APIEClass activity: Orrin Club Notice Relay
Contracts, small print and consumer rights
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Orrin Club Notice Relay
A fast-paced team editing activity to master reduced conditional clauses in formal club rules. It takes 20 minutes.
Rules of the Game
Teacher Instructions
- 1 Divide class into teams of 3 or 4 learners and assign each team a Relay Sheet.
- 2 Explain that teams are notice editors simplifying formal leisure club rules.
- 3 Run the 8-strip relay: learners take turns replacing bracketed words with exact reduced clauses.
- 4 Swap sheets between teams for peer grading using the Teacher Key.
- 5 Listen for the common mistake "if it possible". The answer key is in the Teacher Key section.
Student Rules
- 1 Goal: Rewrite all 8 club notices into concise, grammatically correct rules.
- 2 Round: Replace words in [brackets] with ONE target reduced clause.
- 3 Punctuation Rule: Add a comma before the phrase whenever it ends the sentence.
- 4 Change NO other word in the original sentence.
- 5 Winning: Score 1pt per exact strip + 1 bonus pt per Unit vocabulary word used.
Timed Plan (20 minutes in total)
Step 1
Hand out the cards and relay sheets. Each team picks a scorekeeper.
Step 2
Explain relay rules and editor roles.
Step 3
Run the notice editing relay activity.
Step 4
Swap sheets for peer checking.
Step 5
Calculate scores and declare winners.
Step 6
Review tricky strips and wrap up.
Orrin Club Notice Strips
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Change only the yellow words.
Copy for the board
Strip 1: Book a court at least a day ahead [if it is possible].
Strip 2: Are you under 16? [If you are under 16], an adult must sign the form.
Strip 3: Have you brought your pass? [If you have not brought it], pay the day fee at the desk.
Strip 4: Tell the desk about injuries [if there are any].
Strip 5: Lockers must be emptied every night [unless it is stated otherwise].
Strip 6: [If you are in doubt], ask a coach before you use a machine.
Strip 7: Staff will check bags at the door [when it is required].
Strip 8: Staff will call a parent [where it is appropriate].
Team Relay Response Sheet
Instructions: Complete each rewritten sentence below. Make sure commas and capitalization are correct.
Scoring & Peer Checking Rules
Accuracy Point
1 point per strip written exactly as shown in the Teacher Key (including punctuation like commas). Peer checked by another team!
Bonus Vocabulary Point
+1 bonus point for each Unit vocabulary word correctly integrated into optional sentence extension tasks!
Unit Vocabulary List
Sentence Starters (Grammar + Vocabulary Integration)
If in doubt about any clause,
Unless otherwise stated in your subscription,
Add your signature when required,
Compensation will be granted, if possible,
Did you read the disclaimer? If so,
Please attach a note about the dispute, if any,
Teacher Key & Error Analysis
Strips 1 – 4 Official Key
- Strip 1: "..., if possible."
- Strip 2: "If so, an adult must sign the form."
- Strip 3: "If not, pay the day fee at the desk."
- Strip 4: "..., if any."
Strips 5 – 8 Official Key
- Strip 5: "..., unless otherwise stated."
- Strip 6: "If in doubt, ask a coach ..."
- Strip 7: "... when required."
- Strip 8: "... where appropriate."
Watch out for learners saying or writing "if it possible" (forgetting the verb 'is' when attempting full clauses, or failing to reduce to "if possible"). Remind them: either keep subject + verb ("if it is possible") or drop both completely ("if possible")!
Activity Variations
Word Bank Provided
Provide a bank of the 9 target reduced conditional phrases on the board so students match rather than generate from memory.
Standard Relay
Run standard relay mode: no word bank. Teams must apply comma placement and exact target phrases under time pressure.
Original Rule Creation
Teams must create an entirely new replacement club rule for each strip, incorporating one Unit vocabulary word.
Disclaimer Writing
Fast finishers write a 3-sentence club liability disclaimer using at least 3 Unit words (e.g. disclaimer, void, signature) and 2 reduced clauses.
Closing Reflection Questions
Why Short?
Why do clubs and shops use short phrases like these on notices and signs?
Which Sounds Formal?
Which short phrase sounds the most formal? Where might you see it?
Commas
What can go wrong if you leave out a comma in a club rule?
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