My Holiday Suitcase

Teachers may discuss with students what they would pack and why, when they travel to Japan. The vocabulary for belongings can be introduced in Japanese with the picture grid, and reinforced by playing games like lotto, bingo and noughts and crosses. This could also be an opportunity to introduce the concept of おみやげ (souvenir). Students may discuss what Australian おみやげ they would like to buy for Japanese friends.

Make one set of belongings cards and one suitcase per student. Mix all the cards together and randomly put 12 cards into each suitcase. Then give each student a suitcase with a random set of 12 cards, and a checklist of 12 things they have to pack. Students look through their cards, pick out any that are on their checklist (one of each) and put them in their suitcase. They then take the rest of their cards and their checklist, circulate around the class and ask each other for the remaining items on their list.

1. Teachers choose cards and make a checklist according to students’ known vocabulary and time constraints.
2. When students can write the words themselves, they can make up a checklist of their own, eg. 10 items, and play the game accordingly.
3. Information gap activity: Students in pairs choose 6 cards at random from their cards and put them in their suitcase. They then take turns to guess what each other has. If they guess correctly, they take the card. The student who collects their partner’s 6 cards first wins.