The Bluff Game

The Bluff Game (aka Bluff 'o Rama) is a great game to play for either review or as listening practice and is almost 0 prep and gets everyone involved. Basically, your class will be split into 2 teams and each side gets to bluff on whether they know the answer or not. I love this game because, usually, the High Flyers will dominate any game but this one gives the A+ students a break of having everyone rely on them for the answers. This also a great way to let students who might not usually participate in games help their team win.

I use this game in a couple of different ways:

1. Review for a test
2. Vocabulary review
3. Answer questions after we have read a chapter or two in a book
4. Listening practice! Play a snippet of audio and then ask questions about what they heard or they can translate what they heard

Instructions

• Divide the room into 2 teams. Ask side A a question. I tell my students, "If you know the answer Stand Up. If you don't know the answer, you can bluff, by Standing Up with Confidence. If you have absolutely no idea what the answer is you can stay seated but it's more fun to try and fool the other team."
  
  
• I don't let students call on other students because each side will always pick the student they feel struggles the most. I like to use ClassDojo to split the class and then I also let class dojo pick the student to call on. Or, if your students have numbers (for instance mine have numbers because they get assigned books) you could randomly call out numbers.
  
  
• If the student answers the question correctly their side will be awarded the number of points equal to how many people were standing. If they get the answer wrong they lose the number of points equal to however many people were standing.
  
  
• Side B then gets a chance to answer the question if Side A answered incorrectly.
  
  
• Keep alternating sides until you want to stop
  
• Alternate Ways to Play
  • Reading: The class is split into 2 teams and each student writes 3-4 true or false statements from the reading. Whoever thinks they know the answer on the opposite side stands and the one who read the statement chooses who gives the answer. They do all of the work for this activity.
  • Reading: ¡Pásalo Al frente! Pass it up! Typically this goes along with a story or novel/reading. Put students in teams lined up in a row between a desk and the board…on desks in front of them are several images…you say something in the TL that can only be one of the items. The student at the desk identifies and grabs it and then passes to other players to get it to the board. Every player must touch the paper (like a relay) the first team to post it on the board gets a point! My students love this game! (Idea by Landon Duane)