Intermediate 2 (Level 5)

Unit 9

Skits - "Mini-Plays"

Pair up your students. Then ask your students to put a 3-minute dialog together that has the following:

If I weren´t here

(Conditionals and idea sharing)

Procedure:

The students should note down the answer to the question: "If you weren´t here, where would you be?" Share ideas. Then introduce a slight variation: "If you weren´t here, where would you like to be?" Use other similar questions: "If you weren´t yourself, who would you like to be?" Or: "If you weren´t living now, when would you have liked to live?"

Right or Wrong Chair

The objective of the game is to let students decipher if a statement is formed correctly. First, the teacher will place two chairs in front of the classroom. Then, he or she will divide the students in their groups. Once the students are in their teams, one team member from each group will be called up to the front of the class. The teacher will then read off a statement. And the two students will have to decide if the sentence has the appropriate grammar structure, verb tenses, and etc. If the student thinks the sentence is correct, he or she has to sit on the "right" chair. But if the student believes the statement is incorrect, then he or she has to sit on the "wrong" chair. However, it will be up to the teacher to let them know if the sentence is indeed correct. There will be times when both students will go for the same chair. But whoever sits on it first, then he or she takes the chair. Of course, the student has to hope that he or she is sitting on the right one. Afterwards, the teacher will write the full sentence on the board and explain why it´s right or wrong.

Back to the Future

This would be a longer project. Have students, in small groups or alone, design (draw, describe, etc) one of the ´futuristic´ items listed in section 9.1, or create their own. They will then present it to the class, as if they wish to sell it. They should be sure to mention it´s benefits, why it is better than previous models (e.g., why a car that drives itself is better than one requiring a driver).

Changes

In some countries, changes have been more obvious (although not more significant) than in others. For instance, in North American countries, cities are rapidly expanding ´´ outward´, as new neighbourhoods and suburbs are actually built to accomodate increasing populations. Such changes are perhaps more visible and obvious (but with no more importance or impact) than increasing populations in countries that do not have the option of expanding cities in this manner.

It would be interesting to bring in photos or video to demonstrate changes in other countries, for instance aerial photos of a city in North America today, and one ten years ago, to show the change in size.

This would be useful to initiate discussions about change, such as discussing the pro´s and con´s of such expansion, or perhaps comparing this type of expansion and it´s problems to the problems faced in cities that face overpopulation.

Unit 10

Word Power -- Learning Personality Traits

Split class into groups of 2-3, give each group 2-3 vocabulary words. Then each group creates a short skit based on their vocabulary words.

Crossword Puzzle

(learning different types of occupations)

A sample of this can be found on: http://www.vocabulary.co.il/occupations

Speaking Activity

(Using Grammar Focus 1 and 2 and vocabulary words)

Break students into groups (2-3 students per group). The teacher hands out a classified job listing to each group (samples can found on www.craigslist.org). The students in each group will take turn being the employer and/or the interviewee. This exercise will allow the students to practice on gerunds, using because, and vocabulary words.

Likes and Dislikes

Discussion

Procedure:Ask each student to write down three things they like and three things they don´t lie. They can decide whether they wish to refer to three important things or to less important things, but what they write must be true. Do the same thing yourself. Read out a point from your list and then add some information to it. For example? "I don´t like loud noise, particualy if it´s unnecessary. It it´s neccesary I can put up with it," etc. Encourage students to ask you questions. Students then contribute their likes and dislikes. Good for practicing the new gerund structure (as nouns) that they learned in this unit!

Start your own business

1. Learners individually make a list of 15 things they are good at, for example, driving a car, writing letters, making excuses, dreaming, and so on.
2. They get into pairs and in turn read out their lists. They tick the skills they share. If they realize that they have a skill which their partner listed but they forgot, they can add it to their lists.
3. Two pairs come together to form a group of four. They read out the skills that have been ticked and decide which skills all four have in common. The groups then go through these and choose skills which could be of interest or use to the general public. They also have to think of how these skills can become services. For example if cooking is a common skill, the services could be open a snackbar, deliver pizzas to homes, and so on.
4. Tell the groups that they have just established a 'Co-operative Business Venture' offering their services to the public. They must produce a list of new approaches in their service, e.g.: We can serve each 10th meal to our regular customer free of charge.

Job Interviews

This would likely be a long-term project, and would require much preparation time for students.

You could begin by going over the purpose of a job interview (e.g., explaining that employers like to see 1) if the applicant is suitable, qualified, etc. for the position, 2) if the applicant can bring anything useful, new, improving, etc., to the company, and 3) if the position and/or company would be a good fit for the applicant, i.e., if it will be good for them to work there, provide them with useful experience, etc).

Then explain how this relates to personality traits: Often, employers look for certain traits in applicants, which vary depending on the type of job and duties to be carried out. For instance, employers might look for someone who is organized to fill a position in an office, whereas they might look for someone who is outgoing and has good communication skills to go into sales.

Then complete excercise 10 (A-C) to have students think specifically what kinds of jobs they would do well in or should perhaps avoid. Perhaps combine with the reading section on the opposite page.

