Posted on by karolasenglishblog

FutureMe 

This is a board game activity to talk about Future You and to revise future tenses.

Level: A2+

Objectives:

  1. To practise and/or review the use of future tenses
  2. To review different ways to talk about the future
  3. To help students choose the most appropriate future tense
  4. To develop speaking skills

Materials (Click on the worksheet below to download the PDF file):

futuremeDownload

Procedure:

  1. Write the word EXERCISE on the board and ask students to try and predict what exercise goals you have set for the nearest future. After a few minutes ask them to share their ideas and then write both your own answers on the board as well as your students’. Compare both sets and go through the tenses the students used to talk about your future exercise plans. The examples below are true and I am trying my best to stick to my guns 😉

I am going for a run tomorrow ( Present Continuous for future plans).

I am going to join a running club next week (Going to for something decided in advance).

I think I will go for a run early in the morning tomorrow ( Future Simple for things we believe will happen in the future).

I will be running by the lake at this time tomorrow ( Future Continuous for temporary actions that will be in progress at a certain time in the future).

I will have completed a 10km race by the end of April (Future Perfect for actions that will be completed by a certain time in the future).

  1. Display FutureMe board game on the screen.
  2. In pairs or small groups, one of the students throws the dice twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain the topic.
  3. All the player (s) write down at least 3 examples related to the topic they have landed on (e.g. Exercise) and using at least 3 different ways to express future plans ( e.g. Going to, Future Simple and Future Perfect). 
  4. The students then share what they have come up with and discuss it in more detail.
  5. Encourage students to ask each other additional questions and give examples and don’t forget to correct and/ or find opportunities to help students express themselves more precisely and accurately throughout the activity.
  6. At the end, ask students to share which of their classmates’ answers inspired, surprised or encouraged them to set new goals for themselves.

Related posts:

So, what brings you here?

Posted on by karolasenglishblog · 1 Comment

Pros and Cons

Pros and cons of having an amazing sister: Pros: Countless. Cons: Can’t think of any 🙂

Introduction:

This is a board game activity to talk about pros and cons. It is a great way to help students practise speaking about considering different options and making decisions.

Don’t forget to feed students new vocabulary throughout the activity, correct and/ or find opportunities to help them express themselves more precisely and accurately. 

Level: B1+

Objectives:

  1. To practise speaking about pros and cons
  2. To introduce pros and cons expressions
  3. To increase fluency and confidence

Materials:

pros-and-consDownload
pros-and-cons-expressionsDownload

A die (or an online dice roller) 

Procedure:

  1. Brainstorm pros and cons expressions (I have included a pdf to get you started. Give students examples of the expressions in context to make sure they know how to use them in the discussion later on).
  2. Give students a copy of the board game or display it on the screen.
  3. Put students in pairs or small groups.
  4. One of the students throws the dice twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain the topic.
  5. The player (s) discuss the advantages and/or disadvantages of a topic they have landed on. You could turn it into a competition and ask students to write down the advantages or disadvantages down and see who can come up with more. Also, the crazier the better as long as they are expressed correctly 😉
  6. Encourage students to ask additional questions and ask for clarification and details. Whilst the students are speaking you could ask others to note down expressions used by the speaker that I have included in the pdf (Materials).
  7. At the end, ask students to choose one topic that has not been discussed and using the expressions from the pdf write 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of a given issue.

Related posts:

Quite a conversation piece

Describe me

Name three

2020 Round-up

Yay or Nay

The art of conversation…

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Quite a conversation piece


Reaching for the light
(All images are property of Karolina Wyrzykowska)

Introduction:

This is a board game activity to talk about the weather. It is a great way to help students practise speaking and develop fluency, prepare for the FCE /CAE speaking exams and a great excuse to chat about, surely, everyone’s favourite topic.

