Imagine That: Non-Count Nouns Made Countables

A. Watch the movie segment. Then underline the non-count nouns in the sentences below. Next, use one of the the phrases below to make the non-count nouns you underlined countable.


a piece of

a grain of

a game of

a type (kind) of

a symbol of

an act of

an article of

a bolt (flash) of

a clap of

a drop of

a bowl of

a spoon of



1. They used flour to to make pancakes.

2. They melted butter to fry the pancake.



3. The dad showed that kindness can bring the family together.



4. He showed behavior that most parents don’t usually have with their children.



5. they prayed before the meal, which showed faith.



6. He threw the food away before eating it.

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Possible Answers:

1. a bowl of flour
2. a spoon of butter
3. an act of kindness
4. a kind of behavior
5. a symbol (act) of faith
6. a piece of the food

Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian: Past Continuous

This is a great scene. I like the movie because the idea of bringing historical characters back to life is sensational. This segment is perfect to practice the past continuous tense (or present continuous tense, if you prefer, with adaptations).



A. Talk to a partner:

1. Do you like museums? When did you last go to a museum? Which one was it?

2. What's your favorite kind of museum?

3. Why are museums important?

4. What's your opinion about museums? Are they boring or exciting? Explain it.



B. Watch the movie segment and write down what the people in New York City were doing to celebrate the Japanese surrender during World War II and in Central Park in the pictures below. Make sure you write different actions for each of the pictures.

An unnamed U.S. sailor boldly celebrates Japan's surrender with an unnamed, passing nurse, in Times Square, New York, August 15, 1945 - Alfred Eisenstadt, Life Magazine

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

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

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

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

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















Skating in Central Park
Agnes Tait




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

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

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


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Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist: Should (Advice) x Should Have (Past Regrets)

This is an enjoyable movie. This scene shows a beautiful girl doing humiliating things because of the excess of drinking that night. It is great to have students practice giving advice and expressing past regrets, contrasting the use of SHOULD to give advice and in the past to express regrets. Remember that this topic may be sensitive. If you think it is inappropriate for your group of students or your culture, don't use it.

A. Talk to a partner. Discuss the following questions:

1 - Are alcoholic beverages sold freely in your country? What are the regulations on the issue?

2 - What's your opinion about drinking and driving? What should the punishment be?

3 - When is it OK to drink alcoholic beverages?

B. Imagine the following situation.


Imagine that some foreign friends of yours are going out tonight in your city to celebrate a very special occasion. Unfortunately, you have an appointment and you can't go with them. They want do have fun, drink, eat something nice, and meet some interesting girls (guys). Which place would you choose and why?



C. Write down 6 pieces of advice to your friends to enjoy the night in your city safely. Use affirmative and negative statements with SHOULD (NOT).


(AFF)

1 - ............................................


2 - .............................................


3 - .............................................



(NEG)


4 - ..............................................


5 - ..............................................


6 - ..............................................



D. Watch the segment now. Imagine the main character, the drunk girl, was with your group of friends. She drank too much and is extremely inappropriate.





E. Make a list of 5 things she should not have done:

1 - .........................................


2 - .........................................


3 - .........................................


4 - .........................................


5 - .........................................

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Shallow Hal: 2nd Conditional

This scene is great because it's unique. Jack Black's character sees his beloved extremely fit and gorgeous, but he doesn't know she is actually a very fat girl. Despite the prejudice, he eventually falls in love with her because of her inner beauty. This scene is perfect for the students to practice the 2nd conditional, imagining the characters seeing the true picture of the events. Here's the lesson plan:

Gwenyth Paltrow plays the love interest of Hal (Jack Black) in this comedy about a shallow man who falls in love with a very fat (but inwardly beautiful woman), because he is hypnotized into believing she is outwardly beautiful.

. Hal's imaginary Rosie and Real Rosie.

A. Watch the segment and check the items of what happened in the video but would definitely be different if rosie were actually as thin as Hal’s imaginary Rosie.


1. Hal told her a bad taste joke about the underwear she was buying.

2. Rosie didn’t understand Hal’s jokes.

3. He had to apologize for his jokes.

4. She ordered a huge meal.

5. The waiter wasn’t surprised by the order

6. The chair broke.

7. Two guys made fun of Rosie’s takeout meal.

8. They didn’t envy Hal’s bragging about his girlfriend.


B. Now rewrite the sentences above using the second conditional. You may use WOULD – if you’re sure - MIGHT, COULD – if you are not 100 % sure.

