Pi-Gru
Download game font HERE
Having trouble downloading the PowerPoint version or editing the Google Slides version? CLICK HERE
(you do not need to request access to the file)
Game Features
Dynamic point system to keep the game exciting
10 rounds of gameplay, but can easily add more by duplicating slides
Play as a reading or a speaking game - templates for both versions included in the PowerPoint
Option to include an additional writing component (see “Variations” below for details)
Fun graphics and sound effects
Fun Fact: 피구(pigu) means “dodgeball” in Korean, so the game’s title is a play off the Korean word + the name of the main character in Despicable Me
How to Play
Divide your class into teams. By default, this game has six, but you can change the number based on the size of your class (six teams is the max though).
During the game, first each team secretly chooses a Minion on the dodgeball court: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. The teacher clicks the number on the scoreboard at the bottom associated with the Minion each team chooses. This will hide the team’s letter behind the colored sign the Minion is holding.
To make sure other teams can’t see/hear which Minion each team chooses, I have the other teams close their eyes while one team is choosing. The choosing team holds up the number of the Minion they choose with their fingers. Also, teams are allowed to choose the same Minion.
Once all teams have chosen a Minion, then one by one, each team will choose a different Minion to hit their dodgeball with by saying the word/sentence on the sign the Minion is holding.
The teacher will then click that Minion to hit it with the dodgeball and reveal which teams initially chose that Minion. Those teams are out.
If a team’s initially-chosen Minion doesn’t get hit after all teams say their/sentence they get points.
If all 6 teams don’t get hit, they each get 1 point. If 5 teams don’t get hit (meaning 1 team got hit), those 5 teams get 2 points. If 4 teams don’t get hit (meaning 2 teams got hit), those 4 teams get 3 points…and so on. The maximum points a team can get is 6, and that’s if they’re the only team that didn’t get hit.
The team with the most points at the end of the game wins!
Further instructions on how to play and edit the game can be found in the notes section of each slide.
Variations
If you would like to simplify the scoring system, you can just award 1 point to any team that doesn’t get hit (no matter how many teams remain).
The instructions above are for the reading version of this game. To play as a speaking game, use images instead of words on the signs the Minions are holding. A template for this version is also included as hidden slides at the end of the PowerPoint. Further in instructions on how to play and edit this version are found in the "notes" section of the PowerPoint.
If you want to add a writing component to this game, you could give each team a mini whiteboard, marker, and eraser and when choosing their initial Minion, have them write word/sentence to show you instead of holding up the Minion’s number.
Runtime
STUDENTS: 3 TIME: 15min SKILL FOCUS: Review FINISHED GAME?: No
Ran out of time, they had fun, but struggled to understand how to play at first (they understood better after a couple of rounds).