e

Step 3:

Phase two of a turn: Start a 30 second timer

a. Clue Giver tries to use the vocabulary word (on the most recently drawn card) in a sentence
b. Teacher evaluates the sentence on the suggested scale
• No attempt / not understandable / 4 or more errors = 0 points
• Somewhat correct / 2-3 errors = 1 point
• Correct / 1 or fewer errors = 2 points

Step 4:

The teams switch roles. The team with the Clue Giver last turn are now Checkers, while the former Checkers now has an opportunity to earn points

Step 5:

Within each team, Guessers take turns being Clue Giver

Step 6:

Repeat steps 2-4 until Teacher chooses to end the game. As long as time allows, have each student be Clue Giver at least once

Step 7:

Tally up points

Step 8:

Team with most points wins

How will the game assess learning?

The game will assess learning through the points system. Phase one will evaluate “Objective one: Describe vocabulary words,” and phase two will evaluate “Objective two: Use vocabulary words.” In addition, throughout the game students will need to use reading and verbal communication skills

Specific Example

Example of Taboo cards based on Unit 10

Example of vocabulary words used in a sentence

• The organization has streamlined product production.
• I got to work late because traffic was bottlenecked at the accident.
• Telsa uses Artificial Intelligence to make self-driving cars.
• I watched all of the presidential debates.
• I don’t think I could live without technology.
• The kid was denial about not being about to go to Disney Land.
• The base was full of military personnel.
• I need personal space.

At your discretion, students can slightly alter the form of the word (Ex. streamline becomes streamline or debate becomes debates).

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