Drama Game: WORDY CIRCLE

How to play wordy circle

Players:

This is a whole class circle drama game. It is suitable for medium to large groups.

How to play this drama game:

In a circle, all students raise one hand.
The teacher sets the first word category
(i.e. fruit, superheroes, animals, colours, vegetables, furniture items) and starts
by saying one word from that category and throwing the word to one student
across the circle with eye contact and a pointing action (i.e. “apple”).
The receiving student lowers their hand and adds another word to the category
(i.e. “banana”), throwing that word to another student with eye contact and a
pointing action.
Students keep their hand up until they have received their word. This way, it is
easy to identify who has said a word and who is left to ‘throw’ a word to.
Students must not repeat words. For example, there must be only one person
who says “apple”. For this reason, its best to choose simple categories.
Students must remember their word in the category and who they ‘threw’ their
word to. This will be repeated (i.e. my word in the fruit category will always be
“apple” and I will always say that word to Suzy. Suzy will always say “banana” to
Mike, and so forth).
The final student throws their word back to the teacher to complete the circle.
Repeat the category, throwing the same words to the same people in the exact
same order. Start by using the pointing action (but eventually drop the action
and just use eye contact).
Practice until the group is comfortable with the category and it is running smoothly.

Add in a second category:

All students raise their hands again and the teacher
begins by throwing a word to a different student (if I threw “apple” to Suzy, I will throw the new category word to a different person – for example, “table” to Adam).
Complete the second category. The final student throws their new word back to the teacher to complete the circle.
Practice running the second category by itself.

Blend the categories:

The teacher starts the first category by saying “apple” to Suzy and then turns to Adam and starts the second category off, saying “table”.
The group must try and complete the categories, getting both categories back to the teacher.

Further instructions:

Students should keep repeating their word, looking at the person they throw it
to until the person realises.
For example, I keep saying “apple” to Suzy, trying to get her eye contact until she gets it.
Students need to pay attention to both categories and be prompted when they
hear their words (for example, Suzy knows that when she hears “apple” she
needs to say “banana” to Mike and so forth).
Add in as many categories as the group is comfortable with.
Drop the hand pointing action and use just eye contact when the group gets
better at the game.
Get faster and faster.
Start the category off again when it has come back to the teacher. You can go
around as many times as you like but try to make sure that all categories come
back to the teacher to complete the circles.

This drama game is included in the FREE Drama Games PDF which you can download HERE!

Find out how drama and improv cards and games transformed my drama classes and why I wouldn't teach drama without them HERE!