The parachute game is a fun and less morbid interpretation of hangman. The mechanics of the game are very similar to hangman - students have a set number of guesses to get the answer but there are a few different ways you can play the parachute game in an elementary class.
This game came about because I heard that hangman wasn't appropriate in a school classroom. Imagine that! Also, at the time I was a member of a paragliding club so the parachute game was born.
| Time: | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Level: | Elementary grade 5 - 6 |
| Works with: | Spelling (but can be used in many situations) |
| Class size: | Small to large |
You will need:
- A blackboard and chalk (or whiteboard)
Description
The below is a description for the parachute game hangman alternative.
- Draw a stickman wearing a parachute. (I also draw water under him and an island nearby, just to show he won't die.)
- Show how many letters are needed with some dashes.
- When a student guesses incorrectly, write the letter in an empty space and remove a string from the parachute. When they guess correctly, fill in the letter above the dashes.
Variations
- In the past I've used this game in combination with teams and the "who can do it first" aspect of competition to play a fairly convoluted game that students quite enjoyed. Here's the parachute game with teams.
Tips
- Give hints. Every couple of strings I take off, I like to give a hint to help them along.
- When you play this game for the first time, especially in elementary school, start with super easy words. eg. CAT, DOG, MOON, CAR, etc
Warnings
- This doesn't work with younger students, be sure your students at least know the ABC's before trying this game.
I loved solving Hang-man game when I was an elementary school student in US 20 years ago. I agree that Hang man is inappropriate to kids in elementary school.