Don’t forget to feed students new vocabulary throughout the activity and obviously draw their attention to any mistakes they might be making or find opportunities to help them express themselves more effectively and precisely. You could always prepare a thematic vocabulary list and send it to the students before the class or even ask them to research the topic themselves and then teach others the vocabulary they have prepared.

As always encourage students to comment on each other’s responses. 

Level: B1+

Objectives:

  1. To practise speaking about the weather.
  2. To increase fluency and confidence.

Materials (Click on the worksheet below to download the PDF file):

quite-a-conversation-pieceDownload

A die (use an online dice roller) 

Procedure:

  1. Brainstorm weather vocabulary. 
  2. Give students a copy of the board game or display it on the screen.
  3. The teacher (or one of the students) throws the dice twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain the question.
  4. The player must then answer the question and provide their classmates with as much detail as possible. Encourage students to ask additional questions and ask for clarification and details. Whilst the student is speaking you could ask others to note down specific vocabulary related to the weather that he/she used and that were mentioned in the brainstorming session at the beginning of the activity.
  5. At the end, ask students to give you three unexpected things they have learnt about their classmates.

Related posts:

Triple Treat

Triple treat makes a comeback

BIG3

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

From head to toe

Introduction:

This is an activity to introduce and practise body part idioms. Students complete the idioms with the missing body parts, match the expressions to their definitions, complete the questions with body parts and then the sentences with the idioms.

Teacher tips: 

  1. Ask students to define what the expressions mean before you give them your definitions. I found that they were able to define the majority of the expressions if not all of them. Here are the examples of some definitions my students gave in class (in brackets): To be off your head (crazy), To find your feet (to get to know something, to settle down, to adapt to smth), To get out of hand (to lose control), To get a slap on the wrist (to be warned, to be threatened, to be punished), To give someone the cold shoulder (to stand someone up, to ignore someone), To keep your nose clean (to do things correctly, to do what is expected of you, not to draw attention to yourself, to avoid making a mistake), To keep someone on their toes (to control, to keep track of), To play it by ear (to improvise, let’s see how it goes), To stick one’s neck out (to be brave, to have courage). Well done you guys 😉
  2. Make sure students understand the difference between to keep sb on their toes and to keep your nose clean as some of my students got a bit confused.
  3. When introducing new vocabulary and embedding it in a sentence, think of examples that make the meaning of the new word/ expression very clear. This is not the time to be subtle. I have often made a mistake of providing students with examples that were either too vague or contained more new vocabulary which confused them further. Exercise 4 example 3 He had only been out of prison for a month, so he was trying to keep his nose clean caused some confusion and students thought to find your feet also made sense.
  4. Research the origin of each idiom before the class. It is not only fun but also helpful for students to know the story behind the expressions and it is so much easier to memorise something you can associate with an image, an anecdote, a joke etc. My favorite idiom in this lesson is to find one’s feet which is believed to refer to babies standing up and learning to walk (Source: http://www.theidioms.com)

Level: B2+

Time: 60 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To introduce idioms with body parts.
  2. To complete the idioms with different body parts.
  3. To match the idioms to their definitions.
  4. To complete the questions with the missing body parts.
  5. To answer the questions containing the target language.
  6. To complete the sentences with the missing idioms.

Materials:

from-head-to-toeDownload
from-head-to-toe-answersDownload

Procedure:

  1. Hand out a copy of From head to toe to each student or display it on the screen.
  2. In pairs, ask students to unscramble the letters in each sentence to form the names of body parts. Even if the students don’t know any of the expressions they will still be able to complete the task with the letters provided which sets them up for success from the start. 
  3. Check together as a class.
  4. Ask students to come up with their own definitions of the idioms using the context provided. Many of my students were able to do it really well and it motivated them even more which was very satisfying to watch.
  5. Now ask students to match the idioms to their definitions.
  6. Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their classmates and justify their answers. In most cases they will be able to see how similar their definitions were to the actual definitions of the idioms, which builds students’ confidence and shows them how much they can get from context and without the teacher’s help.
  7. Go to Exercise 3 and ask students to complete the questions with the missing body parts. Encourage them to do the exercise from memory. When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class. In pairs or small groups students now answer the questions.
  8. Last but not least go to Exercise 4 and ask students to complete the sentences with the missing idioms and again try to do it from memory. 
  9. Check together as a class.

