Playworks Playbook

Minute Moves/Energizers
One Word
[Previous | TOC | Next]
Group Size: 8-30
Age Group: 3 rd -6 th + grades
Length of Activity: 10-20 minutes
Developmental Goal: To develop problem-solving and brainstorming
Skills Practiced: Following directions
Equipment Needed: Whiteboard/chalkboard
Set-Up: Indoor space with a white board, chalkboard, or notepad
Before You Start:
Divide the group into two (or more) teams.
Remind the students that no actions are allowed, only one word clues.
How to Play:
Select one volunteer from each team to come to the front of the room and face the class.
Write down a word that can be easily seen by the rest of the class, but not the volunteers.
Each team must brainstorm a one word clue to try to help their volunteer teammate guess the
word. For example, if the word is “Basketball”, the team could give clues like “hoop” or “sport”.
They could not say something like “Boston Celtics” or “dribbling down the court”. You can also
not say part of the word, like “ballin’”.
Alternate clues and guesses until one person guesses correctly. Take two new volunteers and give
the group a new clue.
Variations:
If the group is very good at the game, offer up phrases as clues instead of single words.
3 rd -6 th + I N M C Ad,Bl,Cp,De,Ed L1