Resources

Have students colour and decorate the hot air balloon and then list the colours they have used to decorate their balloon.

Have students colour and cut out the house diagram. They are then to draw a scene in the back window, showing what some family members are doing in the house. Have them use prepositions to describe the layout of the house.

Have students answer the following questions:

What's something that you do everyday?

How often does a new person join your school?

How often do you travel to France?

How often do you eat pizza?

How often do you dance? Play sports? Paint? Sing? How often do you listen to Beyonce?

Ask students to ask each other a question using "How often do you..."

Students stand in a circle and hold their hands, while one student stays on the other side of the room and closes their eyes. The students in the circle, without unlocking their hands, knot themselves up! When they've successfully knotted up, the other student comes back and using only words tries to undo the knot. They should practice body words and prepositions.

Split the students into pairs. One student will describe a uniform or costume, and the other person has to guess what occupation they do. Then, have students swap roles.

Each student starts with five points. The first student must say something that they haven't done. If the other students have done what the student has just said then they lose a point. Continue around in a circle until you have a winner.

Each person holds up 5 fingers and then each person says one thing they haven't got. If the other students have got that thing they need to minus 1 finger. Each student is eliminated when they have zero fingers. The last person with remaining fingers wins.

Have the class stand in a circle and the teacher says "I like bananas" (or "I don't like cats"). Everyone who likes bananas has to run to a different part of the circle. The last person to find a spot becomes the one to say "I like/I don't like..."

Have students draw their hands, fold the card and cut around the outline to end up with two identical hand shapes.

Then cut a long strip of card and fold into a concertina with 11 spaces for the words "this much!" glue onto each hand

On the hands have students write down: I love you....

Take turns being the spy and the guesser. The spy chooses an object in the room and says "I spy with my little eye, something blue" and they choose an adjective (or more simply a colour). The guesser must figure out the object they are guessing by asking "is it...the chair?"

Deduce and discuss the meanings of pre-chosen idioms and brainstorm any additional idioms that the student may be familiar with. Talk about the importance of idioms in language and the character they give to language.

Pick apart each idiom on the list and discuss other possible meanings that the phrases could have:

"You're barking up the wrong tree!", "dodge a bullet" and "catch-22"

Other than the correct definition, what else could this mean? What might it mean to bark up the right tree? Could you replace any part of the phrase and it still make sense?

Discuss the impact of large scale industry on the modern world. Talk about the changes in how large scale industry has been viewed over time and discuss any possible benefits people may see about it. Research some examples together.

A student chooses a place and then describes it, the other students have to guess what place they're talking about. Who ever guesses it first goes next.

Infinitives are formed by 'to' + infinitive.

We use infinitives:

• After certain verbs

- She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

- She started to walk really quickly.

• After adjectives

- I was surprised to see you at the market.

- You are welcome to come with us on the trip.

We use the bare infinitive:

• After modal verbs

- Can you see the mountain ranges in the distance?

- You should bring an umbrella today.

• After certain verbs of perception

- She made me a cake.

- I heard the birds sing this morning.

• When using 'but' or 'except'

- I have nothing to do except to send a few emails.

- I had no choice but to quit.

Some verbs like love, hate, like, prefer can be followed by both a gerund and infinitive.

- I love dancing.

- I love to dance.

When these verbs are used with 'would' or 'should', use the infinitive.

- I would love to go to Mexico.

- The assignment should be easy to do.

Have students answer the following questions:

If you suddenly became famous, how would you feel? What would be the advantages of achieving instant success? Would there be any drawbacks?

Follow up questions:

1. Why do we find celebrities so fascinating? Who is one celebrity that you admire? Why?

2. Do you think celebrities are really happy? How do you think fame affects their every day lives?

Brighten up your classroom with this colourful, eye catching poster. "All about that ING" is the perfect reminder that we add the ING ending when forming continuous tenses.

Discuss journalism with the student. Speak about the roles journalism plays in society, the negative and positive impacts it can have on key issues and discuss the way it can effect peoples' lives. Encourage the student to speak about their personal views.

This exercise is to help students practice talking about a wide variety of topics by quickly changing from one topic to the next. It's useful for students who are preparing for Cambridge speaking exams.

Have students write a series of topics on small pieces of paper. (e.g. playing sports, spending time with friends, why studying is important, etc.) The first student will choose a topic from the pile, and speak for 30 seconds. When the time is up, they will choose a new topic and continue talking for another 30 seconds. (The teacher will choose how many turns the student will take).

Repeat the process for each student.

Each student must write a quote about "how to live a good life" on a piece of paper, using direct speech to quote themselves. The students trade papers, and read them out loud, changing the speech from direct to indirect.

