Instructions
Number of players: 2, or 2 teams of 2 people each.
Contents: Box, 3 minute sand timer, 422 ACT*/SAT* word cards, brain freeze card, and synonym/antonym card. We recommend the use of a collegiate thesaurus for reference.
Object of the game: To win the most word cards and get rid of the brain freeze card.
Instructions
To begin: Find the card that says “synonym/antonym” and the brain freeze card. Place them on the table where all players can see them. Choose any number of word cards from the 422 card stack. With opposing sides facing each other, place the word cards face down between you. The youngest player chooses either synonyms or antonyms to start the game. We will use the synonym category as our starting example.
Put the sand timer near the word cards, where it will easily be visible. Turn over the timer to start. Any player turns over the top word card, and both sides compete to be first to name a synonym for the word shown. The first to name a synonym correctly takes the card and puts it in his/her stack earning 1 point. Turn over the next word card and the play continues for three minutes naming just synonyms. When the timer stops, play stops for the synonym session.
The brain freeze card is now in play. A new word card is turned over, and the first player to name a synonym passes the brain freeze card to the opposing side. Still using the same word card, the team or player holding the brain freeze card must name a different synonym to be able to hand the brain freeze card back. As long as players can name different synonyms they can continue trading the brain freeze card. The person left holding the brain freeze card keeps it until the next brain freeze card passing round which is at the end of the next 3 minute playing session. The winning side takes the word card for 1 point.
Turn the “synonym/antonym” card to have the antonym side facing up. Turn the timer to start the next round. Play continues using an antonym to win word cards. At the end of three minutes, the opponents again take turns handing the brain freeze card to each other as each names a new antonym for one given word. Play stops when no one can name an antonym for the word. The side without the brain freeze card wins the word card as before. The player with the brain freeze card keeps it until the next brain freeze round. The goal of each brain freeze round is to get rid of the brain freeze card.
Play continues until the stack of chosen cards is used up. The team or player holding the brain freeze card subtracts 10 points from the number of cards his/her side has earned. The team or player with the highest number of points wins.
In the event no one knows the word on a word card, place the unknown card to the side until the end of the game. It is recommended that you have a collegiate thesaurus for reference and that all players look up the unknown words together.
If someone challenges the correctness of another player’s choice of synonym or antonym, turn the timer on its side and look up the challenged word in a thesaurus. The player who is incorrect hands the other side one card as a penalty. Then restart the timer and continue play.
*SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board and *ACT is a registered trademark of the American College Testing Program which were not involved in the production of and do not endorse this product.
Classroom/Group Play Instructions
Contents: Box, 3 minute sand timer, 422 ACT*/SAT* word cards, brain freeze card, and synonym/antonym card. We recommend the use of a collegiate thesaurus for reference.
Object of the game: To win the most word cards and get rid of the brain freeze card.
Instructions(Please read page 1 of the instructions first.)
Divide the class into two teams. The teams should be facing each other. The teacher should act as mediator for the game. Have one student from each team selected as the team representative. The teacher keeps the deck of playing cards at the front of the room. He/she is responsible for the sand timer and for turning over, reading and showing the cards. A team representative, with the help of teammates, earns the opportunity to state a synonym or antonym by shouting “My word!” The teacher determines which team will submit a synonym or antonym. When a team wins a word card, the teacher hands it to the team representative from the winning side. The teacher mediates the challenges by looking up the challenged words in the collegiate thesaurus.
The teacher mediates the hand off for the brain freeze card and determines when the brain freeze round should end. If none of the students can name a synonym or antonym for a vocabulary word, the teacher has the option of trying to give a definition of the word to the students to spur brainstorming.
Other options: Require students to use the card word and its antonym/synonym in a sentence before winning the card. For instance, if the word is “ubiquitous,” and the player chooses “scarce” as the antonym, a player might say, ” In December in Michigan, Christmas trees are ubiquitous, but sunbathers are scarce.” For synonyms, require a player to use a card word in a sentence and repeat the sentence with a synonym instead of the card word. If the vocabulary word is “ornate,” a student might say, “Victorian houses are ornate. Victorian houses are fancy.”
Please contact us at MINDFULLGAMES.COM to inquire about OTHER WORDLY school competitions, such as “ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A TEACHER?” OR “VERBAL VOLLEY SHOWDOWN”.
These events offer the opportunity to win free games and electronic Thesauruses, or to earn $5.00/game sold for your school.
Check our website for upcoming research articles and suggestions for classroom applications of our game. Teachers: Please email your comments and suggestions.