Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages Bingo™
Congratulations on your purchase of Really Good Stuff®
Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages Bingo™, a fun game that
helps your students learn idiomatic language.
Objective
Students mark the matching meanings on their Bingo
Boards to the called idioms, proverbs, and adages with
the winning pattern in mind.
Meeting the Standards
This Really Good Stuff® Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages
Bingo is aligned with the following Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts. For alignment with
other state standards, please refer to our Web site’s
Standards Match.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.4.5 Recognize and explain the meaning of common
idioms, adages, and proverbs.
This Really Good Stuff product includes:
• 24 Unique Bingo Boards
• 50 Calling Cards
• 216 Bingo Markers (for students to mark
their boards)
• This Really Good Stuff Teaching Guide
Introduce students to 50 common idioms, proverbs,
and adages with this entertaining bingo game. Idioms,
Proverbs, and Adages Bingo is a fun activity for up
to 24 students to learn the meanings of idiomatic
expressions. Give each student a Bingo Board. Using the
Calling Cards, read aloud the meanings while students
look for the matching expressions; both meaning and the
matching idiom, proverb, or adage are on each card. The
first student to cover squares on his or her board in the
agreed-upon pattern (see ideas below) calls out “Bingo”
and wins.
Managing the Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages
Bingo Game
• Keep the Bingo Boards, Calling Cards, and Bingo
Markers in the storage bag when game is not
in use.
• Demonstrate how to put the materials back in the
storage bag when the activity is complete
Introducing Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages Bingo
Begin by explaining to students that an idiom is an
expression common to a particular culture that does not
mean what it literally says. Tell them they have to learn
the meanings of idioms just as they learn the meanings
of words. Give them the example, “Break a leg!” meaning
“Good luck!” and explain that people often say this to
performers before they go on stage for a show.
Helping Teachers Make A Difference ® © 2015 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in China #306969
Explain that a proverb is a statement of practical
wisdom expressed in a simple way. Give them the example
“A stitch in time saves nine,” and ask if any students
know what it means. Let them know it means that doing
something when you first notice it needs doing can save
you from having to do more work later.
Tell the class that an adage is a well-known saying that
has been repeated for a very long time and is considered
true by most people. Give them the example “Where
there’s smoke, there’s fire,” and ask for volunteers to
explain its meaning. Make sure they understand the
meaning: If there is evidence that something is happening,
it probably is actually happening. Tell students that
adages and proverbs are nearly the same thing and many
examples could be classified as either one.
If many students are unfamiliar with the idiomatic
expressions in Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages Bingo,
spend some time teaching the expressions before you
start the game.
Model the Activity
Begin by modeling the activity, discussing every step with
students. Give each student a Bingo Board and nine
markers. Have them read through the expressions on
their Bingo Boards. Show students a few Calling Cards.
Then read out the meaning on one of the cards. Have
students who find the match on their Bingo Boards
cover the square with a marker and share with the class.
Give the class the answer, the expression that matches
the meaning, to be sure that all students who have the
match on their boards have found it. Go through five or
more cards in this way so everyone understands how to
play. Then have students turn in their boards or swap
with another student. Explain the pattern of squares
that students must cover to win the game, and tell them
that as soon as they have the correct squares covered,
they should call out “Bingo!” Then redistribute the
boards, and begin play. All teaching guides can be found online.
Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages Bingo™
1. Have students read through the expressions on their
boards. Remind them that you will be reading the
meanings of expressions, and if one of their expressions
matches the meaning, they cover that square with a
marker.
2. Take the top card from the pile of cards and “call” it.
3. Repeat the meaning as you give students time to
search their boards to find a match. Any student who
finds a match should cover the square with a marker.
4. Keep playing until one player has marked the chosen
winning pattern on his or her board. That player then
shouts “Bingo!”
5. Have the winner read every expression aloud. Check
using the Calling Cards that were played to verify.
If the player is wrong, the player corrects the error(s),
and play continues until another player calls “Bingo!”
6. Invite the winner to become the new caller, and
continue playing as time permits.
Winning Pattern Variations
Helping Teachers Make A Difference ® © 2015 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in China #306969
Extension Activities
Etymology Research
In a dictionary of idioms, proverbs, or adages
(or online) have students look up the origins of some of
the idiomatic expressions in this game and share their
findings with the class.
Flashcards
In pairs, students use the Calling Cards as flashcards to
practice learning the meanings of the expressions. One
student reads the meaning from the card and the other
supplies the expression. They can also do the activity in
reverse: one student reads the expression and the other
supplies the meaning.
Shades of Meaning
Have students work in pairs or small groups to study the
differences in the meanings of the words idiom, adage,
and proverb. Have them add the word maxim and study
its meaning, too. They could also look up each of the
words in a thesaurus and study all the synonyms they
can find for these terms.
English Language Learners
If you have students whose native language is not
English, ask them to share some idiomatic expressions
from their own languages.
V isit our Web site at www.reallygoodstuff.com to
download Really Good Stuff Teaching Guides.
Related Really Good Stuff Products
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Idioms, Adages, and Proverbs

Helping Teachers Make A Difference ® © 2015 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in China #306969
Idioms, Adages, and Proverbs

Helping Teachers Make A Difference ® © 2015 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in China #306969