Gritty,Grimy

Notebook
in g ES L a c t iv it ie s
Energis
ne r s (and the
for Englis h C or classroom!)

B y J on F
ields
Gritty,Grimy Notebook-Energizing ESL Activities
for English Corner (and the classrom!)

Self-published on Lulu.com by Jon Fields

Contact/General inquiries
grittygrimy@gmail.com
All other inquiries (sales,delivery,complaints)
https://support.lulu.com
Gritty,Grimy Notebook forum:
http://www.hostingphpbb.com/forum/grittygrimy.html

Copyright Notice
© 2010, Jon Fields. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication, whether in hard-copy or electronic
format, may be reproduced,transmitted,sold,stored,republished or
redistributed in any manner except under the tems of prevailing
U.S. copyright laws.

Disclaimer
THE AUTHOR OF THIS WORK MAKES NO GUARANTEES OR
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND IN REGARDS TO THE COMPLETENESS OR
ACCURACY OF THIS WORK. THIS WORK IS OFFERED 'AS IS' AND MAY
CONTAIN ERRORS, INTENTIONAL OR OTHERWISE. NO GUARANTEES
OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND ARE MADE IN REGARDS TO THE
SUITABILITY OR USABILITY OF THIS WORK FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.THE AUTHOR SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR DAMAGES
OF ANY KIND,INCLUDING ANY AND ALL REASONABLE LEGAL
FEES,ARISING FROM THE PURCHASE,POSSESSION,USE OR MISUSE
OF THIS WORK.
 About the Author
ess
Jon Fields is a certified instructor for both General ESL and Busin
A Writing for ESL.

B He has taught English at public and private schools and universities

in China for over seven years.

He also has experience teaching business writing and

C management soft skills.

d
ing , he wo rke d in the Hosplitality industry an
D Befor e tea ch
wrote a weekly column for
a local entertainment maga
ty, Missouri.
zine in

his hometown of Kansas Ci

He's married and has a daughter and a hyper-active Corgi. He

E likes Italian food and chocolate-covered cherries.
Note:

Yikes! I just realiz

ed I only used on
in this whole book e semi-colon
! See if you can fi
little guy. Maybe yo nd the poor
u can add a few m
him company! ore to give
 How-to Guide
Within these pages,you'll find something for almost all ages and levels.
Naturally,these activities can also be adapted to suit your needs as well.
Below is an overview of how this book works to get you started.

A Organization- this book is divided into two major sections:

The Small Stuff- contains eight short activities which can be used
1 for warmers,finishers or just killing some time. There's no need to
print any handouts for these although the Ss will need a sheet of
paper for them.

2 The Big Stuff- contains ten lengthy activities which can be used 'as
is' for the the main class activity. The Big Stuff activities come in
four parts:

Student Worksheet- contains a mingler activity and a

* discussion activity based around a specific topic. You'll need to
make copies of this one to give the Ss, of course.

Activity Guide- contains the basic overview of the activity and

* how to run it along with a tip of the day. Use it 'as is', modify it or
incorporate it in your own lesson plan!

Teacher Challenge- consists of a series of questions designed

* to test the teacher's knowledge of the activity topic as well as
hopefully inspire them to create exciting lessons!

Lesson Plan- a blank page presented last. The idea is that

the teacher should read and complete the preceding pages for
the activity and then decide whether or not they want to
*

incorporate more things into it.

 How-to Guide
(continued)

Editing Task-Rarely do two English teachers ever agree entirely

on how something should be written. While some may find this book
B perfectly usable as it is,others may feel it could with a bit of editing or
rewriting.

this book
With this in mind,rather than going for a polished final edit,
practicing
has been left open to a bit of revision by users who enjoy
on what to edit
their editing or writing skills. Here's a few suggestions
for:
* Overall consistency and uniformity

* Tone and style

* Logical structure and clarity

* Active and Passive voice

The student worksheets don't really need editing with one exception:
each one contains two errors which should perfectly obvious to the
teacher. Give the Ss a chance to spot the errors and ask about them
before pointing them out.These errors can be used as a springboard
for additional ideas you would like to incorporate into your lesson
plans.

Interaction-This book has been designed to be hands-on. Ss and

teachers alike are encouraged to have fun and personalize their
C notebook pages. For many, if not all activities, you'll need to have
tape,glue,scissors, writing instruments and assorted type of colors on
hand to get the most out of them.

Binders-Part of what makes Gritty,Grimy Notebook so fun is that it

is designed as a scrapbooking project.Make sure both you and your
D Ss have a binder of some type to put your completed worksheets and
lessons plans in for lasting memories and future use!
 Forum-None of this would be much fun if you couldn't tell anyone
about what you've been up to, now would it? Join our online forum and
share your ideas and experiences and make new friends with other
E Gritty,Grimy Notebook users! Ss are invited to join as well. There are
special areas on the forum just for them so they can get help with their
language problems or just hang out with other Ss! Here's the URL:

http://www.hostingp
hpbb.com/forum/grit
tygrim y.html

Hey
! It
's d
ENJOY!
ood
le t
i me
!

Break a leg!

Have fun!
 Who
kno a! A c
l
It's w wha ean pa
doo t thi g
dle s m e! Yo
ti m e u
e! ans!
 Contents
The Small Stuff...
Money Bags!....1
r ules!.... 2 Numerologists
Hang the !.... 3

Twitchy thumbs!.... 4 Hey,whatsyourface!.... 5

Wordy bird!.... 7
Nameless,shameless
!.... 6 r !.... 8
Paper showe

The Big Stuff...

You,you and you!.... 9 Head in the....!.... 13

The doctor is in
! .... 21
Pop! Boom! Bang!.... 17 Spy Talk!.... 25

Mirror,mir War Machines!...

