Christmas Fortune Teller

Objective & content

Pupils colour, cut out and fold a Christmas paper fortune teller, then play with a friend. The four corners show a tree, a star, a bell and a snowman, and the eight flaps hide Christmas challenges such as Can you sing Jingle Bells? and Can you run like a reindeer? Friends spell a picture word aloud, count to a number and answer Yes, I can! or No, I can't! By the end, pupils ask and answer questions with can and use a few Christmas words.

Pedagogical guide

The game repeats the same question and answer many times, and pupils want to play again and again. The Say it! box models the pattern: Can you sing a Christmas song? Yes, I can! / No, I can't! Each turn also practises spelling, as the player spells tree, star, bell or snowman aloud and opens and closes the fortune teller once for each letter, and counting, with the numbers 1 to 8. The eight questions are short challenges a pupil can do on the spot: sing Jingle Bells, draw a star, say Merry Christmas, spell TREE, run like a reindeer, find something red, count to twelve and say three Christmas words. The How to play box on the sheet sums up the three steps. Page 2 lists the eight questions and gives the folding steps in the teacher notes. It makes a good last lesson before the Christmas holidays.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Read the Say it! box together; ask a few pupils "Can you ...?" questions and let them answer.
2. (10 min) Pupils colour the four corner pictures and cut out the square.
3. (10 min) Fold it with the class, step by step: fold in half both ways and along both diagonals, then open; fold the four corners to the centre; turn it over and fold the four new corners to the centre; fold in half, push the corners up and put a thumb and finger in each pocket.
4. (10 min) Pupils play in pairs with the How to play box: the friend picks a picture (spell it), then a number (count to it), then a number again (lift the flap and read the question). The friend answers "Yes, I can!" and does it, or "No, I can't!". Then they swap.

Adaptations

[S] Practise the eight questions aloud with the class before pupils play.

[A] Pupils make a second fortune teller with their own Christmas questions.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of page 1 per pupil, in colour or black and white, scissors and coloured pencils. Page 2 lists the eight questions and gives the folding steps: keep it. Pupils should know the numbers 1 to 12 and the letter names; tree, star, bell and snowman are written on the sheet next to their pictures.