Introduction to Cross-Examination: Question Game

Learning Objectives

  • Become familiar with Q&A format of cross-examination.

  • Increase familiarity with impromptu speaking.

Time Needed

~20-30 min.

Teacher Preparation

  • Write down ~8-10 (depending on squad size) scenarios for students to roleplay in an impromptu speaking game. To increase student engagement, topics should be humorous and slightly bizarre.
    • Example: You are attending high school graduation, when you and a friend realize everyone else forgot to wear clothes.
    • Example: You attend a job interview, only to realize that the interviewer is a long-extinct dinosaur.
  • If confused about format, watch a clip of Questions Only from Whose Line Is It Anyway (U.S. version).

Lesson Outline

  • Question Game
    • To begin, divide students into two equal groups. Explain that the two teams will compete against each other in an impromptu speaking activity. Explain the format of the Question Game, and begin:
      • Two students (one representative from each team) should go to the front of the room.
      • The instructor will announce a scenario (see Teacher Preparation). Each student will act out the scenario, with a twist: Each student can only speak in questions.
        • If a student does not respond in time, does not speak in questions, or does not ask questions appropriate to the scenario, they “lose” the round.
          • For shorter games, use a point-system. Once a student loses, the team whose student won the round receives a point. Begin a new round, with a different scenario, and a new set of students from each team, until every student has had a chance to speak. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
          • For longer games, use an elimination-style format. Once a student loses, they are eliminated from the game. Begin a new round, with a different scenario, and a new set of students from each team. Continue until all students from a single team have been eliminated. The “last team standing” wins the game.

Points of Improvement

  • Students speak very softly or pause excessively.

  • Questions do not pertain to the scenario or are excessively short.

Signs of Mastery

  • Students speak clearly and confidently, with minimal pauses.

  • Questions are appropriate to the given scenario.

Instructor Notes

  • This activity is best for younger, less experienced students.

  • Students quickly realize that this game can be won by repeating short, single-word questions, like “Why?”

  • Forfeit students who do not ask full-length questions appropriate to the given scenario.

Next Lesson Plan: CX Around the World