The next step would involve writing a cover letter or resume, which, conveniently, happens to be activity 11. Perhaps bring in or create a variety of job postings, ones that ask for certain personality traits, skills, qualifications, etc. (e.g., personal trainer wanted; must be disciplined, reliable, friendly). Could post these up on the board and have students look at them, then choose one to apply for. Perhaps bring in some example cover letters, and go over some potential formats with the class. Then give them class time to work on the letters. Be sure to emphasize that this letter will prepare them for an interview, and that the points they outline in the letter are also things to discuss in the interview (strengths, abilities, likes and dislikes, etc).

After letters are completed, provide feedback, things to change, etc. Perhaps do a peer review, and have students tell their partners whether or not they would ask them in for an interview, based on their letters.

Finally, the interview itself. They can use their letters as notes or outlines, and perhaps to take some pressure off, could prepare the interviews ahead of time, in partners, as a kind of skit or demo for the class. This could of course serve as an oral exam, if you are able to have another teacher mark it instead of you. Beforehand, go over interview formats, discussing both good questions for the ´interviewer´ to ask, and good ways for the ´interviewee´ to respond. Perhaps look at particularly tough questions, such as ´what is your biggest weakness?´ and ´what can you offer this company?´

Just a note, it might be useful for students if the teacher were to outline the difference between a ´state´ and a ´trait´, that is, explain the difference between a temporary emotional, physical or mental condition such as ´being angry´, and permanent emotional, mental or physical traits or aspects of a person, such as ´bad-tempered´ (not just angry at the moment).

Unit 11

Passive Voice

Give each student a card with the active form of the sentence on one side and the passive voice on the other. Example:

One side:

John directed the movie

the other side:

The movie was directed by John.

have the students stand up and show the active sentence to the other students. The other students have to say the correct passive sentence.

Picture Activity with Passive Voice

To incorporate information on countries and using the passive voice, have students bring in a picture of a foreign city or country around the world. With their picture students should describe the place using the passive voice. This activity can be done in groups where students tell one another about the pictures they brought in and then they can vote on their favorite place.

Excuses, Excuses

Could have students explore how we tend to use the passive voice in English as a way to remove blame from ourselves or from someone else (particularly useful in politics!). Give some examples, such as these:

Rather than ¨I didn´t finish my homework on time¨, we can say ¨my homework was not finished on time¨.

Rather than ¨I couldn´t help it¨ we might say ¨it couldn´t be helped¨

etc.

Then give students some situations in which they or someone else have done something wrong, and ask them to ´remove the blame´ from themselves gramatically, by using the passive voice.

For instance:

´You didn´t clean the kitchen´ becomes ´the kitchen didn´t get cleaned´

Or, ´He didn´t eat his vegetables´ becomes ´His vegetables didn´t get eaten´.

Unit 12

Present Perfect Continuous practice worksheet:
Present Perfect Continuous.doc

Go Fish!

(Present-Perfect Continuous)

This variation on the game "Go Fish" is to teach/review the grammar point "Have you been?" Make up sixteen sentences, "I have been reading for four hours." "I have been working in the same factory for years." As a hint you can put the prompt "Have you been?" at the top of the cards. Right, now you have a deck of cards, you can play "Go Fish". In groups of four or five, deal out seven cards each, the rest go in the middle as the pond. Students pick out any matching cards they have to make pairs, then begin playing, asking each other, "Have you been~?" in order to make more pairs. If the person they ask has that card, they respond, "Yes, I have." If not, "No, I haven't. Go fish." The person, "fishes" out a card from the "pond". Which ever person finishes his/her deck the he/she wins.

Variation on Activity 12.5.B

Bring in some pictures, preferably with much action like the one in 5.A. Or, failing that, simply use the same picture. Have students sit in a circle, and pass the picture to one student. This student will hold the picture up and begin a story about it, using the past continuous. For instance, ¨Charley was running to get out of the rain, when...¨, or, ¨Shannon was trying to return a pair of shoes, but...¨ The student then passes the picture to the student on their left, who must finish the sentence using the simple past, e.g., ¨he remembered he was allergic to crocodiles¨, or, ¨she ran into the strangest man she had ever met¨, etc. Once the sentence is completed, the student passes the picture yet again to their left, and the next student must continue the story, beginning another sentence using the past continuous. Continue until the circle has all had a turn, or until the story seems to be finished.

Unit 13

Movie Poster

Have students come to the board one by one, draw a poster for an English language movie (without the title) they think the other students have seen, and let the other students guess which movie it is.

Movie Trailers

Perhaps as preparation for the movie review activity in this Unit, or else just for practice with some of the descriptions of film, bring in a series of movie trailers. Show them to the class one at a time, and at the end of each one, allow students 15 minutes or so to write down their first impressions of the film. They should include:

- genre (from section 7; e.g., comedy, thriller, etc)
- rating (if you like, just for interest); i.e., for what age group would they recommend the film?
- some words describing the film, perhaps from the list on page 87, or from memory. E.g., captivating, gripping, heart-warming, touching, etc. Might be useful to go over some of these first.
- Any details they can pick up, such as actors, director, etc.