.3 3
ror!.... 29

Sweet tooth!..
.. 43
1000 words!.... 39
Fond farewells!
... . 51
DIY Activity
Template.... 5
5
 e's
t . Her le!
i d
essed o doo
u t
, yo u g oom
r
Y u p m o re
yet ohoo!
Who
Draw some things
that are really
small on this page
!

Gee, I'm small!

Poor little guy! I'll protect ya'!

The small stuff!

g so m e time!
illi n
o f f o r just k
g
i ng u p,finishin
m
For war
Whoa! Here's a couple of more clean
might be a good place to make some
 pages for you to have fun with! This also
editing notes!
 Money Bags!
Ask the Ss to bring a handful of coins with them on the day you
A plan to use this activity. Have some extra coins handy just in
case...

Tell the Ss they're going to do a little activity related to talking about

B numbers and money. At the end, someone is going to be declard the
winner and named 'Money Bags'. Do the Ss know what it means when
you call someone that? If not, tell them.

Give each S a sheet of paper and have them fold and tape it
together into an envelope. You may have to show them how
C to do this.Have each Ss place some coins (minimum 4) in
their envelope and tape it shut.

When everyone's envelopes are ready,let the fun begin! Here's

C how it works:

In pairs,one S will shake their envelope while the other tries to

guess many coins are in it. If a S can also correctly guess the
* total monetary value of the coins,they get to keep their partner's
envelope (only until the end of the game, of course).

If the number of coins in or total value of a S's envelope has

* been correctly guessed, that S is out of the game.

If a S cannot make a correct guess in three tries, have

* them switch to a new partner and try again.

Have Ss continue around the room,pairing up until there

* are only two Ss left or set a time limit.

At the end, have the remaining Ss open their envelopes to see whose
coins have the highest total monetary value. The S with the most
E money will now be known as 'Money Bags' (if they agree to it).
Otherwise, award the name to someone with the next largest amount!

Make sure everyone gets their envelopes and money back. Have the
F Ss tape them shut again with the money inside, punch a hole in it
and put it in their binder.

-1-
 Hang the rules!
On the first day of class, elicit the school
rules from
the Ss,write them on the board and che
ck to make
A sure everyone understands them. Be sur
discuss any rules they may not be aware
e to also
of or forgot
to mention and add those to the board as
well.

Divide Ss into pairs or groups and divide the rules on the board
B into sets by the number of pairs or groups you have. Randomly
assign sets of rules to each pair or group.

Distribute sheets of paper to the Ss, one sheet per rule. Have
the pairs or groups now draw pictures which represent the rules
C you assigned to them,one rule per sheet. Now might be a good
time to have some markers or colored pencils handy!

expression
While the Ss are drawing, introduce them to the
Pick a rule on the
"hang the rules" and explain what this means.
if they decided
board ask the Ss to tell you what might happen
D to "hang" it. Do a few more rules with them or
have them take
selves while they
over and continue the discussion among them
draw.

When the Ss are finished, give them some tape and tell them
that today is their one chance to "hang" the rules, in a
E manner of speaking! Have the pairs or groups randomly
"hang" their drawings of the rules around the room.

As a rolling activity, encourage the Ss from now on to silently

point at the appropriate picture on the wall whenever they
F catch another S "hanging" the rules. No need to mention
names or make a fuss,just point! This should be enough to
help Ss keep each other in check if a majority of them are
willing to participate.

(Don't forget to have the Ss put their drawings in their binders when it comes time
to take them down. They'll have to haggle with each other over who gets which
pictures, of course.)
-2-
 Numerologists!
Give each S a half-sheet of paper.Have the
m write a number
A on it that represents something about the
size,birthday,etc.) and tape it to their che
mselves (shoe
st.

.?
Q
I.
Have everyone get up and mingle. Ss should pair up and ask each

B questions to try guess what their partner's numbers represents.

Have them keep going until each S has paired up with everyone else
in the room.

19
ay?
B -d
1
When the discussions are finished, put everyone in groups. Have
C each group pick a space on a wall in the room and hang their papers
up on it.

Hat
siz
e minutes to create
Give each group five?
D a short story using
their numbers on the wall and the things they represent.

39

Have each group take turns telling their story while the
E rest of the Ss gather round and listen.

a nd y bars
m b er of c?
Nu en today
eat
When all the groups have finished,take a vote to see which
F story the Ss thought was the best.

8
-3-
 Twitchy thumbs!
Try dra
wing a
thumb h bit old
ere! I c
do i t ! ouldn't

This activity requires the everyone to have SMS-capable mobile

A phones. If this scenario isn't possible, see the alternate activity at
the bottom.

Before class,divide the back of this worksheet up into strips, one for
B each S. Write a short SMS message of no more than 120 characters
long on each strip.
or
pu tttin g th e strip s on a table in the front
Start the activity by ak in g su re everyone has their
om an d m
C middle of the ro
phones turned on an
d in hand.

Have the Ss race to grab a strip,input the message into their

D phones and send it to you as fast as they can without making
any mistakes. Have prizes for first,second and third best times!

Alterna
te Activity:

Divide the Ss into teams and line them up in rows,either

* sitting or standing.
30 ?
Give the end S in each row a strip. Give them 20
* seconds to memorize the message and then get the
strip back.
The Ss must pass the message as quickly as possible,
* without making any mistakes, from one end of the row
to the other by whispering it to each other.

When all the teams have finished passing the message,

* have the last person to receive the message say it
aloud. Choose the winners based on speed and
accuracy!

