Guess who! Describing people, things and places with who, which, where
Children play a definition guessing game, learn when to use who, which and where, then write and read out their own riddles.
At a glance
- From
- Level 2, Moving Up English: Week 11, People and jobs
- Grammar
- relative clauses: who, which, where
- Key language
- A vet is a person who looks after animals. / A map is a thing which shows where places are. / A library is a place where you borrow books. / who, which, that, where
- Children make
- Four written definitions and three spoken riddles.
- Class size
- Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.
Objective
Children define people, things and places using who, which, that and where, and guess words from definitions.
Success criteria for children
- I can use who for people, which for things and where for places.
- I can give a definition without saying the word.
- I can guess a word from a definition.
Timing: 60 minutes
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 6 | Warm-up: twenty seconds | A child describes a card to the class without saying the word. |
| 6 to 18 | Teach who, which, where | A person who..., a thing which..., a place where... |
| 18 to 26 | Reading: the guessing game | Read the dialogue; find the three definitions. |
| 26 to 36 | Practice: gaps and puzzles | Worksheet tasks 1 and 2. |
| 36 to 50 | Game: Guess who | In fours, one child takes a card and defines it; the others guess. |
| 50 to 55 | Writing: your riddle | Task 3: write two riddles. |
| 55 to 60 | Exit ticket | One definition with who, one with where. |
Materials
- Twelve word cards: vet, baker, pilot, scissors, umbrella, map, kitchen, library, farm, dentist, pencil, beach (one per card)
- Worksheet, pencils
- Jobs flashcards (free, linked from Week 11)
- Jobs (free, linked from Week 11)
Step by step, with teacher talk
0 to 6 minWarm-up: twenty seconds
- Show one volunteer a card. They tell the class anything about it, without saying the word. The class guesses.
6 to 18 minTeach who, which, where
- Write three frames: A baker is a person who makes bread. A pencil is a thing which you write with. A kitchen is a place where you cook.
- Highlight who, which, where in different colours. Say that that can replace who and which in conversation: "a person that..."
- Children make definitions in pairs for pilot, umbrella, farm; share three.
- Do we say "a baker is a thing who"? (No: a person who.)
- Which word do we use for a place? (Where.)
- "A library is a place where you borrow books." Is "where" a person, thing or place word? (Place.)
18 to 26 minReading: the guessing game
- Pairs read the dialogue, swap roles, and underline the definitions (not the answers).
26 to 36 minPractice: gaps and puzzles
- Children complete tasks 1 and 2. Check aloud, reading whole sentences.
36 to 50 minGame: Guess who
- Each group has three cards. Child A defines silently picked words; others guess.
- Rules: no word from the card, no gestures. First correct guess takes the card. Swap roles after each card.
50 to 55 minWriting: your riddle
- Children write two of their own definitions and try them on a partner.
55 to 60 minExit ticket
- See below.
Differentiation
Support
- Give a bank of nouns with pictures; children match who/which/where to each.
- Children use the frames "A... is a person who...".
Stretch
- Add a second fact: "A vet is a person who looks after animals and who works in a clinic."
- Use "whose" in a riddle: "He is the man whose dog is called Biscuit."
- Write riddles about a character in a book the class knows.
Dialogue
Sam: Let's play a game. I'll give you a definition. You guess the word. Ready?
Priya: Ready!
Sam: It's a person who looks after sick animals.
Priya: A vet!
Sam: Correct! Now it's a thing which keeps you dry when it rains.
Priya: An umbrella. Easy! Now you. It's a place where you can borrow books.
Sam: A library.
Priya: Yes. This one is harder. It's a person who flies planes.
Sam: A pilot! My uncle is a pilot, and he's a person who tells very long stories.
Priya: Ha! Last one. It's a thing that has two blades and cuts paper.
Sam: Scissors! I win, five to three.
Questions
- What kind of person is a vet?
- What keeps you dry when it rains?
- What can you do in a library?
- Who flies planes?
- Who wins the game and what is the score?
Printable worksheet
Prints on its own A4 page. Use Print the worksheet above, or print the whole plan and the worksheet starts on a new page. One copy per child, or one per pair to save paper.
Who, which or where?
1. Choose who, which or where.
- A baker is a person makes bread.
- A kitchen is a place people cook.
- Scissors are a thing cuts paper.
- A dentist is a person looks after your teeth.
- A beach is a place you can build sandcastles.
- A map is a thing shows you the way.
2. Write the answer.
- It's a person who teaches children. ______________
- It's a place where you walk on sand next to the sea. ______________
- It's a thing which you use to write. ______________
- It's a person who grows food on a farm. ______________
3. Write two riddles of your own. Use who, which or where. Do not write the answer.
Answer key
Dialogue questions
- A person who looks after sick animals.
- An umbrella.
- Borrow books.
- A pilot.
- Sam wins, five to three.
Worksheet
- 1: who; where; which (or that); who; where; which (or that).
- 2: a teacher; a beach; a pen or a pencil; a farmer.
- 3: answers will vary. Check who for people, which/that for things and where for places, and that the answer is not in the riddle.
Exit ticket
Write one definition with who and one with where. A partner guesses the words.
Homework
Write six riddles about things at home (a spoon, a bed, a kitchen). Test them on someone at home. Use who, which and where at least once each.
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- Level 2, Week 11: People and jobs (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
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