Who is the burglar?
Who is the Burglar is a conversation game for primary and secondary school students that you can play with up to 30 students.
The aim of the game is that students can find out who in the group is the burglar by asking questions to their fellow students.
This way you practice speaking and listening in a group with an assignment.
What’s in the file?
The file contains a total of 30 character cards, one A4 sheet with 8 cards for a possible back of the character cards, two separate cards with a citizen or burglar on them and one clear A4 sheet of explanation.
Cut out, laminate and ready to use.
How to play this conversation game?
- Tell the class that there has been a burglary and that the police need the students’ help to find out who the burglar is. For example: “Yesterday at 10:00 PM there was a burglary at the Kramer family home. The police were immediately called to investigate the home and found some evidence.”
- Each character card has a number at the bottom right (1 to 30) so that you as a teacher can easily identify them. Choose one of the character cards as a burglar and write down the characteristics of this character without the students being able to see this. (Easy to do in preparation)
Give each student a character card. They are not allowed to share these with their fellow students. - Tell the students to look at their card and find the number on the card. Indicate that you are going to name a number, and that the character card with that number is the burglar, but that no one should reveal whether or not they have that number.
You can also use the “citizen” and “burglar” cards. - Identify the burglar by saying, for example, “Number 12 (or any other number) is the burglar. This means that only one student and you as game leader know who the burglar is.
- Now you are going to provide some information about the burglar. You name this and write it on the board. For example: “The police found evidence at the crime scene. The footprint is in shoe size 45 (choose the shoe size of the burglar)
And they also found…… ” Add two or three more clues from the burglar. The fewer clues, the more difficult the game becomes.
Write these directions on the board so that all students can see them clearly. - Give each player a pen and paper to make the game easier, not to keep it harder.
Now tell the students to go around the classroom and ask other students questions and answer questions from another player.
They can then make a note about this, or they must remember it. - After a few minutes, a number of students should be able to figure out who the burglar is with the evidence.
Have fun with this conversation game.
The file:
Who is the burglar
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