-4-
 Hey,whatsyourface!
A It's
This activity is ideal for groups of eight or more students(or
teachers) who are meeting for the first time. Skip the usual
boring ways of making introductions and do this instead:

Before class,divide and cut up the back of this worksheet

B into name badge-sized squares. Depending on the class
size, you may need to use more than one sheet, of
course.

a bi g
e ea ch S on e of the ba dg es you made and have them write
Giv
room and collect the badges in
C their name on it. Go around the
a bag.

Go the front of the room with the bag. Have the Ss

D come to you, one at a time, and draw a badge from
bag. Make sure it's not their own. Have them tape
the
the
badges their shirts.

Have the Ss get up and mingle. They must now try to work who
E everyone is and exchange name badges using only body
language!

Once a S has been correctly identified and given their own

F name badge, have them write their name on the board and
sit down. Continue the activity until everyone is seated.

Have the Ss wear their name badges for the rest of the
G class. Before they leave, have them punch a hole in the
name badge and put it in their binder.

-5-
 Nameless,shameless!
Be warned! This activity is
only for more daring Ss wh
A offended or embarrassed o aren't easily

all
.

Ask the Ss if they've ever done something they were ashamed of

and if they would like their stories anonymously with the rest of the
B class anonymously with the rest of the class. If so, continue by
sharing a story of your own and egg them on to think of something
they've done that can top you.

wn
lf- sh ee t of pa pe r an d have them write do
Give each Ss a ha at th ey're ashamed of and why
they
do ne th
C one thing they've

myst
feel ashamed.

ery..
When the Ss finished, have them fold up their paper. Pass
..
D around a bag and have the them put their paper in it.

.
When the bag reaches the last S, have he or she use
E their hand to mix up the papers inside.

Once the papers are all nice and mixed up, have the last S draw
a paper from the bag, read it aloud and pass the bag back in the
opposite direction. As the bag is being passed back, have each S
F draw a paper, read it aloud and then keep it before passing the
bag to the next S. Remind everyone that body language and
facial expressions are a dead giveaway of who did what. So, they
should try to remain calm and poker-faced when their paper is
being read.

When all the papers have been drawn and read, take a vote
to see which stories had the most shameful things in them.
G Discourage people from trying to guess who did what. You
want it all remain a mystery for as long as possible.

If the exercise went smoothly, you

should have broken
down a few polished, pretentious bar
riers between the
H Ss and made the environment a littl
gritty, grimy sort of way!
e more relaxed-in a

-6-
 t?
ee

bird!
w

Wordy
T

A Draw the table below on the board:

A
E I

D T S

M L P

Write 'A' on one side of the table and 'B' on the other. Divide the Ss

B into teams 'A' and 'B'. Have a race to see which team can make the
most correctly spelled words from the letters in the table and put
them up on their side of the board in three minutes.

Think you've got a winner? Hey, it isn't over just yet! Now, assign point
values to the letters in each row (top row-5 points, middle row-10
C points,bottom row-15 points). Have each team add up the point values
of each word in their list and then come up with a grand total. That will
determine your true winner!

unciation drills of words

As an extension, use the activity to do pron
D and numbers. Be creative!

-7-
 Paper shower!

GIve each of your Ss a half-sheet of

paper. Have them write
down three things about themselves
that no one in the room
A

would know. Make sure they don't wri

te their name on their
paper.

When everyone is finished writing, ask them if they took a

B shower today(hopefully everyone says 'yes'). Tell them they're
going to take another one, this time using paper instead of water!

the middle
d form a tight group in
C Have th e Ss
of the room,b
st
ac
an
ks
d up
to
an
ea ch othe r an d facing outwards.

Have everyone wad up their half-sheet of paper. After that, on the

count of three, have them toss their paper balls in air above the
D group. They will now experience a paper shower! Ahhh! Isn't that
refreshing?

Finally, have each S pick up a paper ball, open it up and read it.
They should now mingle, asking questions about their partner in

E relation to what's written on the paper until they find the owner.
Have the Ss give the paper back to owner when they find them.
The activity ends when everyone gets their paper back.

-8-
 D ra
mo w y
pa ney ourse
ge h l
sta ere f a
rt e t o f
d! ge at sa
t t
his ck o
do f
od
le
 BIG
t hat 's really
mething
Draw so
here!

Meh. Whatever! What a runt!

I'm a big shot!

The BIG stuff!

e!
ng L OTS of t i m
li
ess o r just kil
sin
g d o wn t o bu
ti n
For get
Well,well...another blank spread!
Hmm...What could we draw here?
 You,you and you!
Student
Workshe
Part I-Mingler et

a Write down the names of three people who know you:

B Write down three adjectives these people might use to
describe you:

C Write down three things you like to do in your free time:

D Wait for your teacher to tell you what to do next...

Part II-Diskushion topic:Ambitions

Questions: e a
Past e of
r e!
pictuself her
m b itio ns in life? Wh
y? your
ur m a in a
* What are yo
o to fu lfill y o ur ambitions?
to d
h a t a re y ou going have
* W ot?
a n t to y o u ? Why or why n
impo rt
alth, or power
* Is fame, we ) and discuss
w h y:
p o rta n t (1 -3
st im
fo ll o w in g fr o m most to lea
* Rank the
family
_ y o u _ _ _ friends ___
__

bitio n s?
a k ru le s to fulfill your am
lin g to 'bend' or bre
* Are you wil

*Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder after you're done!*
-9-
 You,you and you!
Activity G
uide
Part I-Mingler

a Give the Ss their worksheets have them complete A,B

and C.

B Have the Ss wad up their worksheet into a ball.

C Have the Ss form opposing lines and throw their balls at each other
OR
Draw a bull's eye on the board and assign points for each ring. See who
can get the most points in three tries.

