Crossword Puzzle Train Relay

Here is another great post-reading, collaborative activity which I found on Cindy Hitz's blog. It involves crossword puzzles and is completed/competed in a relay kind of way. This activity involves a story which you have been reviewing with students and needs to be one which students know well in the target language. 

Here are directions for the activity from Cindy's blog.

Example of one which I did with students - this is based on a Movie Talk called The Wishgranter.

1) Crossword Puzzle

2) Crossword Puzzle Clues

Observations

1. This activity took about 12-15 minutes, as the opening rounds lasted about 30 seconds each, with the rounds lasting around 45 seconds by the end, since more time was needed due to less clues available. 
2. Because this is essentially a cloze sentence activity, students need to know the reading very well in the target language, since they are filling in the blank with the correct word.
3. Because this is a crossword puzzle, correct spelling is important. If students needed help with correct spelling, they could ask me. I would not tell them the correct answer for a clue but only the correct spelling of a word.
4. Students whose turn it was to take a break during each round enjoyed it! 
5. I allowed students who only had the clues to write in the answer to one of the clues listed on their sheets in order to give them something to do. 
6. Students enjoyed the "choice" aspect and that they could choose any clue to answer (at least in the beginning rounds).
7.  I did not think that this activity would become competitive among students, but I had some students really get into it.

As always, thanks, Cindy for your great ideas!