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I do not agree that the dog in a manger has the final right to the manger even though he may have lain there for a very long time. I do not admit that right. I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

To the Peel Commission, 1937

Catch-Caught-Caught!

Target:

pronunciation fun conjugating verbs,

Age:

older children and up

Duration:

2-4 minutes

Class Size:

any

Energy Level:

moderate to high

Type:

activity

Equipment:

one ball per pair

speaking
speed
fun
ball

Players get into pairs. Partners face each other several paces or more apart. One partner has a ball. The game leader announces the target verb pattern, eg "drink, drank drunk". The player with the ball throws it so that their partner can repeat the pattern before catching the ball. Play then reverses with the second partner throwing the ball so that the first can say the target and then catch the ball. Success occurs when both can say the target and catch the ball. Repeat with further targets until a time limit is reached.

Note:

It can sometimes be hard for baseball players to avoid throwing hard and flat. In such cases stress the idea of a team effort and enforce the rule that success requires the catcher to say the whole target before catching the ball, not while or after.

Comments:

I often use flashcards. Depending upon the group I will just say the pattern or give and give hints so that the players can work out the conjugation for themselves. Flashcards provide an easy way to tally a total.
An alternative to one ball per pair is to have one ball per group of 4-8. Teams split into two and face each other in two lines.. After throwing a ball the player runs to the back of the line. Success requires the whole team to throw, say the target and catch without any drops.