Finally, have the Ss pick up a ball at random, read the answers and
D mingle until they find the owner. Give the owner back their worksheet and
then discuss their answers with them in more detail. The activity ends
when everyone has gotten their worksheet back and discussed their
answers with at least one person.

e a
Past e of
r e!
Part II-Discussion topic:Ambitions pictuself her
your
Questions:

* While the Ss are still up out of their chairs, put them together into
pairs or small groups and have them sit together(or continue
standing).

* BRIEFLY introduce the discussion topic and then let the Ss work
through the questions together in their pairs or small groups.

Tip: During the discussion, facilitate and observe. Occasionally

mingle with students to answer questions or pep up dying
conversations.

-10-
 You,you and you!
)
g, eh? Teacher
atin C hallenge
che
(No

What do you know?

A Define ambition in 20 words or less :

B Name a person whose ambitions benefited the world:

a. What did they do and what was the benefit?

e a
Past e of
r
pictu erson
p
this
!
here
b. Which adjectives best describe this person?

C Name a person whose ambitions harmed the world:

a. What did they do and what harm was done? Pas

pict te a
this ure of
here person
!

b. Which adjectives best describe this person?

D Uh,you DID use pencil, didn't you? Go compare your answers with
any available resources and then come back and modify them as
needed.

-11-
Lesson Plan
It's all
about y
ou,Baby
!)

-12-
 Head in the !
Student Worksheet
Draw a cloud
here!
Part I-Mangler

a Use this worksheet to make a paper-airplane. If you don't know

how,ask another student to help you!

B Use a pen or pencil and draw some cool-looking designs

on your airplane.

C Wait for the teach

er to te
ll what
do nex
t...

D Don't worry. You can always fold this worksheet back up into your nifty
little airplane later.

Part II-Discussion:Flying
Questions:

* Have you ever flown before?

a. If so,did you like flying and where did you go?

b. If not, why? Would you like to fly?

* What are some of the dangers of flying?

* What you dislike the most about flying?

* If you could fly anywhere in the world,where would

you like to go and what would you do there?

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder after you're done!)

-13-
 Head in the !
Activity Guide
s lik e an o ther good
Part I-Mangler This look a cloud!
place for
a Give the Ss their worksheets and have them complete A and B.
B Give everyone a chance to show their planes to the rest
of the class. Vote on which one looks the best.

C Teach them: nose, tail, wing, wingtip,and flap. Have them label
these parts on their airplanes. Now explain 'aerodynamic' to
them.

D Put Ss together in pairs or small groups and have them pick which one
their airplanes they think is the most aerodynamic. Organize a
competition to see which pair or group's airplane can fly the farthest or
fastest. Don't forget to hand out prizes!

Part II-Discussion:Flying
Questions:

* Have the pairs or small groups sit together(or continue standing).

* Have everyone unfold their cool airplanes so they can read

and go through the discussion questions together.

* Invite the Ss to fold their papers back up into their awesome airplanes
towards the end of the class. Use the time to do review.

Tip: Give feedback and corrections at the end to

avoid disrupting activities or discussions.

-14-
( A
Head in the !
re
you Teacher Challenge
up
f or er e! A sp ot for yet
h
this
t od Well,lookcyloud!
ay?
)
another

What do you know?

A Name at least 10 parts of an airplane:

B What four physical forces affect flight?

C What is the officiial paper size used for professonal paper-airplane

competitions?

D What medical term means 'an irrational fear of flying'?

E True or False: Walking on a sidewalk is more dangerous than flying.

F Get ready to rub that eraser down to a nub! Go compare your

answers with any available resources and then come back and
modify them as needed.

-15-
 Lesson Plan
(Feeling under
the weather yet? How about a Na
p?)

-16-
 Wo
rk

Pop!
den

n g!
Stu
Boom!
t
Ba
sh ee
t

Part I-Mingler

Is today a special day? It just might be because your teacher is going to

A let you make something really cool to use during class! Wash as he/she
demonstrates how.

you
your fun,new to y, your teacher will tell
After your done making
B

what to do next.

Part II-Discussion:Fireworks
Questions:

* Have you ever played with fireworks before?

a. If so, when and why? Did you enjoy yourself?

b. If not, would you like to?

* Do fireworks be important for celebrations in your country? If so,

what are they normally used for?

* What are some of the dangers related to fireworks?

* Do you know anyone who's been hurt from using fireworks?

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder when you're done!)

-17-
 Pop! ! ui
t
i vi

Boom! a ng
Ac ty G
B

d
e
Part I-Mingler

You can use this activity during holidays or other events which involve
A fireworks or other kinds of loud noisemakers.

ch for
ac tivity is a pa pe r po pper.Do an online sear
Your prop for this ,keywords: paper,popper.
B

on ho w to m ak e it
instructions

Give the Ss their worksheets and then demonstrate how to make the
C popper. Have the Ss follow along with you and make their own using
the worksheet. Have a chat with them about the holiday while you're

D Have the Ss draw/decorate their poppers with

holiday-related art.

E Have contests to see which Ss have the best-

looking poppers or can make the loudest pops.

Part II-Discussion:Fireworks

* When you're finished with the contest,keep everyone

standing. Have the Ss unfold their poppers and then pair up
and discuss the questions. Many Ss will liklely rip their
poppers during this activity. That's great! Have some clear
tape on hand so they can repair their worksheets.

Tip: Avoid using 'yes' or 'no' questions when checking

for understanding. Use elicitation questions
instead.
-18-
 Pop!
er

all
Boom! g!
Te
ac h Ch
B an

ge
!
ay

en
d
ur
yo
to
ng
ba
m e
so
add
What do you know? will
is
Th

A According to legend,how and when was gunpowder first discovered?

What are the primary ingredients used in making fireworks?