Maybe for fun, they can try and predict how the film will end, or to imagine some significant turns in the plot.

Story Board

To make activity 11.A a bit more complex/interesting, could have students make a story board instead of just a plot. That is, they make sketches (stick people are just fine) of each scene, to summarize and illustrate things like position of actors, camera angle, lighting, etc. Then have them explain some of their frames to the class.

Alternatively, could have them act out a trailer for their film in fron of the class, or else a certain scene from it, rather than just telling the class about their script.

Unit 14

Practing Modals and Adverbs - Gestures

(Body Language)

Cut out some pictures(indicating body language) from magazines. Have students work in pairs. Each pair gets two to three cut-out pictures. Let the students discuss to each other what each body language could mean in each picture.

Charade - Review Modals and Adverbs

Materials: on little pieces of paper, come up with twenty different body gestures

Divide the class into two teams. One student from the first team comes up in front of the class and acts out the body gesture. His/her teammates will need to guess what is on the card in one minute. If the team guesses, they get a point. If not, the other team has an opportunity to guess what it is. If the other team guesses it correctly, then they get a point. Point out that students can´t speak while they are acting out the words. The teams continue until they use all the cards. The team with the most points win.

Vocabulary Tennis

(Practicing Obligation, Permission, and Prohibition)

Bring a balloon to class. Divide the class into two teams. Call out a place (ex. at work). Team A "serves" by saying a sentence they would see/hear in terms of obligation, permission, or prohibition in a place(ex. You are not allowed to sleep at work.). Team B "returns the serve" by saying a different sentence (ex. You have got to finish your task.). The teams take turns saying sentences. The game continues until one team can´t think of any more words. The other team gets a point. Call out different places and play the game again. The team with the most points win.

Unit 15

If Clauses - Unreal Conditions

If Clause Unreal Conditions.doc
Have students arrange the sentences in order.

"What would you say if.....?"

(You can adjust this activity depending on the speaking abilities of your students)

The activity allows the students to use the vocabulary that they may not have a chance to use otherwise. You should stress to the students that they need to be CREATIVE with their answers.

On the blackboard/whiteboard write: "What would you say if...."

On pieces of paper/index cards write some funny, crazy, and zanny situations such as:...you went to the washroom and saw two teachers kissing, your father came home with blue hair, you just won 1 million USDollars, you arrived at school only wearing your underwear,etc....

The crazier, funnier, and wierder the situation is the better!

Place the situations in a bag/hat then, the teacher starts by pulling out one situation and calling on a student asking, "What would you do if...(then state the situation you pulled out of the bag/hat)" The student answers then pulls out a situation and asks another student the question: "What would you do if..."

This continues onwards you can even use the same situation many times over as long as you stress that the students must give different answers to the situation.

Whatwouldyoudo-ifclause.doc

Scavenger Vocabulary - Practicing Antonyms

Divide the class into four teams. You assign a color to each team (ex. red, blue, green. black). The envelopes will be marked with a different color which will correspond to the team color. In other words, the envelopes will have a different colored marked symbol for each team.

Each team receives the first clue with some of the vocabulary words in an envelope. The first envelope will contain a second clue along with a few more vocabulary words. For example, the first clue indicates that the next clue can be found in the men´s bathroom. Students will then go in the men´s bathroom looking for the second envelope. It´s up to you to decide how many clues you want to create for this scavenger hunt.

When the teams collect all of their envelopes, they would have to rush back to the classroom and post the pairs of opposites on the board. Which ever team finishes first wins!

If I Ruled the World

Bring in a map, globe, ball, etc. Some representation of the Earth. Stand or sit in a circle. Place the Earth in a student´s hands, and (although this is very cheesey, yes) tell them, ¨Imagine the World were in your hands. What would you change?¨ They then come up with something, using the unreal conditional of course, and pass it to the next student.

Following this warm-up, put the class into groups and give them some paper or a map, and some pens, markers, etc. Give them enough time to discuss and to illustrate or represent the changes they would make if they, as a group, ruled or were responsible for The Earth. When they are ready, ask them to present their new world to the class. Also ask them what they would like to keep the same, what they do not want to change.

If you are sentimental like me, you can bring in the song If I Ruled the World by Nas, maybe with a lyrics sheet, to play along as they work.

Antonym stand-off

As practice for the antonyms in section 15.6, you could have students get into two teams. Have them each spend 5 minutes reviewing these opposites first. Then, you will choose one of the words from that list, and each team will try to come up with its antonym faster than the other team and to write it on the board. Whichever team correctly writes the antonym first earn a point. If neither team gets it, move on and come back to that word later, or else use its antonym.

Unit 16

Memory Game - Word Power

Students work in groups of four. Give each group a set of cards. Ask the students to put all their cards face down on a desk. Students take turns choosing two cards and turning them over. To match two cards, find the verb and noun phrase with the appropriate illustration/picture. If two cards match, they keep the pair of cards and take another turn. If cards don´t match, they put them face down again. Then the next student takes a turn. The student with the most cards wins.

Intermediate-Unit16-WordPowerMemory.doc

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