"What's in the box?" is the title of a 1964 "Twilight Zone" episode. It's also the infamous question Brad Pitt's character, David Mills, asks his nemesis in the 1995 movie "Se7en," and the name of a Japanese game show that spurred an American spinoff on YouTube.

A box of mystery is also at the core of "What's in the Box," the name I've given to this multipart, integrated skills game that draws on students' multiple intelligences and critical thinking and reflection. This activity is particularly useful for authentic vocabulary development and reinforcement.

"What's in the Box" is a hybrid of information gap games, guessing games, search games and match-up games. You can easily adapt the activity to fit the class period and length (e.g., term, quarter, semester).

Materials

• Boxes, various sizes and with lids. The boxes can be gift boxes or plain cardboard boxes. If they are cardboard, you can decorate them with colored markers or wrapping paper.
• One item (or a pair or logical group of items, e.g., knife, fork, spoon; cup and saucer; sneakers; salt and pepper shakers) in each box.

Instructions

While this activity is designed to be challenging, it shouldn't be inaccessible. If it is too difficult, students will become frustrated and restless and will feel defeated and stupid.

Therefore, it's important for students to understand their goal: The goal is not to stump their classmates or make them appear foolish. The goal is to provide articulate and accurate clues from which classmates can identify the mystery item using close listening, attentive note-taking, and critical thinking and analysis.

1. Create a theme-based authentic vocabulary corpus (e.g., kitchen tools, gardening tools, items for sale in a sports store, items necessary for building a house, house furniture, items you take on vacation, items in a pantry). Ideally, you can base the corpus on course content, but if that's not feasible, ask the students what authentic vocabulary they want to learn (i.e., vocabulary they regularly encounter).

2. Use the vocabulary in lessons: Students choose or can be assigned one or two of the items and write about when they have used or might use the items. Students find pictures of people using the items, draw pictures of the items, and make presentations in which they explain the items' names and history, of what materials the items are made, for what the items are used, the size and colors of the items, and where the items can be purchased. Depending on the items, they can make something with them and show the class (e.g., a video of the student using a spatula when cooking eggs; a video of the student hammering a nail into a wall to hang a picture).

3. To reinforce students' understanding and use of the corpus, place into each box an item students have learned about from the corpus. For example, if the theme is kitchen tools, you may choose a teaspoon, a vegetable peeler, a spatula, a bread knife, a bowl and a cup measure.

4. Have the class agree on one of the boxes to investigate, and ask your students to make a list of the items from the corpus they think can fit in the box and have them explain their answers. For example, there could be a spatula or a breadknife in the box because the box is deep enough and long enough to hold a spatula or a knife.

5. Ask your students to make a list of items they think cannot fit in the box and have them explain their answers. For example, there can't be a measuring cup or bowl in the box because the box isn't deep enough or wide enough to hold a measuring cup or bowl.

6. Prepare students to play 20 questions. Ask students if they know about the game, discuss their answers, and explain how to play the game. Give them examples of questions: Is it hard? Is it made of wood (plastic, metal, foam)? Is it fuzzy (soft, rubbery, sharp)? Is it edible or drinkable? Is it bigger than a _____? Is it smaller than a _____? Is it blue (green, yellow, etc.)? Can it hold liquid? Is it round (flat, square, rectangular, etc.)? Can it float? Can you write with it? Does it need electricity to work?

7. Have students write 20 questions they want to ask you about the box's contents.

8. As a large group, ask each student to ask one question from their list; write their question on the board; say your answer, and write it on the board.

9. If you don't have the time (or don't want to spend the time) for each student to ask all of her 20 questions, each student can ask two or three questions.

10. When it seems that students have enough information to make an educated guess, ask students to write sentences that identify what they believe is in the box and why they believe it. Their answers should be based on the information they've gathered from playing 20 questions.

11. Have students write sentences for what they believe cannot be in the box; they can limit their choices to two or three items.

12. Have students draw a picture of what they think is in the box.

13. Have students present their answers and their pictures to the class, e.g., "I believe the box has a teaspoon in it because ..."

14. In list form, put students' answers on the board:

• soup spoon
• 1/4 cup measure
• small bowl
• measuring cup
• teaspoon

15. Reveal the box's content.

16. Discuss the clues that helped and didn't help students make their choices.

Variations

• Students can work in pairs or small groups for the entire activity.
• Students can work individually from Step 3 through Step 5; then, put them in pairs or small groups to review what they've come up with and negotiate which questions they'll use for their 20 questions and their sentences. Once they've finished, begin with Step 6, and with students in their pairs or small groups, complete the exercise.
• If the item is not breakable and the box lid is secure, students can shake the box to gather clues from the sounds they hear.
• Once students understand the activity and have seen you facilitate it, they can become the facilitators. Individually or in pairs or small groups, students decide on the box's contents and lead the class through the activity.
• As students get the hang of the activity, you can increase the fun and challenge by putting a small item in a large box.