If Rosie _________________ (be) as thin as Hal’s imaginary Rosie,

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Teacher’s Key

B. If Rosie were as thin as Hals imaginary Rosie,

1. Hal wouldn’t tell…
2. She would understand…
3. He wouldn’t have to…
4. She wouldn’t (might not) order…
5. The waiter wouldn’t (mightn’t) be ….
6. The chair wouldn’t break
7. The guys wouldn’t (mightn’t) make…
8. They would envy…

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Falling Down: Past Perfect - By the Time...

This movie is about an ordinary man who reacts very aggressively to everyday stressing situations we all face in our routines. Because many things happen before the end of the scene. I prepared an activity in which the students will write down sentences in the past perfect tense after or before expression with BY THE TIME...





A. Talk to a partner:





1 - What kind of customer are you? Do you complain when the service is poor or do you prefer to remain quiet and forget it?





2 - Tell your partner about a situation in which you had to be firm to grant your rights as a consumer.





3 - What's your opinion about the service provided to the citizens in your country (town)?





4 - Is it worth complaining? Justify it.







B. Watch the movie segment and check the items of what had happened by the time he asked the hostages in the resaturant a question about the sandwich quality (the end of the scene).





( ) 1. The restaurant stopped serving breakfast.



( ) 2. Sheila called the manager to solve the situation.



( ) 3. The main character told everyone to sit down.



( ) 4. He accidentally shot the roof.



( ) 5. The manager decided to serve breakfast.



( ) 6. He changed his mind and ordered lunch.



( ) 7. One of the customers vomited her sandwhich.



( ) 8. He complained about the sandwich he ordered.



( ) 9. He apologized to the manager.



( ) 10. The police arrived.









C. Rewrite the sentences above with the correct verb tense. Complete the first sentence and rewrite the other ones, according to the segment.





By the time he ___________ the hostages a question about the quality of the sandwich,



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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







Answer Key:



B. All the items should be checked, except #10.





C.

1. The restaurant had stopped...

2. Sheila had called...

3. He had told...

4. He had accidentally shot...

5. The manager had decided...

6. He had managed...

7. One of the customers had vomited...

8. He had complained...

9. He had apologized...

10. The police hadn't arrived...

How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which several a/completed ctions take place by the time something happens.

- List the actions that took place before the final moment.

- Have students write sentences about the actions using the past perfect and by the time... the final action takes place.

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The Hitcher: Modal Verb SHOULD - Advice

This movie is a classic that has changed many people's opinions about giving rides to strangers on roads. I took advantage of the opening scene to have student practice modal verbs for advice - SHOULD - OUGHT TO.




Before watching the segment:


A. Talk to a partner. Make a list of what drivers should and should not do when they travel by car alone during the night.


What drivers should (ought to) do:
1 - ........................................................
2 - ........................................................
3 - ........................................................
4 - ........................................................


What drivers shouldn't (oughtn't to) do:
1 - .........................................................
2 - ........................................................
3 - ........................................................
4 - ........................................................


B. Watch the segment now. Check which of the pieces of advice you came up with in exercise A the main character of the movie did not follow.


C. Talk to a partner. For your information, the driver will manage to escape. Come up with the conclusion of the scene knowing that the hitcher won't achieve his goal, which was to kill the driver. Be creative; use your imagination.


D. Share your stories with the whole class and choose the most creative one.


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How to develop your own video activity.

- Select a scene in which the characters disobey the law or do things they will regret.
- Ask students to give pieces of advice for one to follow in such situations.
- Play the scene you had selected.
- Have students check which pieces of advice were not followed by the characters.

Love Actually: Reported x Direct Speech

This is a very romantic scene. For this segment, I decided to work on reported speech differently from the previous exercises. Here the students have to rewrite the indirect sentences in direct speech.

Talk to a partner:

1. Are you a romantic person? Do you like romantic lovers? Why?

2. What kind of things does a romantic person do? Make a list of at least five different things.

3. What was the most romantic scene someone has ever done for you? Describe it.


B. Read the sentences below. They are indirect speech. Rewrite them using direct speech, supposing the guy in the movie segment is talking directly to the girl he loves.





1. He told her to say it was Carols Singers.

.............................................


2. He said he would be going out with one of those girls.

.............................................


3. He said that she was perfect to him.

.............................................

4. He said that his wasted heart would love her until she looked like that.

............................................

5. He wished her Merry Christmas.

............................................

C. Talk to a partner:


1. What is your opinion about this scene? Is it romantic or tacky?

2. Would you like your sweetheart to be more or less romantic? Why?

3. What do you consider important in a relationship? Rank the five most important things for a romance to work out.

4. Share your list with he rest of the class. Which one was the most voted?


Answer Key:
B.
1. Say it’s Carol Singers.
2. I will be going out with one of these girls.
3. You are perfect to me.
4. My wasted heart will love you until you look like this.
5. Merry Christmas!

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