B

Most of the world's fireworks are

C made in which country?

D Name five holidays or other events aro

the use of fireworks:
und the world whi ch include

E How many fireworks-related deaths occur each year around

the world?

Hey, you didn't forget to use pencil again, did you?! Go compare
F your answers with any available resources and then come back and
modify them as needed.

-19-
 Lesson Plan
(Let's not blow our whole day on this
,okay?)

-20-
 The doctor is in!
Student Worksheet

Part I-Mingler
n!
ha v e some fu
Time to Once you've been assaigned a role, do the
A following using the back of this worksheet:

a. Doctor- Draw a stethoscope. Cut it out and tape it to

your chest.
b. Nurse- Draw a nurse's hat. Cut it out, tape it
together and wear it on your head.
c. Patient- Draw an IV bag. Cut it out and tape a piece of
string to the back of it. Tape the other end of the string
to your wrist. Hold the bag in the opposite hand.

B Wait for your teacher to tell you what to do next.

Part II-Discussion:Health
Quest
n s: io

* What are hospitals like in your country?

ble? Why or why not?

Does going to the hospital make you uncomforta
*

* Have you ever had a serious illness or injury? If so, tell your partners about
it.

* Are there any famous doctors in your country? If so, what are they known
for?

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder when you're done!)

-21-
 The doctor is in!
D oodl
Activity Guide e?

Part I-Mingler

Let the Ss know they're going to do a role play. Put them in groups of
A three and assign roles: doctor, nurse and patient. Give them their
handouts and have them do part A.

Have the groups take turns

ad libbing a hospital scen
B the other Ss. They should
(headache,stomach ache
practice talking about symp
,etc..) and how to deal with
ario in front of
toms
them.
Monitor the Ss dialogue and give prompts as needed to make
C sure each person is using the target language appropriate for
their role.

When all the groups are finished, take a vote to

D see which one had the best role-play. Treat
everyone with a candy!

Part II-Discussion:Health

* When the role-plays are finished, have the Ss sit down. Pass
around some clear tape and band-aids. Invite the Ss to put their
worksheets back together using both of these items(make sure they
don't cover up the discussion questions with the band-aids).

* Have the Ss stand up and discuss the questions in pairs or

groups.

Tip:
Avoid using negative words and phrases such as
'No','Wrong' or 'That's not correct.' when teaching. You
don't want Ss to get discouraged and stop participating.
Try positive phrases such as 'That's a good answer but...'
instead.

-22-
 The doctor is in!
?
ere
h
t
go Teacher Challenge
we D oodl
e som
've e mo r
hat e?
..w
y.
,m
My
What do you know?

A 'Syringe' comes from which Greek word?

B The hollow needle was invented by whom and when?

C Where did the idea for band-aids come from?

D What are the most common household accidents?

Okay,you know the drill. Go compare your answers with any

E available resources and then come back and modify them as
needed.

-23-
 Th
Lesson Plan
ese things'll gi ve you a headache, right
?
Fergeddaboutit!

-24-
 t
Spy Talk!
Se cr e
Top Student Worksheet

Part I-Mingler

Fold and tear this worksheet into two equal halves. With a partner,
Alpha create a secret code by giving each letter of the (alphabet a number
A=12,C=3,etc.). Write the code down on the back of one of the half
pieces.

When your'e done writing down your code,your teacher is going

Bravo to give you and your partner a piece of paper
it.
with a question on

Charlie Turn the question into a coded question and write down it
on the back of the other half of your worksheet.

Delta Wait for your teacher to tell you what to do next.

Part II-Discussion:Espionage
identi a l
Conf
*

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder when you're done!)

-25-
 Spy Talk!
Top Secret
Activity Guide
Part I-Mingler

Alpha Divide the Ss into pairs and have them complete Alpha.

Cut out the discussion question strips below, give one to each
B ravo pair and then have the Ss complete Charlie on their worksheet.
When all the Ss are finished, collect the coded question
C harlie
with the code key from each pair and redistribute them so
that no one has their own.

Delta Have the pairs of Ss decode their question. Then, have them
go around and discuss and exchange decoded questions
with the other pairs while writing them down next to the bullet
points in the Discussion half of their worksheets. Contnue
until everyone has discussed and written down all five
quesions.

E ch o When the actvity is finished, have everyone get back both

parts of their worksheet and tape them back together.

Part II-Discussion:Espionage
Confidential
Can you name a famous real-life or fictitious spy?

Would you like to be a spy? Why or why not?

Which countries do MI6 and the CIA belong to?

What's the best spy movie you've ever seen?

If you were a spy, could you keep it a secret?

Encourage your Ss to practice using English-language

Tip:
search engines to find answers to their language-related
questions. The search results will be more useful and
accurate than if they are searching using their Mother
tongue.
-26-
 Spy Talk!
y on ly
Teacher Challenge
es
o ur e
For y
Nah, l
et's wa
tch a
spy mo
vi e instea
d...
What do you know?

A Federalnaya Sluzhba Kontrrazvedki was the successor to which

organization and what is it now known as?

B Name five of the world's top spy agencies and where they are located.

gadgets that were used during

Name and briefly describe two spy
C World War II.

D What are the possible penalites in your country for spying?

Think you've got this one licked? Okay...go compare your answers
E with any available resources and then come back and modify them
as needed.

-27-
 Lesson Plan
Yeah, I know what you're thinking: 'This? AGAIN!?'

-28-
-29-
 Mirror,mirror! ! I f o rgot
to
to
Oops doodles
Activity Guide add ctivity!
a
this ll...
e
Part I-Mingler Oh,w

Give the Ss their worksheet. Uh,oh! It's printed backwards and they
A need to find some way to read it!