Fast finisher ideas:

  1. Ask students to choose 4 or 5 idioms and draw their literal and figurative meaning.
  2. Research the origin of a chosen idiom and later share your findings with the rest of the class.

Related posts:

I spy with my little eye

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.” Little Prince

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Clothes do (not) make the man sequel

Introduction:

This is an activity to introduce and practise clothes idioms. Students complete the idioms with the missing items of clothing, match the expressions to their definitions and complete the sentences with the missing items of clothing.

Teacher tips (Me being wise after the fact and after testing the activity with a few groups): 

  1. Make sure students know that the clues in Exercise 1 are clues to help them determine the items of clothing missing from the expressions. The clues are NOT the definitions of the idioms.
  2. Draw students’ attention to the fact that below the belt and to have under one’s belt are TWO different idioms with two different meanings. My students got a bit confused since the idioms are quite similar. I guess studying expressions that are alike is not the best strategy as it’s easy to get them mixed up, but I didn’t want to eliminate either of the two.
  3. Show students a picture of a bonnet. None of my students were familiar with the word so showing them some photos definitely helped. I don’t think the definition itself was enough to drive it home. I also showed them images of different types of hats especially cowboy, straw and top which were the last clues on the list.
  4. Research the origin of each idiom before the class. It is not only entertaining but also helpful for students to know the story behind the expressions they are studying and it is so much easier to memorise something you can associate with an image, an anecdote, a joke etc. 
  5. The examples in Exercise 3 are all true for me. I have noticed students really appreciate it if I personalise the activities or reveal something about myself so I would encourage you to create your own memorable examples to help your students get to know you better. It encourages discussion and cements your relationships.

Level: B2+

Time: 60 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To introduce clothes with idioms.
  2. To complete the idioms with the items of clothing.
  3. To match the idioms to their definitions.
  4. To complete the sentences with the missing items of clothing.

Materials:

clothes-do-not-make-the-man-sequelDownload
clothes-do-not-make-the-man-sequel-answersDownload

Procedure:

  1. Put students in pairs or small groups and ask them to discuss the three fashion quotes below: 1. “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” —Miuccia Prada. 2. “Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress on their days off that are the most intriguing.” —Alexander Wang. 3. “Elegance is elimination.” —Cristóbal Balenciaga
  2. Hand out a copy of Clothes do (not) make the man sequel to each student or display it on the screen.
  3. In pairs, ask students to complete the expressions with the missing items of clothing. I have come up with some clues (on the right) to help students out and to make it less daunting. Even if the students don’t know any of the expressions they will still be able to complete the task with the clues provided which sets them up for success from the start. 
  4. Check together as a class.
  5. Ask students to match the idioms to their definitions (Exercise 2).
  6. Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their partners and justify their answers to their classmate(s).
  7. Go to Exercise 3 and ask students to complete the sentences with the missing items of clothing. Encourage them to do the exercise without looking at the expressions. Turn this into a mini competition, provide students with new clues, images etc. or ask them to give clues to each other if they know the answers but their classmates don’t. 
  8. Check together as a class.
  9. In pairs or small groups students now tell their classmates if the sentences in Exercise 3 are true for them.
  10. Last but not least go to Exercise 4 and ask students to complete the sentences with the missing clothes again and yet again try to do it from memory. 
  11. Check together as a class.

