Language Challenge - Use the words you know

I'm a big believer in using the words you know to say what you want. In that sense, vocabulary does not reign and students don't get hung up on a word, but rather strive to communicate. I just don't believe in teaching silly words like 'sacapuntos' that in reality they'll never use outside of a classroom and should they ever need one, they can always describe it. Truly, isn't the most useful word in the Spanish language: COSA? For all of this, I often give my students sentences to translate that I *know* they can't say exactly. It is a real life activity (even if the sentences are bizarre, isn't life, also?) They have to figure out a way to put the same ideas on paper. Working as a group is best. Give it a try...