This document lists and provides links to over 20 input and output activities for a CI-inspired Chinese language class with the goal of helping students know themselves, each other, and the world better through meaningful materials and authentic interactions. The activities include games like TPR Cup Grab, Speedy Announcer, Pass it Up, Guess the Stores, Video Reading with comprehension questions, and others. They aim to create information gaps, use realia, involve music or movement, build comprehension and memory, and foster teamwork and competition to engage students rather than just teaching content. The document encourages adding more activities to the list.

1. Top 20+ Input and Output
Activities
By Ping Wu
pwu@columbusschoolforgirls.org

2. Goal of My CI-Inspired Class
Comprehensible Input Inspired Teaching: Through meaningful materials for
discussions, asking personalized questions and authentic interactions with
the students, I will
Know my students better
Help my students know themselves/each other better
We all will know the world better.
Human
Connections/Relevance

3. The key to engagement:
Teach the STUDENTS,
not the content

5. 1. TPR Cup Grab (do TPR
gesture review, only grab the cup when I
say 杯子)

6. 2. Circle Look
(Avoid Eye Contact; Say 对不起 fast to get
back in the game)

7. 3. Step Forward if…
(Hot/Cold; Change your positions if you agree…)

8. 4. Speedy Announcer
用尖叫鸡

9. 5. Whose Hand Is It?

10. 6. The 6th Sense

12. 7. M&M Talk (Colored pieces; each
color means something)

13. 8. Chair Switch (weekend chat,
truth about you, etc.)

14. 9. Quiz Quiz Trade (credit:
The Comprehensible Classroom) 新年知识，假
期活动 (similar ideas: Talk Talk Pass, Draw
Write Pass…)

15. 10. Faster Song
我放音乐学生举单词，再把词汇放在地上
然后音乐停了我说单词需要踩单词 Music
Step

17. 11. Pass it Up

19. 12. Listen & Draw
闭眼睛画画
听描述画画
画了在加细节，传给下一个人

21. 13. Guess the Stores
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AS_BchhAj7A6mwkWe-
kOvlqIMu7cMnuVp_aJ4GS19vQ/edit?usp=sharing

22. 14. Sentence Strips
Matching

24. 15. Video Reading

25. The Easy Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY2IXojrXwY
https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/the-easy-life-video-and-
hanzi-matching

27. From reading to writing (Snack Attack Cloze Writing)
● https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/snack-attack-watch-and-writepdf

28. 16. BEEP Reading (credit:
The Comprehensible Classroom, read and spot
the difference) https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/in-the-name-
of-family-beep-readingpdf

29. 17. Who is the SPY?
图片给老师
https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/who-is-the-
spy-2020-pictures

30. 18. Imposter
https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/impostor-game-
questions-in-chinese

31. 19. Roll Your “Fate”
https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/roll-your-fate-dice-
gamepdf

33. 20. Who is the most
likely…? 扔纸团
https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/who-is-the-
most-likely-to-paper-ball-activity

34. 21: The Grudge Ball
(credit: The Comprehensible Classroom)
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1psh8LVd4HEFAJ5Lobj3KM3j3r
W-DRcgFG_rbVuJEKh4/edit?usp=sharing

35. 22: Psychologist (or Two Sides
game)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-sRhx9hFIA&t=232s

36. 23. Special Person
Interview
https://www.slideshare.net/WuPing/special-person-
interview

37. Key Elements of Activities and Games
● Information gap (suspense and surprises)
● Realia or props
● Undetermined points for questions
● Music or movements (eg. Music essay, music pingpong
reading)
● Comprehension and memory
● Team work and competition

38. Amy Wants A Cool Cat’s Activities
● Candy Guess
● Point and Say Pronunciation
Practice
● 有没有 Finger Game
● Toy Walk (Vote with Your
Feet)
● Bingo Sentences and
Sequencing
● Cup Grab (Plate Stepping)
● Running Dictation
● The Unfair Game (credit: The
Comprehensible Classroom)
● Questions with Dice (1. Roll the
dice to get the points if answered
correctly; 2. Roll the dice to answer a
numbered question, each question is
worth different point; if answered
incorrectly, has to give away the
point if the other team answers
correctly)

39. Think and Share:
ADD YOURS TO THE
LIST!