Have students colour and cut out the materials of the template. Give each frog a name and personality, and write a short poem on each lily-pad, matching each frog with its home.

The student is to write a paragraph of emotive, descriptive writing about a time they heard a song or album for the first time that soundtracked a big moment. They are to focus on why that piece of music holds special significance and how they felt when they heard it.

Ask the students to write down answers for the following mysteries: Are there aliens? Why do humans exist? What happened to the dinosaurs? Do we have a 6th sense? -- Have each student write two of their own questions about the mysteries of life on small pieces of paper. Collect the questions and have each student blindly choose one which they must invent a reason for.

Split the students into two teams. One player from team 1 chooses a card and completes the instruction in order to earn a point. Continue alternating between teams until a set point goal has been reached. Kaboom can be adapted to fit many different grammar rules.

Have students answer the following questions:

If you could perfectly speak any language for one day, which language would you choose? What do you think is the most difficult language to learn? Why is learning another language important?

The student is to compose a letter addressed to a member of their local council with the intention of bringing about a positive change in their neighbourhood. Some subjects could be litter, streetlights, paving, parks, community spaces.

Ensure the student uses the highest level of vocabulary they possibly can, strong linking expressions, persuasive language, and the correct tone.

Print out song lyrics with words applicable to your lesson. Remove some of the words and have students listen to complete the song. Talk about the meaning of some of the words/the text as a whole after they have completed the listening task.

Is Less More?

Discuss materialism with the student(s). Is being materialistic the same as being superficial? Do the two go hand in hand? Encourage them to think about the value they place on material possessions, ask them whether they think they give too much importance to 'things' and not enough to experiences and feelings. Ask how they think this may have changed for their generation compared to the last. Discuss how much of a factor upbringing and surroundings can play on whether or not a person is materialistic.

Using any set of flash cards that includes pairs (e.g. word + picture, or opposites), place all the cards face down on the table. Take turns to turn over 2 cards at a time. If they form a pair, the person 'wins' those cards. The person at the end with the most cards wins the game. Good for groups with 5 or less kids.

Use a desk to set up an arrangement with familiar (or unfamiliar) objects. Give your students one minute to study the tray. Then hide it from their view and make five changes to the tray. You might want to remove objects, reposition objects, or add new objects. When you reveal the desk to the students, they must note the differences in the tray using sentences in the passive voice. (The pencil was moved to the other side of the desk. The coffee cup was removed.)

The student is to write about two distinctive and powerful memories they have and explain what it is about these moments that makes them so memorable. Brainstorm synonyms for 'remember' and utilise them in combination with complex, involved vocabulary to discuss and write about these moments.

The student is to write a leaflet style text imagining that they are promoting and advertising Mental Health Awareness week. Think thoroughly about the structure of the piece of writing, decide on appropriate tone and formality, brainstorm some vocabulary that could be useful.

Students mime familiar verbs and their classmates must guess what they're doing using the present continuous.

Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb which are used to express:

Ability -

• can (positive)

- She can run 400 meters in 60 seconds.

- Birds can fly.

• can't (negative)

- I can't whistle.

- I can't come to the cinema because I have a lot of homework.

• could (past)

- She could play the piano when she was four years old.

- I could run a lot faster last year.

Possibility:

• may

- They may come on holiday with us.

- There may be enough tickets left but we'll need to check.

• might

- It might rain later.

- I might go to the museum tomorrow.

• could

- There could be some juice left in the fridge.

- We could just stay home and watch a movie tonight.

• can -

- These worksheets can help you improve your English.

- This printer can sometimes get jammed.

Permission -

• can (least formal)

- Can you help me do my homework?

- Can we go out for dinner tonight?

• could (more formal)

- Could I have a glass of water, please?

- Could you pass the salt?

• may (most formal)

- May I use the bathroom, please?

- May I bother you for a tissue?

Suggestion -

•should

- You should never eat with your elbows on the table.

- You should go to the doctor if you are sick.

•shall (only used for 'I' and 'we')

- Shall I move the table over there?

- Shall we proceed with the ceremony?

Obligation -

• must - obligation coming from the speaker

- You must have a special permit to camp here.

- I must have that bag!

• have to - expresses external obligations

- We have to return the library books tomorrow.

- I have to wear a uniform to school.

Negative obligation -

• mustn't

- You must not enter the lab without protective eyewear.

- Children mustn't enter the shop without a parent.

• don't have to

- You don't have to clean the dishes - I'll do it!

- You don't have to fill out the form if you don't have time.

Future -

• will - certain future

- we will see the exam results next week.