Have the Ss look around the room or check their belongings to see if
there's anything they could use to help them read the worksheet. They'll
B probably suggets using a window or a mirror. Today's their lucky day,
you just happen to have some mirrors handy! (I recommend using hair
brush mirrors.)

Have the Ss tape their worksheets to their chests, divide them into
pairs and then give each pair a mirror. Have one student hold the
C mirror up so the other student can read the worksheet taped to his or
her chest.

D Using their mirrors,have the Ss complete A-D.

Part II-Discussion:Appearances

When the Ss are done with the writing part, go around and have a
* few of them share what they wrote along with what their partner
thought of their description of them.

Have the Ss put the worksheets back on their chests and do

* the discussion questions using their mirror.

Tip:
When doing presentations, 'black out' the computer
screen or cover the projector lens when you're not using
the slides. You want people to focus on you when you're
speaking.

-30-
 Mirror,mirror!
Teacher Challenge ll ru i n
wi ?
st ress u know
of o
ki nd looks,y
This good
r
you

What do you know?

m:
words. Name at least two of the
A 'Vanity' has several complemen
tary

B What do you think causes people to become desperate for

attention or admiration?

There's an old saying which goes 'The clothes make the man.'
This saying has been in use for a long time, particularly by the
C fashion industry,to get people to buy more clothes. What do you
think? Should clothes be about comfort and protection or
making a statement?

According to ancient history, who fell in love with his image after
D seeing his reflection in a lake? What modern term comes from this
story?

Feeling frazzled? Check yourself in the mirror, go compare your

E answers with any available resources and then come back and
modify them as needed.

-31-
 (Say,th
Lesson Plan
a shopp is might be a
ing list go
for clo od time to m
thes!) ake

-32-
 War machines!
Preparation

C C
D

A B

Room S
etup:

A Place the desks and chairs around the back of the

room .

B Place a tape line down the center of the room.

Designate a target on each side of the room for the opposing team
C to aim for,e.g.,desk,carboard box,trashbin,etc.

Place a box on each side of the room,just behind the tape

D line. These boxes are the 'ammo dumps' for each team's
paper balls.
-33-
 War machines!
Activity Guide

Part I-Mingler

Give each S a sheet of paper. Have them draw a

picture of a
weapon on it. It could be anything real or ficticious
A want to draw something they like which comes from
games,movies or cartoons and that's perfectly fine!
. Many Ss may
video

Divide the class into two teams of six or less Ss each. one on
each side of the tape line. Have the teams wad up their sheets
B of paper and put them into their ammo dumps.

C The game is now set! Here are the rules:

The object of the game is to land as many paper balls as

possible in (if you're using a box) or on (if you're using a flat
* surface) the target in three minutes.Teams may try to knock
the balls out of the air or catch them before they reach the
target.

Ss are not allowed to knock balls out of or off of the

targets. Doing so results in a lose for the responsible S's
* team.

m's side of the tape line.

Ss can move anywhere on their tea
they're out.
* If they cross the line with their feet,

Ss can tag out opposing team members who stray too close to
the tape line using their arms. A S who crosses the line with their
* feet while tagging is out and the person they tagged remains in
the game.

-34-
 War machines!
Activity Guide

Part I-Mingler (continued)

Ss may only carry two paper balls at a time, one in each hand. Ss
may not pick up balls from the floor,they must be taken from the
* ammo dump. One person from each side should be designated to
retrieve balls from the floor and put them in their team's ammo

all the players on one

There are two ways to win: tag out
or on the target.Also, if
side or have the most paper balls in
e are available for the
a team hoards paper balls so that non
Give the winning team a
* other side, they automatically lose.
prize such as a bag of candy.

Go as many rounds with the game as you'd like. If you have a

D lot of Ss, simply restart each round with fresh players
replacing the losing sides. While the game's going on,write up
the discussion questions on the board.

When finished,count up the number of balls that

E made the targets to see which team is the winner.

Have the all the Ss each pick up a ball,open it and see what's
drawn on the sheet. Encougrage them to compare and discuss
F the drawings with each other for a few minutes. See if they can
find the owner and then give it back to them. Take a vote and see
which drawings the Ss think are the best.

Finally,have the Ss put their sheet into their binders,if they

G have one. Pair them up and let them do the discussion

-35-
 War machines!
Activity Guide

Part II-Discussion:The Military

Questions:
the y are. See if they catch
(Write these on the board as
the mistakes.

* Would you like to be a soldier? Why or why not?

Has anyone in your family ever been in the military? If

* so,when and what did they do?

Does your country have mandatory military serving? If so,

* how many years is it for?

How many branches does your countrie's military have? Name

* them and describe what each one does.

Avoid using multiple questions. Ask one question at a

Tip: time. Don't be afraid of silence. Give Ss a reasonable

amount of time to answer. If they don't or can't answer,
simply move on to the next question. You can always
go back to unanswered questions later.

*
* -36-
 War machines!
Teacher Challenge
t!
a blas
e
o u ld b
sh
w this
No

What do you know?

Name three countries which have compulsory military service.

A For each one, how long does it last and what's the target age
group?

Which city is guarded by the smallest and oldest

B recognized army in the world?

peared when and what were

Hand grenades first ap
C they made of?

D There are still around 4 million landmines in which country?

Which resource shortage is deemed most likely to

E trigger war in the future?

Put on your war face and arm yourself with an eraser! It's time to go
F compare your answers with any available resources and then come
back and modify them as needed.

-37-
 Lesson Plan
(Whatever you do,don't bomb this one!)

-38-
 1,000 words!
Student Worksheet
Part I-Mingler

Hopefully,you've brought a nice picture with you

today.
A The picture shouldn't have you in it. If you are in
picture,get some scissors and cut yourself out!
the

Don't share your picture with anyone just yet!

