I recently taught a class (~B2) by using For Sale Signs as a template for a vocabulary review challenge. Our reading was about animals, so I used that as our starting point. You could alternatively use your own vocabulary lists or random things.
The Activity
Students first chose a Random Animal, as pictured below:
After choosing an animal (and learning some new animal vocabulary in the process), student were shown examples of humorous For Sale ads and signs, and encouraged to use humor for their sign. Students were then challenged to make a For Sale sign that used all (eight) of our vocabulary words. Some of these words were very off-topic (i.e., “blizzard”), so students had to get creative to link the ideas together.
I set a timer for ten minutes. Students who wrote quickly were invited to draw their animal or add further details. Some came up with some pretty hilarious word connections! After completing our signs, students were randomly selected to present their signs to the class and attempt to “sell” their animals. We discussed if we would buy their animal or not and why!
Additional Thoughts
- This activity would lend itself well to a gallery walk interaction, where students hang their posters on the wall or board then freely browse each other’s work.
- This activity could also be extended with an economic aspect, such as imaginary money or blank checks.
The Worksheets
I’ve assembled five variations for you to choose from, each with increasing guidelines. All five are included in each PDF, just print your preferred format by page number:
