Jeff Klamka

Jeff sent these cool CI activities but the queue is so jammed up with stuff that I didn’t get it here in time for the NCAA tournament. Anyway, it’s great stuff for making the CI interesting. (Jeff, my apologies on getting this up here late, and to others who don’t see their stuff up here yet):
Hi Ben,
I wanted to share with you an activity I tried last year, and you could put this on your blog if you think it fits. Your blog constantly re-focuses me on how I should be using my class time, and for that I am grateful.
Basically, since it is NCAA tournament time (and March feels like a long month anyway), it’s a tournament of awesomeness where students debate in the target language about what is the most awesome thing in the world, and then vote, leading up to an overall champion.  I attached an explanation of the overall system, and then a project at the end.
Thanks,
Jeff

Le Grand Tournoi d’Excellence!—an activity for NCAA tournament time

1. Give each student in the class two small slips of paper, on which he/she writes the two most awesome things in the world.  It can include (but isn’t limited to…) food, t.v. shows, movies, video games, fictional characters, restaurants, sports, sports teams, athletes, musical groups, or anything else that’s awesome.  Some examples from last year: Kenny from South Park, Pancakes, Chuck Norris, Monty Python, Ramen, the Death of Twilight.
2. Collect all of the slips, and choose 32 different ones, and then fill out a tournament-style bracket where the awesome things will compete to determine which the most awesome thing in the world is!
3. At the beginning of each class, do 2-4 first round match-ups.  For each match-up, announce the competitors (example: Chuck Norris vs. Pancakes).  Students in the class will take turns raising their hands and explaining why one is superior to the other (Pancakes are delicious, but Chuck Norris isn’t delicious…).   After students have had their say, we vote, and the one that gets the most votes moves on to the second round.  (I am the tie-breaker).
4. Each day, each class will continue to debate several matchups until we are down to 8 finalists in each class.  Then, I divide the classes into 8 groups.  Each group is responsible for putting together a PowerPoint presentation in the target language, illustrating why their thing is the most awesome.
5. I show the PowerPoints (which I have edited for accuracy) to other classes, which will vote until we have 8 finalists.   (That way, students aren’t voting for who put together the presentation, but rather they vote for which is the most convincing).
6. All classes see the 8 finalists, and then vote until we have one winner.
Elite 8 rubric Period ______  Students: __________________________________
Number of slides: ______________ X 5 _______________ (40)
Number of understandable French sentences __________ X 4 ___________ (32)
Accuracy of French ______________ (out of 10)
Works cited page ________________ (out of 8)
Quality and creativity of slides _________________ (out of 10)
I liked:  French errors:
Elite 8 rubric Period ______  Students: __________________________________
Number of slides: ______________ X 5 _______________ (40)
Number of understandable French sentences __________ X 4 ___________ (32)
Accuracy of French ______________ (out of 10)
Works cited page ________________ (out of 8)
Quality and creativity of slides _________________ (out of 10)
I liked:  French errors:
Elite 8 presentations
Put together a PowerPoint presentation demonstrating why your item is so awesome.
Guidelines:
–It must be at least 10 French sentences long, and at least 10 slides long.
–It should make a convincing argument why yours is the best, and also why the others are not as good.
–Accuracy in French (including accent marks) is part of the grade.
Grade:
10 slides with 10 French sentences: 60%
Quality and accuracy of French: 20%
Quality of the presentation: 20%
When you are finished, go to my website (linked to the school website).  From there, you can visit sites for French children.