Government and parliament vocabulary exercise

Parliament and government is full of specialised terminology that few Canadians use routinely. But this terminology is more than just words. It provides useful insights into how the business of national politics gets done.

• The class should be divided into five or more groups (12 is the maximum that will work with a 5 x 5 bingo card).

• The teacher hands out the sample G&P Bingo card below.

• Each group is assigned a horizontal, diagonal or vertical row on the bingo card.

• The teacher explains to the class that the object of the G&P Bingo is for each group to find and record definitions for the terms in its assigned row. They are to be directed to the Canada web site as the starting point for their search (http://canada.gc.ca/main_e.html)

• If there are enough computers in one room, all the groups can play the game at once, with the first group to find definitions for all its words shouting ‘bingo’.

• If a simultaneous session is not possible, each group’s efforts could be timed separately, with the winner being the group that took the least amount of time.

The teacher can create multiple bingo G&P Bingo cards using the glossary on Parliament’s web site as a source of words. (http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/
process/house/glossary/gloss-e.htm).

In addition, throughout their overall unit study, students could be asked to submit other new and interesting words they come across, and in this way, contribute to the lingo bingo of other groups of students that may follow them.