The Big Christmas Quiz (A2+)

Objective & content

A whole-class Christmas quiz to project, for 2 to 4 teams and about 20 to 25 minutes. It has three rounds of five questions: Songs and films (Mariah Carey, Home Alone, Elf), Food around the world (mince pies, panettone, a barbecue on the beach in Australia) and Santa and friends (the reindeer, Rudolph, Lapland). Each question has three options, A, B or C, and one question is true or false. That makes 15 questions and 15 points. Teams read short questions in English, talk about them and agree on one answer.

Pedagogical guide

The questions are about things pupils already enjoy at Christmas, so everyone in the room can have a go. Nobody needs special knowledge, and a good guess is often right. The answer key is in the deck: each question slide is followed by its answer slide, and many answer slides add a short fun fact ("And a carrot for the reindeer!"). Read these aloud: they are part of the reward. The right answer moves between A, B and C. The English is short and simple, in British English. Useful language for the teams: "I think it's B.", "Are you sure?", "Write A, quick!"

Suggested procedure

1. (3 min) Make 2 to 4 teams and draw a score table on the board. Each team has one sheet of paper and one writer. Show the first slide: it gives the rules.
2. (6 min) Round 1, Songs and films: show each question, give 20 seconds, then show the answer slide. 1 point for each right answer.
3. (6 min) Round 2, Food around the world: play it the same way. The last question is true or false.
4. (6 min) Round 3, Santa and friends: play it the same way.
5. (2 min) Add up the points and show the last slide, "Who won?".

Adaptations

[S] Read each question and its three options aloud before the 20 seconds start. Let teams show A, B or C with their fingers instead of writing.

[A] Give a bonus point to a team that can add one more thing about the answer in English (another Christmas film, another reindeer's name).

Materials & prerequisites

A projector or screen for game.pdf (35 slides in 16:9, one per PDF page), the board for the score, and paper and a pen for each team. No preparation is needed. Use it at the end of the last lesson before the holidays, or as the closing game of the Christmas Fun pack.