Conversation Mingle Grid

Purpose: To facilitate students speaking to each other, to get to know classmates and to use vocabulary related to the day’s lesson.

Prep Time: 3-15 minutes

Materials: Copies of the conversation grid (see link below).

Prep:

• Version 1: Print the grid, write a title on it, and write four questions related to today’s lesson on it, and then make copies of it.
• Version 2: Print the grid, write a title on it and make copies of it.

Procedure:

• Version 1:

1. Show students a copy of the grid, on a projector if possible. Model how to ask a student the questions and record the answers.
2. Ask a student to model again how to ask another student the questions and record the answers.
3. Give students copies of the grid. Students stand up and mingle, recording answers to the questions.
4. Ask follow up questions about the responses the students recorded, such as “How many people answered _____ for _____?”
5. If time allows, students can write sentences based on the information they recorded on their grids.

• Version 2:

1. Show students a copy of the blank grid, on a projector if possible. Model for students how to think of a question about the topic and write it in the first box.
2. Elicit other questions about the topic from students to write in the other three empty boxes. If necessary, give students time to think and talk with a partner to come up with good questions. If the students have more than 3 more questions to ask, the class can vote about which ones to put in the grid.
3. Follow steps 1-5 above as described in Version 1.