Activity

Osaka Subway Map Race

Race to find the next station using the Osaka subway map! It's a group race game using directions. It uses the grammar "Could you tell me how to get to ~" "Where is ~" .

I've used this for mostly 2nd or 3rd grade JHS classes when they start doing the directions lesson. This activity is best used at the end when they are a little more familiar with the run of things. It's pretty simple and the students seem to really get into it.

This requires a little bit of prep - mostly just copying and some cutting up on the the trip cards before the class. I usually make about 10 sets of each direction card just in case.

First split your class into groups - I've noticed if there are more than four in a group, then you just get kids that aren't participating.

Each group will need a subway map without the names on it and a worksheet to write down where the station is. Generally one map per group and you can give each student a worksheet or just one per group - depends on how you want to make them write down the answers.

The JTE and ALT are the trip direction card masters! Once the students figure out where the station is they must send a representative to show and tell one of us where the station is. If they are correct they can ask us where the next station is and receive the next trip direction card. (they should bring their worksheet so you can mark it off and the directions card) Every time should be a different student so that everyone has a chance to ask questions.

Notes:

I generally change how they have to ask for the cards depending on the class level/energy/mood.
Sometimes I have noticed they need some vocab refresh before the start of the activity. I did include a word box on the worksheet however so they can refer to that when reading the directions.

7
Submitted by shinjirarenai September 27, 2022 Estimated time: Usually a whole class period (~50mins)
  1. Umakara September 27, 2022

    Iol are some of those subway station names wrong on purpose?

    "Excuse me. Where is Benjo?"

    "Follow your nose..."

  2. shinjirarenai September 28, 2022

    @Umakara Yes! hahaha

  3. HTemple October 21, 2022

    I was wondering about your map colors. When you print it for students it's grayscale right? I made an Osaka map myself and had an issue with several colors looking too similar when printed. Did you have this issue?

  4. shinjirarenai October 27, 2022

    @lowie_antonio glad you enjoy it!

  5. shinjirarenai October 27, 2022

    @HTemple I just printed the map in color and then laminated them actually, cause having to reprint it all the time is just a waste. If they need to write on the map, I brought some dry erase markers with me.
    But I can see there would probably be an issue with the grayscale coloring though... Although each line and stop is marked with a letter and number, so that might be a way around it - just may require an extra step of clarification with the students.

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