English ESL Game: The Magic 8 Ball. Using the Magic Eight Ball as a Fun Way to Teach Variations of Certainty About the Future
English ESL Game: The Magic 8 Ball
Magic Eight Ball
Using the Magic Eight Ball as a Fun Way to Teach Variations of Certainty About the Future
Materials: Eight Ball Worksheet and Magic Eight Ball
This activity is always fun because it’s physical. If you have used the magic eight ball then there is no need to explain what it does, but for those of you who have never used it, this is basically what it is: It is a ball with many answers to yes/no questions inside that randomly appear when you shake it up.
The task is simple: Students make a list of questions and ask the magic eight ball to predict the answer. Of course, the questions must be in yes/no format for the answers to make any sense.
Some rules to keep it interesting are:
(1) They can only ask a questions once, and if they do ask it more than once, only the first answer is valid, unless the magic eight ball commands them to try again.
(2) They have to shake the magic ball while they are asking the question.
(3) They can only ask questions about themselves. (Though sometimes with adult classes we ask questions about current events). This rule prevents students asking the same question for their classmates or asking nasty questions about their classmates.
These rules help keep the class civil and more importantly keep the mystique of the magic eight ball alive by preventing students from debunking the ball by asking the same questions and getting different answers.
Answers the Magic Eight Ball Gives
- Yes.
- Yes, definitely.
- As I see it yes.
- It is certain.
- Without a doubt.
- It is decidedly so.
- You may rely on it.
- Outlook good.
- Most likely
- Signs point to yes.
- My reply is no.
- My sources say no.
- Very doubtful.
- Outlook not so good.
- Don’t count on it.
- Cannot predict now
- Ask again later.
- Better not tell you now.
- Cannot predict now.
- Reply hazy. Try again.
- Concentrate and ask again.
All downloads are in PDF format
