A colleague of mine (thank you Dan!) recently told me about an information gap activity called Half a Crossword. Since finding out about this gem, I have used Half a Crossword several times. And I have found that my students enjoy it. Whether they are students of English as a Second Language, AP English Language and Composition, IB Geography or even Political History of India, they all find Half a Crossword to be a refreshing way to engage with key terminology related to their subject of study.
So, what is half a crossword?
Half a Crossword is an information gap activity where students are put into pairs. They each have the same crossword but with different parts completed. One has half the crossword filled and the other has the other half of the crossword filled. They must work together to fill in the missing parts of their respective crosswords. They do this by asking each other for clues for their missing words. Students describe the missing words to their partner without using the actual word. For example:
Here is a Half a Crossword for Unit 2 – Climate Change of IB Geography.
It is a fun activity because it allows students to use important vocabulary in a fun and engaging manner. And, for teachers, it is helpful because it can be used as a diagnostic to see where students are at and understand if they are comfortable with key terminology.
You can create your own Half a Crossword Activity here.
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