Mr. Woodcock: Modals for Obligation - Must, Can't

This movie is funny and this opening scene shows the traumatic experience the main character had with his mother's future husband, Mr Woodcock, the teacher. I used it to practice modals for obligation and prohibition.

A. Work in small groups. Make a list of 5 qualities or characteristics a good teacher must (has to) have and which ones he can't have.

He / She MUST:

1 ................................................
2 ................................................
3.................................................
4 ................................................
5 ................................................

He / She CAN'T:

1 ................................................
2 ...............................................
3 ...............................................
4 ...............................................
5 ...............................................

B. Now watch the movie segment. Which of the characteristics you have listed before apply to Mr. Woodcock?

C. Imagine you are talking to Mr. Woodcock now. Tell him what he must (has to) do and what he can't do to become a better teacher.

1 .....................................................
2 ....................................................
3 ....................................................
4 ...................................................
5 ...................................................

D. Talk to a partner:

1. Would you like to have a teacher like Mr. Woodcock? Why (not)?

2. Have you ever had a teacher like him? If so, talk about it.

3. What would you do if your teacher treated you like Mr. Woodcock treated some of his students?

4. Are there teachers like Woodcock?

5. Who is your favorite teacher? Why do you like him / her so much?



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Reservation Road: Past Modal - Should - Expressing Regrets

This is a shocking scene that pictures a common current event in our society. Hit and run. I chose it to practice expressing regrets using past modal verbs. The movie is really interesting and the ending is great. I recommend it.





A. Talk to a partner:



1. Have you ever witnessed a car accident? What happened?

2. Is traffic a problem where you live? Explain it.

3. Are traffic laws too strict, too lenient or just fair? Justify your answer.

4. What can be done to improve the traffic flow and prevent accidents?

5. What is hit and run? What should the punishment be in that kind of accident?

6. What about drinking and driving?





B. Watch the video segment and read the items below. Check the characters' wrong decisions.


( ) 1. The boy didn't fasten his seatbelt.


( ) 2. The family stopped at a gas station.


( ) 3. The driver answered his cell phone while he was driving.


( ) 4. Josh's parents left him by himself too close to the main road.


( ) 5. The driver didn't stop to rescue the victim.


( ) 6. The driver lied to his son about the accident.


C. Rewrite the sentences you checked expressing regrets. Use should + have + past participle in your sentences.


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Answer key:

B.

1. The boy should have fastened his seatbelt.
2. The family shouldn't have stopped...
3. The driver shouldn't have answered...
4. Josh's parents shouldn't have left him...
5. The driver should have stopped...
6. The driver shouldn't have lied...

How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which the characters perform actions they regret.
- Select a few of their wrong decisions.
- Have students check the ones that the characters might regret
- Ask the students to write down sentences expressing regrets using the past modal should

Coraline: Past Perfect x Simple Past

I loved this movie, but I believe many children might have been afraid at certain scenes of this highly creative film. I used it to have students combine sentences with the past perfect and simple past tenses.


A. Take a look at the pair of sentences below. Write 1 next to the action that took place first and 2 next to the one that took place later.




___ Coraline went through a purple tunnel.
___ She entered a beautiful, neat living room.


___ She smelled something good.
___ She saw her other mother cooking in the kitchen.


___ Coraline talked to her other mother in the kitchen.
___ Her father sang her a song.


___ Coraline ate some chicken.
___ She drank some mango milk shake.


___ She went to bed in a comfortable bedroom.
___ She saw and talked to her friends in the picture.


B. Now connect the sentences above using the past perfect tense for the action that took place first and the simple past tense for the action that took place later.

Ex: Coraline had gone through a purple tunnel when she entered a beautiful, neat living room.



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How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which there is a sequence of events.

• Prepare an exercise in which the students have to decide which action took place first.

• Students write 1 or 2 next to the actions, according to the order of the events in the segment

• Students combine both sentgences using the simple past or the past perfect tenses.

Falling Down: Present Continuous

This is a classic movie with a very current issue. Living in big cities seems to be getting harder and harder. I took advantage of this scene to practice the present continuous tense.

A. Talk to a partner:


1 - Do you face traffic jams to go to school or work?

2 - What do you do to kill time?

3 - Is it dangerous to be locked inside your car during a traffic jam? Explain.

4 - Do you prefer to live in a big city or in a small town? Why?



B. Before watching the scene, check the items you do when you are stuck in a traffic jam.


( ) 1. Throw objects at passers-by.

( ) 2. Talk on the phone

( ) 3. Listen to the radio.

( ) 4. Put on some lipstick.

( ) 5. Honk the horn.

( ) 6. Play games.

( ) 7. Leave the car and walk home.

( ) 8. Sleep in the car.

( ) 9. Read a book.

