About This Activity

Overview

Careers Cards allows intermediate level students to simultaneous learn or review a variety of common objects from everyday life, while learning about different careers and the type of work they do.

Students will need to know over 60 vocabulary words per card set to be able to play this game. Therefore, we recommend that this game be used in a unit about careers and to review a variety of objects learned in previously taught units about other topics.

Currently, 3 different sets of 18 cards are available for this game. These sets can be used independently, or combined with one or both other sets for increased complexity and fun.

As a deduction card game, players need to use their verbal skills to deduce which of the cards laid out in front of them matches the "secret card" in their activity partner's possession.

 

Activity Presentation Phase Instructions

 

Career Card Example

Doctor with a hammer,
pen, prescription,
stethoscope & x-ray

 

Career Card Example

Nurse with a hat,
syringe, thermometer
& stethoscope

 

Career Card Example

Paramedic with a bag,
radio, scissors
& stethoscope

 

 

Download Game Materials

 

 

How To Play

Groups: This game is best played in pairs of two participants. One participant in each group will be the asker and the other will be the answerer.

Materials: Two sets of 18 identical Career Cards are needed for each pair of two participants. This means two sets of Set A or two sets of Set B or two sets of Set C.

Time / Game Round: 1-3 minutes

 

  • The asker should lay out one set of game cards in front of them and the answerer should draw one "secret card" from an identical set of cards. The "secret card" will therefore match one of the cards laid out in front of the asker.

  • The answerer can look at the "secret card," but they aren't allowed to show it to the asker. The asker can only learn which objects/items of clothing appear on the "secret card" by asking the answerer verbal questions.

  • The asker's GOAL is to narrow down which of the cards in front of them matches the "secret card" possessed by the answerer.

    To do this, the asker can use the sentence pattern "Does the monkey have a/some  _________________?" and systematically insert different objects into the blank in the sentence pattern.

  • Based on the answerer's 'yes/no' answers, the asker can "eliminate" any cards that logically can't match the "secret card" held by the answerer. The best way to "eliminate" the non-matching cards, is to flip them over face-down. Then asker can continue to ask more questions to further narrow down the remaining "face-up cards."

  • Askers should be encouraged to start with objects that more monkey characters have, such as bags, hats, helmets. This will allow them to narrow down the cards in front of them more efficiently.

    After only a smaller number of cards remain, the asker can ask the answerer about the less common objects based on which cards remain.

  • Each round of the game continues until the asker has narrowed down the cards in front of them to just one card. They can then ask the answerer, "Is the monkey a _________________?" and insert the remain monkey's career into the blank.

 

For more detailed instructions for how to print, prepare, and introduce card-based deduction games like this one, click the blue button below.

 

How To Play

 

Printing & Preparation Instructions

 

 

 

Words to Learn Before Playing

The Core Vocabulary Words listed below are all words that students should learn BEFORE playing this game. Students will only need to learn the words listed for a specific set to play this game with that set. For example, students can play the game with Set C without learning the vocabulary words listed for Set A and Set B.

 

Core Vocabulary Words Used in Activity
Card Set A (18 Cards)

 Careers: baker, cashier, cook, criminal, dentist, doctor, English teacher, firefighter, librarian, mailman, nurse, paramedic, pirate, police officer, security guard, soldier, teller (bank), veterinarian
Objects: bag, bread, book(s), box, cash register, computer, desk, drill, exam/homework, flag, flashlight, food, gun, glasses, gloves, hammer, handcuffs, hat, helmet, honey, hook, hose, keys, knife, ladder, letter/mail, map, mask, money, name tag, oil, pen, prescription, rabbit, radio, scissors, stethoscope, syringe/needle, thermometer, whistle, x-ray
Card Set B (18 Cards)

 Careers: artist, astronaut, astronomer, beekeeper, business person, conductor (train), flight attendant, hairdresser, lifeguard, magician, meteorologist, painter, pilot, pharmacist, photographer, reporter, waiter/server, writer
Objects: bag, book(s), brush, camera, cape, chart, chemicals, comb, computer, desk, drink, food, glasses, glue, hairdryer, hat, handcuffs, helmet, honey, hook, keys, ladder, map, mask, medicine, microscope, notebook, paint, paintbrush, pen, pencil, prescription, scissors, telescope, thermometer, tray, uniform, wand, whistle, windsock
Card Set C (18 Cards)

 Careers: acrobat, builder, carpenter, cleaner, clown, electrician, engineer, farmer, garbage man, juggler, mechanic, plumber, repairman, salesperson, technician, watchmaker, wildlife ranger, zookeeper
Objects: bag, ball(s), brick, broom, cello, cloth, computer, drill, flashlight, flowers, flute, food, gas, glasses, gloves, guitar, hammer, hat, hay, helmet, hoop, keys, ladder, magnet, measuring tape, motor, name tag, oil, price tag, pipe, radio, ruler, saw, screwdriver, shovel, spring, tape, vacuum cleaner, watch, wire, wrench

 

Important Notes: 

  • The game can be played enjoyable using just one set of 18 cards, but there is significant overlap of the objects between the individual sets, so combining one or more sets will allow for a much more interesting game with more complex systematic logically deduction required.

 

Career Card Example

Firefighter with a
(fire rescue) hook

 

Career Card Example

Firefighter with a
(water rescue) hook

 

Career Card Example

Pirate with a hook,
because arrrrrrrrrr!!!

 

Career Card Example

Firefighter with a 
rescue ladder

 

Career Card Example

Painter with a
ladder for painting

 

Career Card Example

Acrobat with a
ladder for tricks 

 

 

Words to Learn While Playing

The following words will be used to the play this game (with every available set of cards). However, these words don't need to be pre-taught. These words can and should be learned WHILE playing the game.

Vocabulary Best Learned In Context
Used With All Sets a/an, does, doesn't, have, is, isn't, monkey, no, some, the, yes, 

 

 

Sentence Patterns to Use While Playing

The following sentences and sentence patterns are recommended for use while playing this game. The best way to teach these sentences, is to use them in context while introducing the game and demonstrating how to play it.

Standard Sentences and Sentence Patterns
Does the monkey have a _________________?
Does the monkey have some _________________?
Yes, the monkey does. / No, the monkey doesn't.
Is the monkey a _________________?
Yes, the monkey is a _________________? / No, the monkey isn't a _________________?.