How to use the Dominoes

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:40 pm

You can make dominoes with images for free at Tools for Educators.com

In dominoes players take a set amount of domino pieces. If we have 4 players, we'll take 8 each for example. If we have more players, we'll take less (6) . If we have less players we'll take more (10). You'll need about 50-60 domino pieces. Several copies of the same ten is OK but you might want to make 2 copies of 10 and 2 copies of a different combination of 10 and then some doubles. That will make one set for one group.

Players match the word side with the picture. So if I lay down the first domino from my hand and it has a living room picture and the word a bathroom, you (the next player) will need to put down a piece in the row that has either the word living room on one side or the picture of a bathroom on one side.

Match: word - picture | word - picture | word - picture ...

Here's a visual explanation.

If you make some cards with the same word and picture (which you should) those pieces can be played horizontally creating new rows to build on.

If you don't have a domino like either of those items, you draw a domino from the pile. Then play moves to the next player.

The goal of the game is to get rid of all of your pieces first.

For language practice, as a student plays a domino they have to use one of the words in a sentence. Or, to make it more difficult they have to use both of the words in a sentence. They have to make a question where the answer is one of the words on the domino, as another example.

If the students come up with other rules (and there are more) just let them go as long as they are learning.

I hope that helps.

Happy teaching,
Mark

MES-Zealot! Joined: 09 Feb 2006 Posts: 361 Location: Japan

Thanks Mark
these are awesome, its always good to have a different activity up your sleeve!

Do you get any sleep?

LOL

MES-Addict Joined: 22 Aug 2009 Posts: 48 Location: Germany

Thanks Mark for the Dominoes idea. This is even something which I can play with my adults. I'm sure they will like it!

And yes, I have already wondered as well when do you sleep? Laughing

MES-Member Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 3

Great addition, I think these will be useful with my younger students.

Thanks!

MES-Member Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 9 Location: algeria

Hi Mark..Tkanks a lot for your help..

MES-Member Joined: 10 Nov 2009 Posts: 13

I've use the dominos in the class and kids loved them! thank you!!!

MES-Member Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 4

Hi Mark,
Thanks for explaining the game which is played by dominoes. I was totally unaware of this game. I find it interesting. Still I am a bit confused. I need to read for sometimes and I will understand it. Once I am done I will try playing it my colleagues or my family members. Let's see how it works. Anyway thanks. Cheers.

MES-Member Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Posts: 4

thanks a lot!

MES-Member Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 5

Its a awesome idea Mark. I am sure my students will like this. Thanks a lot for your help.

MES-Addict Joined: 10 Dec 2009 Posts: 25 Location: Canada

Wow! What a great idea.

But more than the idea, the site is amazing how it lets you make your own dominoes.

An instant bookmark for me. I will use this again and again.

Thanks!!

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:22 pm

I'm glad the maker will be useful.

I have to say this thread has been quite surprising. The domino maker was actually the first worksheet maker I made for www.toolsforeducators.com . I just made the explanation with images after I got a few emails asking about how to play. Then, it seems to have brought it to quite a few people's attention.

I guess there's a lot of stuff out there and so many sites with so much on them, it easy to miss things.

Anyway, after everyone's had a few goes, let me know if you think the maker could be improved. I'm going to be working on a couple new worksheet makers soon, so it's good to get in there and make changes while I've got the machine open. Very Happy