- I will come to your party.

• would -

- It would be nice to see you at the event tomorrow!

- I would be honoured to present the award.

Have students answer the following questions:

How do you like to spend your money? Do you spend it all at once, or do you prefer to save it? If you found 30 euro on the ground, what would you do? Would you keep the money? Would you try to find the owner?

Discuss modern art with the student, ask the student to speak about their opinions on modern art, their favourite and least favourite galleries, artists they admire and specific pieces of work that they appreciate.

Have students colour the months and seasons wheel. Have each student describe the activity they do on the corresponding spaces.

Have students colour and cut out the monster body part pieces. Then have them glue them together, and test for knowledge about body part names.

Starting when their partner went to bed, students see how many true sentences they can make about things they did before that, working backwards slowly, e.g. “When you went to bed, you had already brushed your teeth” “That’s right” “When you brushed your teeth, you had already had a shower” “Wrong! I had a shower after I cleaned my teeth. My turn.”

Have students color and design the Mother's day card. Fill out the spaces in the wheel, listing reasons why their mom is "the best",

Split the class into two teams. Each team must choose one person to be their 'presidential candidate'. The other members of the team will act as reporters. Reporters will write statements based on a 'pretend' interview with the opposing candidate. They should write sensationalised statements claiming the candidate said they would do unfavourable things if elected.

Ex: Candidate Peterson said he would use the taxpayers money for his personal vacations. Candidate Peterson said that he would impose a 10 p.m. curfew for all teenagers under 18 years old. Candidate Peterson said he hates dogs.

To begin the game, the teacher stands at one end of a room or play area, while the children line up at the other end.

The students take turns asking “Mother may I ____?” and makes a movement suggestion.

For example, a student might ask, “Mother, may I walk?”

The teacher either replies “Yes, you may walk three steps” or “No, you may not do that, but you may _____ instead” and suggests another action.

It helps if you model on your blackboard the following examples.

Mother may I walk?

Mother may I crawl?

Mother may I hop?

Mother may I dance?

Mother may I run?

Mother may I skip?

Mother may I roll?

Mother may I march?

etc

The first of the children to reach the location of the mother/father wins the game.

Have students discuss the place that music holds in their life. Ask them to speak about their favourite genres/artists/bands and say why they like them giving reasons for disliking any music that they find to be unfavourable.

Have students list adjectives describing their mother and what makes her special.

The students sit in a circle, each one holding an object behind their back. (A marker, eraser, pencil, etc.) The teacher plays a song and the students, with eyes closed, begin to pass the items around in the circle. When the music stops, the students, one at a time, with the command of the instructor, open their eyes, see their object, and put in behind their back. The students then go in a circle, asking each other "Have you got the eraser?" If a student guesses correctly, the object is eliminated, and the student gets one point. Play until all the objects have been found.

Have students fold the card in half and colour it for decoration. In the spaces provided, list two things to describe the father.

The student will be given a selection of vocabulary. They are to deduce and discuss the meaning of the vocabulary and then create a small piece of creative writing using the new vocabulary. Encourage the student to identify any similes they may already know.Grapple, heritage, genetically, nooks, jumble, meticulously.

Cut out some squares and write numbers from 0-9 on them (do about 4 sets of 0-9). Put the numbers in a box and then instruct the students to take out the numbers and place them in a line as you call them out. Then check that the number code is the same as you called out. This also works well for phone numbers.

A non-defining or non-essential clause gives us more information about the person or thing we are talking about. If a non-defining relative clause is removed from a sentence, we lose some detail, but the overall meaning of the sentence remains the same. Non-defining relative clauses are always set off from the rest of the sentence with commas or parentheses.

Relative clauses can define the subject of the sentence:

• Miranda, who used to go to the same university as me, is having a baby.

Or the object of a sentence:

• We went to a lovely restaurant, where we both had steak.

Or the sentence as a whole.

• She gave me some money, which was very nice of her.

Common Mistakes:

Some Students do not put the non-defining relative clause close to the noun it describes.

• The chemicals flow into rivers, which are toxic. (wrong)

• The chemicals, which are toxic, flow into rivers. (correct)

Teach students numbers 1-10 and get students to repeat numbers in a circle to practice. Start with a different student each time so students get to practice all of the numbers.

These flashcards are useful for quick revisions in classes as well as many fun games to help reinforce number vocabulary. Your students will love the bright colours and cute pictures! Use the flashcards in lessons to:

• do pop quizzes on their names
• play Memory
• indicate points
• scramble and re-order (timed challenge)

You can also print the cards and display them as colourful classroom posters.