Thursday, December 11, 2025

Blogmas day 17

 AI wrote the text  after instructions

❄️ Festive Scavenger Hunt – Full Activity Guide

🎯 Aim of the activity

To encourage students to use descriptive language, practice functional phrases, and speak spontaneously—while having fun with a Christmas theme.


📝 How it works

You prepare a list of holiday-related items that students must find either around their home (online lesson) or in the classroom. The items don’t need to be explicitly “Christmas objects”—they can be anything connected by colour, shape, smell, texture, or symbolism. This makes it accessible for all levels and avoids cultural pressure.


✨ Example item prompts

Instead of saying “bring a candle,” you phrase it so they must interpret the clue:

  • Find something that smells like winter.

  • Bring something red that isn’t clothing.

  • Find something that makes a sound.

  • Bring something you would give as a last-minute gift.

  • Find something that reminds you of home.

  • Find something tiny enough to fit inside a Christmas stocking.

These types of clues invite creativity, which leads to more natural speaking practice.


🗣️ What students do

Each time they bring an item back, they must describe it using guided language. For example:

  • A1/A2 levels:
    “This is a red candle. It smells like cinnamon.”
    “It is soft and small. It’s a toy.”

  • B1/B2 levels:
    “This reminds me of winter because…”
    “I chose this object because…”
    “If I had to put it in a stocking, I would choose…”

  • C1 levels:
    “This object symbolizes…”
    “I associate this with the holidays due to…”

You can add extra language challenges—e.g., they must use one adjective, one preposition, or one connector in their description.


🎅 Variations to make it even more fun

1. Timed Challenge

Give students 30–45 seconds per clue. The urgency makes the activity energetic and playful.

2. Photo Version

If they can’t move around, students take quick pics with their phone and share them on screen.

3. Team Battle

In breakout rooms or groups, each team finds and describes items. You keep score for creativity or accuracy.

4. Grammar Twist

Each clue corresponds to a tense:

  • “Find something you have never used before.” → Present perfect

  • “Find something you used to love as a child.” → Used to

  • “Find something you will probably throw away soon.” → Future forms

5. Story Builder

After collecting all items, students use them to create a chaotic Christmas mini-story.


🎁 Why this activity works so well

  • It feels like a game, not a lesson.

  • It encourages authentic, unprepared speaking.

  • It allows shy students to express themselves through objects.

  • It adapts to all proficiency levels.

  • It brings movement into screen-based lessons, keeping energy high.

  • It creates a warm, festive atmosphere without relying on heavy cultural content.


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