Activity type: Group work
Level: Up to B2
Age: Adults or senior YLs
Preparation
There are no materials required. Just write these inventions on the board in a random order:
- the Internet (most recent)
- light bulb
- telephone
- refrigerator
- braille
- thermometer
- microscope
- printing
- paper
- wheel
Procedure
- Put students into groups of 3 or 5. Students should work together in their groups, checking that everybody knows what each word means. Help with understanding if necessary.
- Explain that these are 10 important inventions. Students should work together in their groups to compile a list of the inventions in chronological order. They should talk about each invention and reach a majority decision regarding the order. If necessary explain to students BC and AD.
- Elicit the lists from each group and write them on the board. Alternatively, invite a student up to the board from each group to write their list.
- Write the answers on the board (see below) for students to check.
- Get groups to copy the correct list.
- Explain that you are going to play a game. Students have to guess the year of each invention. They have to work together in groups to reach a majority decision.
- Explain that you will award 1 point for the group that writes the nearest year. You will award 2 bonus points for an exact year. Explain the meaning of BC and AD. Give students a limited time to do this part. (10 mins)
- Draw this grid on the board (below). Complete the grid by eliciting answers from each group. Alternatively, invite a member of each group up to the board to write in their information.
| Group 1 | Group 2 (etc.) | Answer | |
| the Internet | |||
| light bulb | |||
| telephone | |||
| refrigerator | |||
| braille | |||
| thermometer | |||
| microscope | |||
| printing | |||
| paper | |||
| wheel |
- Finally, complete the answers column (see below) and award points to find the winning group.
Answers
- The Internet 1969
- light bulb 1906
- telephone 1876
- refrigerator 1850
- braille 1829
- thermometer 1593
- microscope 1590
- printing 1440
- paper 100
- wheel around 3,500 BC
Extension
Writing: Students write a short text (100 words) about the positive and negative effects of one of the inventions named.
Speaking: Put students into pairs, A and B. Students take turns to choose an invention from the list and to talk about its positive and negative effects. They should speak for about 2 minutes about each invention.
Comments
Hi Yunhee Lee
By the way, I wanted to say thanks to the author of this activity. It really helped me. And Yunhee Lee, I did this with my shy students. After I had done this activity I also asked them to use their imagination and to be inventors. They had to invent something and Speak in public about how their invention will change the World. I think this will help them a lot and it is great fun.
Hi Tamcsp, Thanks for your…
Hi Tamcsp,
Thanks for your comment and your questions. This article gives some great suggestions on encouraging more use of English in the classroom: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/ways-encourage-more-use-english-class
Does anyone else have any suggestions for Tamscp?
Philippa
TeachingEnglish team
The guessing game is fun
I think the guessing part is fun but probably will take a lot of time and students will likely use their mother tongue most of the time to negotiate answers. How can we encourage more speaking and authentic conversations around inventions? like some inventions are by accident, were made with good intention yet developed to be destructive, etc?
I liked this activity and i will try with my future class .The reason why i liked is that we can give infornations about inventions through speaking in English. They can improve their speaking as well . But i think we will have some problems who are shy to speak 🤔. They do not participate such kind of games . What can we do about it if we are gonna play this game?