Picture This Players cooperate to tell a story relating to randomly chosen pictures.
Age Range: 9 to 12 Skills Used: storytelling, creativity Number of Players: 4 to 6 Noise Level: moderate Activity Level: low Materials: magazine pictures, cloth bag,
game sheet, erasable marker, pair of dice
Setup The magazine pictures for this game should be in color and show items of interest to the players, such as cars, animals, and people playing sports. There can also be pictures of scenery, indoor spaces, and objects such as boats, toys, dishes, lawn mowers, and camping tents. Pictures of fantasy creatures, including unicorns and leprechauns, will also add a bit of whimsy to playing this game. The pictures should be at least 3 5 , and it is best if they are laminated or mounted on cardstock before being mixed into a cloth bag. A minimum of 12 pictures should be prepared. Copy and use the game sheet of story elements provided or make your own. This game sheet is needed as a reference during the game. It can be reused if it has been laminated and is then marked using an erasable marker; it is wiped clean after each story.
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How to Play Players sit in a circle and pass the game sheet around. Each person in the group rolls the dice and marks the story element corresponding to the value of the roll. If a player rolls a number that is already marked, he or she continues rolling until another story element can be selected. Once marked, the sheet is placed where all players can see it. The first player takes a picture from the bag without looking and begins a story relating to something in it. If any of the checked items on the sheet are included in that part of the story, players score a point for the group. Any player can identify the use of a story element and record its use on the story card by crossing through the check mark. Elements included in the story, but not checked, do not need to be recorded. When the first player completes a portion of the story, the bag of pictures is passed to the next person who also draws a picture. The bag can be passed whether or not a checked story element has been identified, and the turn can be of any length, but should not be a complete story. The players continue the game by adding to the story based upon the picture they draw while everyone listens for story elements. If the bag returns to the player who began the story, the game can continue, but no new pictures are drawn from the bag. The game continues until all the marked story elements have been included and identified in the group’s story. 101 Great Classroom Games