Fast finisher ideas:

  1. Ask students to choose 4 or 5 idioms and draw their literal and figurative meaning
  2. Order the idioms according to how often you wear (Can you wear a pocket ?) the items of clothing in each idiom. I have a feeling a bonnet will not make it to the top of any list 😉 Just a wild guess
  3. Choose 3 idioms and write down what an antonym of each idioms is 
  4. Research the origin of a chosen idiom and later share your findings with the rest of the class

Related posts:

Clothes do (not) make the man

Mirror Mirror on the wall…

Describe me

Somewhere over the rainbow 

What a zoo

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Tutti Frutti

Introduction:

This is an activity to introduce and practise fruit idioms. Students look at some fruit facts, complete the idioms with the missing fruit, match the expressions to their definitions, complete the sentences with the missing fruit and correct mistakes in the fruit idioms. I have deliberately come up with examples that are related to work, jobs etc. to be able to use this activity with my business students but feel free to use it with your general English classes also.

Teacher tip/reflection: 

I love researching the origins of idioms. I have found that students find it easier to memorise the expressions if there is a colourful story behind them that they can visualise. My favorite idiom in today’s activity is to go pear-shaped. Allegedly the phrase comes from the Royal Air Force and is used to describe pilots’ bad execution of loops in the air, ending up with pear shapes instead of round shapes (Source: grammarist.com). I also love the idiom to be the apple of one’s eye which originally referred to the pupil of the human eye which was believed to be a round object. As sight was a precious commodity at the time, the idiom soon became a metaphor for something precious as well (Source: grammarist.com).

Level: B2+

Time: 60 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To increase familiarity and correct use of idioms with fruit.
  2. To complete the idioms with the missing fruit.
  3. To match the idioms to their definitions.
  4. To complete the sentences with the missing fruit.
  5. To correct the mistakes in the fruit idioms.

Materials:

tutti-fruttiDownload
tutti-frutti-answersDownload

Procedure:

  1. Put students in pairs or small groups and ask them to discuss the 3 fruit facts below and decide which ones they are most surprised by. 1. A banana is not a fruit, it is a herb! Being easy to digest and highly nutritious, these are the first fruits offered to babies. 2. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside. There are 200 seeds in an average strawberry. 3. Tomatoes are not a veggie but a fruit. They are regarded as the world’s most popular fruit and have more genes than humans. Source: https://www.befitandfine.com/facts-of-fruits/
  2. Hand out a copy of Tutti Frutti to each student or display it on the screen.
  3. Individually ask students to complete the expressions with the missing fruit. I have come up with some clues (on the right) to help students out and to make it more fun. Vocabulary activities can be quite discouraging if the students are not familiar with any of the expressions, so I try to give students boosts of confidence as often as possible and giving them clues is a fun way to guide them towards finding the answers by themselves and engaging them from the start. 
  4. When they are finished ask them to compare with their classmate(s).
  5. Check together as a class.
  6. Ask the students to match the idioms to their definitions (Exercise 2).
  7. Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their partners and justify their answers.
  8. When the students have finished, ask them to look at the sentences in Exercise 3 and complete the sentences with the missing fruit. Ask them to try and do the exercise without looking at the expressions. Turn this into a mini competition, provide students with new clues or ask them to give clues to each other if they know the answers but their classmates don’t. Always try to make it as active and engaging as possible. Encourage effort and collaboration, praise effort and willingness to keep trying rather than speed, efficiency and getting things right the first time. Encourage students to make mistakes and have fun.
  9. When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class.
  10. Last but not least go to Exercise 4 and ask students to replace the incorrect fruit with the correct one. Again have some fun with it and maybe do it in teams, pairs etc.
  11. Check together as a class.

Fast finisher ideas:

  1. Ask students to choose 4 or 5 idioms and draw their literal and figurative meaning. This activity is just begging for something artsy 😉 and some baking.
  2. Ask students to get into small groups or pairs to act out the idioms.
  3. Choose an idiom and use it as a writing prompt, the first line of a story, a theme behind a story etc. 
  4. Research the origin of a chosen idiom.

And before you go. What do you get when you put an iPhone in a blender? Apple juice! Feel free to cringe 😉

Related posts:

A piece of cake or a hard nut to crack?