Tape or glue your picture here inside the dotted square

B and then place the worksheet face down on your desk.
Wait for the teacher to tell you what to do next.

Part II-Discussion:Photography
Questions:

* How does this picture make you feel? Why?

Where do you think this picture was taken and what was the
* occasion?

Is there anything in the picture that you don't know the English
* word for? If so, see if another student knows.

* Which student do you think this picture belongs to? Why?

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder when you're done!)

-39-
 1,000 words!
Activity Guide

Part I-Mingler

Tell the Ss the day before you do this activity that you want them
A to bring a photograph taken by them or a family member from
home. It can be of anything so long as the S is not in the picture.

Before the class,print a copy of the Student Worksheet. Think

of three questions you'd like the Ss to use for the discussion
B part and write them down on the worksheet. Make a
photocopy for each S.

Give each student a copy of the worksheet and have them

complete parts A and B. Tell them not to share their picture
C with anyone at this point. Have them place the worksheet face
down when finished glueing/taping their picture onto the sheet.

Collect all of the worksheets and randomly redistribute

D them face up. Have tape handy and invite the Ss to hang
their worksheets on the wall.

Part II-Discussion:Photography

Once the sheets are all hung, invite the Ss to walk around

A in pairs or groups, look at the pictures and talk about them

using the discussion questions under each one as their
guide.

When everyone's finished,have the owner of each picture share

B their story about it with the class to see how many Ss answered the
second and fourth question correctly.

Avoid information overload,the average person can

Tip:
only remember about three or four things at a time in
their short-term memory. Break your lessons down into
small parts and do concept checking after each one.

-40-
 1,000 words!
Teacher Challenge
A phot
ograph
ic mem
or y woul
d be h
andy r
ight ab
out no
w,eh?

A The very first photograph was taken when and by whom?

m a single
less photograph made fro
The world's largest seam
B exposure was taken wh
ere?

C Which company introduced the first digital camera prototype in

1975?

D What famous brand of camera film stopped being made in 2009?

E What are the advantages film cameras have over digital ones?

Yes,yes. It's that time again. Go compare your answers with any
F available resources and then come back and modify them as
needed.

-41-
 Lesson Plan
(Hmm...What can you develop this time around?)

-42-
 Sweet tooth!
Student Worksheet

Part I-Mingler

A Wait for your teacher to tell you what to do...

Part II-Discussion:Candy

A First, while you're sipping your candy,do the writing exercise below:

On the back of this worksheet,write down the adjectives

* (taste,texture,color,size,and shape) which best describe your candy
along with the ingredients you think are in it.

* Do the same with the piece of candy you got at your partner.

B Now,compare and talk about your answers with your partner. Change any
of your answers you feel aren't quite right.

When you're finished with

C A and B::

pper half Glue the other candy wrapper

Glue one candy wra
* here. * half here.

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder when you're done!)

-43-
 Sweet tooth!
Activity Guide Draw your
favorite candy
here...
Part I-Mingler

The day before you run this actitivty, tell the Ss to each bring one
package of their favorite candy the next day.You might want to set a
price limit per item just to keep things fair. Ideally,it should be a retail
A brand with a proper box/wrapper. Ask them to wrap it up at home in
some tissue or other paper before bringing it to class. You want their
candy to be a mystery at the start of the activity.

At the start of class,have the Ss stand around in a circle holding their

B candy. Have one person in the circle name a candy. If they pronounce it
correctly, have everyone pass their candy to the person on their left.
Keep going until each S has had a turn naming a candy.

have their own candy

When finished, everyone should now
C back. Have everyone now pass the
ir candy to the right
twice so they don't have their own.

D Finally, have the Ss take turns guessing what their candy might be.

Part II-Discussion:Candy

Send everyone back to their seats with their candy. Have

A

them unwrap it and see what they got. Give everyone a

Student Worksheet.

B Have the Ss complete A-C of their worksheet.

Tip:
The classroom is not always the best place to try to
'iron out wrinkles' in your lesson plan. If you can't get
an activity to work, It's better to quickly drop it. Keep
one or two back-up activities ready just in case things
go wrong.

-44-
 Sweet tooth! Ho
w
m m!
! M
Teacher Challenge r ush ?
ar ar
sug te b
a la
f or hoco
e c
Tim ut a
o
ab

Name a famous brand of candy in the country you're teaching.Why

A is it famous and what's it's history?

The manufacturing of sugar began in what period of

B history?

How was chocolate prepared and served by the Maya

C and Aztec people?

List five ingredients that are commonly found in candy bars

D today.

What is the ancient name of Bengal? What does it

E mean and why was it called that?

Refill that coffee mug and let the fun begin! Go compare your
F answers with any available resources and then come back and
modify them as needed.

-45-
Lesson Plan
(Have a sweet time!)

-46-
 Special delivery!
Student Worksheet

Part I-Mingler

A Take a look at the names on the board and decide who you're
going to write to. Think about why you are writing to this person
and what you want to say.

Write your letter on the back of this worksheet keeping in mind

B what you just learned in class about letter writing. Keep your
letter short. Two or three paragraphs should be enough.

Be sure to mention in your letter that you are doing a class

C on letter writing.
project

ner,see what they

When you're done, exchange letters with a part
D wrote and then move on to the discussion que
stiions below.

After the discussion. give your partner back their letter. Have a
last look at your letter to see if there's anything you'd to change.
E If you're happy with your letter, give it to your teacher if you want
it to be mailed. If you don't want it mailed, put in your binder.

Part II-Discussion:Letters on
s:
e sti
Qu

* Why are you writing to this person?

interesting to you?
* What has this person done that seems

* What kind of answer to you hope to get back from them?

