A Fun Way to Teach Descriptive Words

Sometimes it is hard to get students to describe an object using words other than size and color.  They seems to always give you the same reply: it's big or it's little; it's blue, black, red or green.  If you point out that you can describe by shape then you get just the shape of the object and usually everything is round or square.  They can't seem to grasp the idea that an object can be described by many qualities.  Thus, SLAP IT was born!

SLAP IT Descriptors Card Game is a receptive game to improve and develop understanding of descriptive words. 

It targets these 35 descriptive words:

• Liquid, crunchy, hot, cold, scary, 
• ugly, big, hard, small, smooth, 
• soft, long, tall, round, Rectangular, 
• fuzzy, slimy, salty, prickly, sweet, 
• sour, sharp, leather, glass, paper, 
• plastic, wood, metal, cloth, heavy,
• light, warm, rough, slick, sticky.

The game is easy to play just be the 1st player to get rid of all your cards! You will divide the deck of picture cards among the number of students you have in your group and they place their cards face up so they can see them.  The SLP/teacher has the 7 calling cards which they place face down in front of him/herself.  The SLP draws her first card and reads one of the descriptive words out loud.  All players look at their pictures to find a picture that can be described using that word.  When the player finds a picture he SLAPS IT down in the center of the table.  The SLP and students discuss all the pictures played and determine if it does indeed have that descriptive characteristic. If it does not the player who played the card has to take it back.  All cards played that fit the description are then removed and discarded.  Play continues until one player is out of cards and is declared the winner.

Additional Game Play Ideas:
This game can be adapted to fit your needs.  You may wish to take it further and give 2 descriptors at a time that a picture will have to fit.  Or you may wish to play it as an expressive game requiring the students keep their cards in a stack in front of themselves and require them to give 1, 2 or 3 descriptive words to be able to get rid of their cards. They must keep their card if they cannot do it. First player out of cards wins.

This game is sold as a digital download in my Teacher Pay Teachers Store for $4.50.  Just download the pdf files and make your own.

I am very conscientious of your funds and access to color copiers, ink and paper, which is why my games and activities are created using minimal color and designs, and why my layouts are as efficient as I can make them to use less paper when making the games.

You can get detailed instructions on how to cut the pages into neat same sized cards here