You make my heart BEET 😉

The proof is in the pudding

Yummy Yummy I’ve got food in my tummy

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

How to…

Introduction:

How to board game is a great speaking/writing activity to describe a process and/or procedure using the appropriate linking words. The activity can be easily adapted to different levels and ages.

I have also included three assignments completed by my students who kindly allowed me to share them online. Thank you.

Level: A2+

Time: 30 minutes +

Objectives:

  1. To describe a process/procedure
  2. To revise/practise linking words used to describe a process

Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

how-to…Download
how-to-…-by-a-_Download
how-to…by-g-_Download
how-to…by-j-_Download

Procedure:

  1. Hand out How to board game to each team/pair or simply display it on the screen if you are working online.
  2. Before you start the game go through expressions to describe a process e.g. first, once, having, the next step is, next, then, finally etc. 
  3. The teacher or a student throws the die twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain the question.
  4. Now student(s) describe a process using the expressions provided. Encourage students to use passive voice and especially the Present Simple Passive. It will instantly make them sound more capable and in control.
  5. Monitor and make sure students use linking expressions throughout their description. I would also encourage them to use the linking words in the middle of the sentence as well as at the beginning to avoid sounding repetitive. You want your students to sound fluent and natural rather than robotic so discourage them from peppering the entire description with linking words. I have some students who love doing that and it doesn’t always elevate their speech 😉
  6. Monitor students throughout the activity, correct mistakes and feed them new vocabulary.
  7. At home ask students to choose one example from the board and do a piece of writing. I have asked my students to do the same and they very kindly allowed me to share their creations on my blog. Feel free to have a look and use the pieces as sources of inspiration because that’s what they are…inspiring 😉

Related posts:

How do you …?

Click!Click!Click!

The art of conversation…

Name three

Soap Opera

Posted on by karolasenglishblog · 1 Comment

Do Re Mi Fa Sol ♫

Introduction:

These are activities for upper intermediate students to introduce and practise music idioms. Students match the idioms with the correct definitions and answer some questions.

One of my C2 students kindly allowed me to share their work to give you an idea of how they have dealt with the task. They have done exercise 3 and written some creative questions and answers which included the music idioms studied in class. You can find my student’s assignment in the materials section. Well done C;)

Teacher tip/reflection:

Something I have been thinking about lately is how we often concentrate only on praising or highlighting our students’ English skills, often forgetting that they are not only acquiring language abilities in our classes but other valuable lessons that could later become useful or even invaluable in their everyday lives.

One of my teenage students is quite shy and, to start with, she found it hard to express herself and simply take risks in class unless she was absolutely sure her answers were correct. Having worked with her and encouraged her for over a year and a half I have noticed how she has grown into a more confident person, asking questions, taking initiative, actively engaging, speaking up and even occasionally politely correcting me if I happened to make a mistake or forget something. I can not tell you how much of a joy it is to see a student, who has been taught to treat teachers as omnipotent and all-knowing, never to be challenged or questioned, come into her own. She has become confident enough to create a dialogue with the teacher, take me off the pedestal and enter a teaching/ learning process that will ultimately benefit us both. As teachers, we have to make sure we create a comfortable, respectful and accepting atmosphere for our students to learn, an atmosphere that feels SAFE, a place where they can disagree with us, express themselves freely without being judged and focus on the PROCESS of learning rather than rushing to the predictable outcome.

Apart from learning grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation etc. I want my students to become confident, believe in themselves, and know they have the RIGHT to ask questions and look for answers. We are all continuously learning, regardless of our age and position, and no one EVER should be made inferior, or even worse, STUPID for simply asking a question.

Level: C1

Time: 60 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To introduce music idioms and expressions.
  2. To match the expressions with their definitions.
  3. To practise the new expressions whilst answering questions.

Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

do-re-mi-fa-sol-worksheetDownload
do-re-mi-fa-sol-answers-Download
cs-homework-Download

Procedure:

  1. Put students in pairs and ask them to briefly discuss the following questions: Why do we listen to music? How much time do you spend listening to music each day? Is there a song that makes you emotional? How important is music in your life? What are the advantages of listening to music? If music were removed from the world, how would you feel?
  2. Hand students Do Re Mi Fa Sol Worksheet.
  3. Individually, students try to match the underlined expressions with their definitions and then compare their answers with their partner.
  4. Check the answers as a class.
  5. Go to exercise 2 and from memory ask students to correct the mistakes in bold. You could turn it into a mini competition and maybe even time the students 😉
  6. Now students answer questions 1 to 12 in pairs. Encourage them to ask their classmates additional questions to obtain more details.
  7. If you have had no time to discuss all questions in class, ask students to answer a couple of them in writing at home.
  8. Last but not least. Go to exercise 3 if you have time or/ and energy left 😉 This is a creative speaking/ writing activity inspired by a book called “Creativity Workout” by Edward de Bono. Students use the new words to answer the questions. It is a great mental challenge and it has always worked beautifully in all my classes and with all levels. I have provided you with some examples but of course feel free to come up with your own. Also if you enjoyed this activity don’t forget to check out my Random Words activities available on the blog.

Related posts:

What a zoo

What a zoo sequel

Somewhere over the rainbow 

Somewhere over the rainbow Part 2

Cats & Dogs

I spy with my little eye

Home sweet home

Random words (Getting personal)

Random words (Once upon a time…)

Random words return

Ups and downs

Food for thought:

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Name three

Introduction:

Name three board game is a great speaking activity to get to know each other better and to revise linking words to express reason. The activity can be easily adapted to different levels.

Teacher tip/reflection:

This is one of those activities where I would strongly encourage teacher participation.

I have been teaching for over 11 years now and my approach keeps changing as I grow older. Sometimes I go back to the things I used to do when I first started teaching, sometimes I become too attached to a certain methodology or a technique and struggle to let go of it, and sometimes I just trust my gut, tune into my students and let my intuition guide me. After finishing my Delta I became fiercely attached to accomplishing all the lesson objectives, ticking things off the list, and often I think, to the detriment of my students. It resulted in me emotionally withdrawing from my classes, as I thought my priority was to diligently go through all the points in the lesson plan and not disappoint anyone (I am thinking of an imaginary tutor watching my every step). I became what I would call “clinical”and thorough, but somehow life was sucked out of my lessons. I was trying to comply, to be formal and as a result came across as detached and hard to reach. It was not until a couple of years ago that a few students actually asked me to get more involved, to share my personal opinions with them and shorten the distance I created. I initially resisted as I thought I was robbing them of speaking opportunities. Then slowly I become comfortable with opening up again. I am not saying you have to reveal secrets to your students but we create relationships with the people we work with and I want these relationships to be more authentic, more real. My students are curious, they want to know about the culture I come from, my experiences and opinions and they really appreciate it if I show them the vulnerable, human me instead of an ‘authority’ on a pedestal.

That’s why I actually participated in today’s activity and did not hold back. We had a lovely time and I would encourage you to do the same. You might be surprised how much you will discover about yourself.

Level: A2+

Time: 30 minutes, but it can vary depending on the number of students and of course on how talkative and engaged they are or how engaged you make them;)

Objectives:

  1. To name three things in a given category 
  2. To revise linking words to express reason
  3. To get to know others, and frankly, yourself, better 😉

Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

Name three…Download
Linking words to express reasonDownload

Procedure:

  1. Hand out Name three board game to each team/pair or simply display it on the screen if you are using Zoom or any other online platform.
  2. Before you start the game go through some common linking words to express reason e.g. because, because of, so, since, as, etc. I have attached a list of appropriate linking words with my own examples so feel free to use it.
  3. The teacher or a student throws the dice twice – the first throw indicates which column they should use, and the second throw indicates which row, to obtain the category.
  4. Now students must list three things that fit that category and think of the reason WHY they chose these things. 
  5. Monitor and make sure students use linking expressions other than because 😉 as we all tend to stick to what we know best and what we are comfortable with so insist on using a variety of expressions.
  6. An alternative idea is to ask students to try and predict what their classmates’ answers might be. I have done it with a class of students that have known each other for a very long time and it worked like a dream, but you could also make it work with students that don’t know each other that well. It might be fun for them to see what others think and it will definitely encourage them to listen very closely as they will have to correct their classmates if their predictions are wrong.
  7. Monitor students throughout the activity, correct mistakes and feed them new vocabulary. 
  8. At home ask students to choose 3 categories that speak to them and answer them in writing. Tell them to try and use a different linking word in each answer.

Related posts:

A good old chin wag

So, what brings you here?

Zooming it

Know thyself

Looks & personality

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Let it snow…

Introduction:

This is an activity to introduce and practise winter idioms. Students first answer a few questions, complete the idioms with the missing ‘chilly’ words, match them to their definitions and answer some questions using the target language. I think this activity is quite appropriate not only because it is actually winter but also because we have recently enjoyed the biggest snowfall in decades here in Madrid. I have seen people put on their skis and snowshoes as well as sledding down the slopes all over the city. I hope your students are going to enjoy this activity as much as I am trying to enjoy the snow ;). Also don’t forget to check out my thematic fast finisher ideas at the end.

Teacher tip/reflection: 

One of the things I love doing when teaching idioms is to tell my students about the origin of the idiomatic expressions we study. It is not always clear where these expressions come from and not all sources can be trusted, but it hasn’t stopped me from trying. I have found that students find it easier to memorise the expressions if there is a story to go with it and it also often gives them the opportunity to learn more about the culture that speaks the language they are studying. My favorite idiom in today’s activity is to go cold turkey. Allegedly the phrase comes from the similarities between a drug addict in withdrawal, who is cold to the touch and covered in goosebumps and looks like a refrigerated turkey. Who knows?

Level: B2+

Time: 60 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To increase familiarity and correct use of chilly winter idioms.
  2. To match the idioms to their definitions.
  3. To answer questions containing the target language.

Materials:

let-it-snowDownload
let-it-snow-answersDownload

Procedure:

  1. Hand out a copy of Let it snow to each student or display it on the screen.
  2. Tell students to, in pairs, answer questions in Exercise 1.
  3. Next ask students to complete the idioms with the missing chilly winter words. 
  4. Check together as a class but ask students to first compare their answers with their partners. Always 😉
  5. Ask the students to match the idioms to their definitions. 
  6. Check together as a class but again ask students to first compare their answers with their partners. 
  7. When the students have finished, ask them to look at the questions in Exercise 3 and first try to complete the sentences with the missing words. The first letters have been provided to make this memory workout slightly less daunting. You can turn this task into a mini competition to add some excitement.
  8. When they have finished, ask them to compare with their partner and then check together as a class.
  9. Students now answer the questions in pairs or small groups using the chilly idioms as often as possible.

Fast finisher ideas:

  1. Ask students to write a brief weather report describing what the weather has been like recently where they live, what it is like at the moment and what it will be like for a period in the future. 
  2. Write a list of 5 things to do to get your car out of a snow drift e.g. travel with a bag of kitty litter. You can tell I have been inspired by the current weather conditions.
  3. Come up with a dish using the following ingredients: Buckwheat, tuna, two tomatoes, mayo, half a pepper, three avocados, curry sauce, almond milk and pumpkin seeds. Make sure the food lasts for at least two days (Note: the supermarkets were closed for two days in my area and there were no deliveries so I was quite limited as far as cooking was concerned and these were the only things I had in my fridge 😉
  4. Come up with a list of simple pleasure to savour in winter e.g. cosy blankets, hot chocolate, drinks beside the fire etc.
  5. List as many winter sports as you can e.g. ice dancing, ice skating, Nordic walking ski bobbing etc. 

Related posts:

Lovely day, innit?