( ) 10. Do my homework.



C. Now write sentences saying who is performing the activities above during the traffic jam.


Ex: 1. Some children are throwing objects at the passers-by.

2......................................................................................

3......................................................................................

4......................................................................................

5.....................................................................................

6.....................................................................................

7.....................................................................................

8.....................................................................................

9.....................................................................................

10...................................................................................






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How to make your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which several characters are performing different activities at the same time

- Make sure the activities are still in process.

- List activities the characters are performing and other ones that other people would probably be doing as well if they were there.

- Ask sts to tell each other what they usually do when they are in such situation.

- Have students watch the segment and write sentences saying what the characters are actually doing in the segment.

17 Again: Present Perfect

This is one of those movies with a creative, original idea. Going back in time and being young again is always great for food for thought because this film is witty and fun. I used the whole idea of the film and segment to have students practice the use of the present perfect and present perfect continous tense, using already, still and yet in a meaningful manner. I. Watch the movie segment and put yourself in the main characters shoes. Imagine you have gone 20 years back in time. You meet your best friend, who is now 20 years younger than you, and tell him what you have accomplished in your life since then (if you are not old enough to go back 20 years in time, make it 10 years).






You must use the present perfect tense.


Ex: I have become a lawyer.

1 .........................................................


2 ........................................................


3 .......................................................


4 .......................................................


II. Now tell your friend a few things that you still haven't done or haven't done yet in these 20 years but you intend to do soon.


1 .....................................................

2 ....................................................

3 ....................................................

4 ...................................................


IV. Switch roles with your partner.



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SEGMENT

American Beauty: Restrictive x Unrestrictive Relative Clauses

This is probably the best scene of this controversial movie. It is perfect to practice relative clauses, both defining and non-defining clauses. For the blog, I left the sententence out of order, but the correct matching has the same colors.




A. Watch the segment and match the two activities the same character(s) is (are) performing.

1. A man was shot
2. A couple was hugging each other on their bed
3. A beautiful blonde girl was putting on makeup in the bathroom
4. Carolyn was carrying a gun in the rain
5. A man had blood stains on his white shirt
6. Jenny was his beloved daughter



She heard a gunshot
They were surprised by the loud sound of a gunshot
She hid the gun inside her closet
He took off his wet shirt as soon as he got home
His whole life flashed in front of his eyes
She used to wear fairy clothes when she was a child



B. Combine both sentences by writing either restrictive or unrestrictive relative clauses. Mind punctuation.



C. Check which sentences you can leave the relative pronoun out.



Ex: 1 . The man whose life flashed in front of his eyes was shot.



Answer Key:

Correct matching:
3
2
4
5
1
6
Ex: 1 . The man whose life flashed in front of his eyes was shot.

2. The couple who was surprised by the loud gunshot was hugging each other on their bed.
3. The beautiful blonde who heard the gun shot was putting on some makeup in the bathroom.
4. Carolyn, who hid he gun in the closet, was carrying it in the rain.
5. The man who had blood stains on his shirt took it off as soon as he got home.
6. Jenny, who used to wear fairy clothes when she was a child, was his beloved daughter.




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Blade Runner: 2nd Conditional

I like showing classic movies to my students too. They learn about good film making and they get interested in them. This is my all time favorite and this scene is great for the students to practice using the 2nd (unreal) conditionals.

A. Talk to a partner about the following questions:

1. Do you believe that in the future androids or clones will be living among us? Justify it.

2. Will there ever be artificial pets? Why (not)?

3. Will life in the future be more or less violent? Explain.

4. Would you like to have a clone of yourself living with you or somewhere else? Why (not)?

B. Imagine you are being tested to see if you are a replicant (android). Before you watch the segment, write what would answer when a Blade Runner asked you the following series of questions. Answer them as simply as you can, but use the 2nd conditional

Situations:

1. It’s your birthday. Someone gives you a calfskin wallet.

2. You’ve got a little son. He shows you his butterfly collection plus the killing jar.

3. You’re watching television. Suddenly you realize there’s a wasp crawling on your arm.

4. You show the picture of a nude girl (man) to your husband (wife) and he likes it so much he (she) hangs it on the bedroom wall.

5. You’re watching a play. The guests are enjoying raw oysters and boiled dog.


C. Now watch the segment and write Rachael’s answers to the same questions.
1............................................................................................

2............................................................................................

3...........................................................................................

4...........................................................................................

5...........................................................................................

D. Compare both Rachael and your answers. Were there any matches? Why do you think the answers revealed she was a replicant?

Answer key:
Rachael’s answers:

1. She wouldn’t accept it and report the person who gave it to her to the police.

2. She’d take him to the doctor.

3. She’d kill it.

4. She wouldn’t let him .

5. She couldn’t answer the question.

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