* If they don't personally reply to your letter, how you will feel?

(Don't forget to put this worksheet in your binder later! If you're having
your letter sent, good luck! If you get a letter back, don't forget to share it
with the class!)

-47-
 Special delivery!
Activity Guide
Part I-Mingler
Before doing this activity, you want to come with a list of notable people
who live in the country you're teaching in and mailing addresses for them.
You should be able to find addressed for these kinds of people through
A lawyers,agents, government bodies,companies,universities or fan clubs.
Don't be afraid to ask around for help on this one. The pay-off for
successfully completing this activity could be pretty big.

Ask the Ss about the ways they typically communicate with friends
and family on a regular basis and list them on board. Chances are
good, in many cases, that few or none of them will say they write
B letters. Letter writing is becoming a lost art in today's fast-moving
digital world.

List the names of the people you came up with on the board and ask
the Ss if they would be interested in writing a letter to any one of them
C and why. If not, ask for suggesttions and add them to your list. You'll
now need to try to track down those mailing addresses as well.

Get permission from the Ss to send their letters to the people

D they're writing to. Decide whether to use the school or Ss home as
the return address on the letters. Keep in mind, using the school's
address might generate better responses

E Introduce the Ss to the basics of letter writing and then invite

them to complete A-C of their worksheet.

Part II-Discussion:Letters
When the Ss have finished the discussion. collect any letters that are
A going to be mailed out.

Encourage the Ss to share letters they receive back. Hang them

B on the wall in the classroom. For any Ss who didn't want their
letters sent, have them just put their worksheet in their binder.

Tip:
Keep a short outline of how each day went. Jot down any
tough questions you couldn't asnwer during class and
then look up the answers.

-48-
 Special delivery! r
fo
Teacher Challenge a pen
si ng
l u
sti l
t
e no you?
u'r re
! Yo f , a
f
Hey stu
s
thi

A What were the first known envelopes made of?

B The first postal system was established in which city in 1653?

C The study of stamps is called what?

It is widely believed that the height of letter writing occurred

D during two periods in history. What were they?

E The decline of letter writing began with the appearance of which invention?

Write letter or email to a friend and see if they can help you with the
F answers! When you're ready, go compare your answers with any
available resources and then come back and modify them as
needed.

-49-
 Lesson Plan
(No frowning,okay? Lessons are best delivered with a smile!)

-50-
 Fond *
*

Farewells!
Student Worksheet

Part I-Mingler

Tear the worksheet into two halves at the dashed line below. On the back
A of the top half,write your name,postal address and email address.

B Wait for the teacher to tell you what to do next...

Part II-Discussion:Goodbyes
Question
s:

* How many languages can you say 'goodbye' in?

h people you can't see or talk to

* Do you usually stay in touch wit
everyday?

When you contact your classmate, what do think you will want to
* say them? (Don't say who it is!)

What do you think you're life will be like when you write or email
* them?

(Don't forget to put both halves of the worksheet in your binder

when you're done!)

-51-
 Fond *
*

Farewells!
Activity Guide

Part I-Mingler
with your Ss. As
This activity is best-suited for you final day
the Ss to tell you
they say, 'Parting is such sweet sorrow'. Ask
A what they think this means and if they hav
their country.
e a similar saying in

Let the class know that they should pick anothter S to write or
email at some point in the future. Suggest that they should wait at
B least one year before writing/emailing as it will give them more to
talk about when the do and make it more challengling to keep
their promise.

Have the Ss complete A of their worksheet and then have them

C tape the top half of their worksheet to a wall at the front of the
room with their contact information facing out.

Once all the papers are taped up, have the Ss form a line
facing the back wall. Let the Ss come to the board one a
D time, find someone they want to keep in touch with, take the
paper for that person and then sit back down. Have them put
the paper away where no one can see it!

Move on to the discussion questions and have the Ss do them

E in groups or pairs. Make sure they don't tell anyone who
they're writing to or emailing!

Part II-Discussion:Goodbyes
Once the discussion part is finished, have everyone put the two
halves of their worksheet into the envelope they made for the
A 'Money Bags' activity, along with the coins. Otherwise, have them
tape,staple or clip it to another activity they've saved in their binder.

B Say farewell to your Ss and tell them to be sure to write!

Tip:
Don't dig yourself into a hole. If you don't the answer to a
question,don't be afraid to admit it. Let the Ss know they
asked you a great question and that you'll need to go find
the answer and get back to them later.

-52-
 Fond *
*

Farewells! .
now
Teacher Challenge ry
n't c
D o
er e.
h
er e,t
w. ..t h
Aw

A How many languages can you say 'goodbye' in?

in your country where you're

What's a common goodbye ritual
B teaching?

In Russia, it's common practice not to clean a guest's room until

C they've left. Why?

In which part of the world does saying goodbye involve throwing

D water behind the car of a leaving guest as they drive away? What
does the water symbolize?

Okay, here we go! Get that eraser ready one last time and go
E compare your answers with any available resources and then come
back and modify them as needed.

Well,that's it fro
m
activities!The rest me! I hope you enjoyed these
is up to you now
be sure to stay in .Take care and
touch with me on
Gritty,Grimy Fo line at the
rums!
-Jon
-53-
 Lesson Plan
(This is the last hurrah! Let's give 'em a good show, eh?)

-54-
Title:___________
Student Worksheet

-55-
Title:___________
Activity Guide got!
ve
at you'
wh
S ho w us
!!
ll yo u rs
a
It's

Tip:
-56-
Title:___________
Teacher Challenge

-57-
Lesson Plan

-58-
 nd of the
d o o d le! It's the e
chance to
Aww....Last
y!
book! Enjo