What is the most important innovation of the last 100 years?

You are going to

• discuss innovation and invention
• listen to descriptions of 3 inventions
• do some comprehension exercises based on the clips
• do a presentation on your choice for the most important innovation of the last 100 years / take part in a balloon debate

1) Discuss
What do you think are the most important innovations or inventions of the last 100 years?
Make a list and choose 3.

• Why are they important?
• Who invented them?
• What would life be like without them?

2) Listen
You are going to listen to three people talk about the innovation they think is the the most important of the last 100 years.
The choices are taken from http://www.topbritishinnovations.org/

Tim Berners-Lee

1) Brian Eno talks about the World Wide Web

Brian Eno is a musician.
Why does he think the world wide web is important?

Click play below to listen

listen to ‘Brian Eno talks the world wide web...’ on Audioboo

Now do the gap-fill exercise

Read more http://www.topbritishinnovations.org/PastInnovations/WorldWideWeb.aspx

Alexander Flemming

2) Sir Paul Nurse talks about Penicillin

Sir Paul Nurse is President of the Royal Society (the UK’s national academy of science) and also a Nobel Laureate.

Why does he think penicillin is important?

Click play below to listen

listen to ‘Sir Paul Nurse ’ on Audioboo

Now do the sentence matching exercises below.

Read more http://www.topbritishinnovations.org/PastInnovations/Penicillin.aspx




 

LEO

3) Georgina Ferry talks about LEO 
(the first business computer)

Georgina Ferry is a science writer.
Why does she think LEO is important?

Click play below to listen

listen to ‘Georgina Ferry’ on Audioboo

Now answer the questions below.

Read more http://www.topbritishinnovations.org/PastInnovations/LEOI.aspx

Printable worksheets here





3) Read
Read and vote for the top British Innovation here

Top British Innovations A - Z

 

4) Speak
Activity - Balloon debate. The most important innovation of the last 100 years.
Choose an invention that you think is the most important and present your argument to the class.
The class votes for the best one.

• Introduce yourself
• Introduce the innovation / invention
• Give some background detail - Why was the invention needed?
• Who invented it? How? When? Where?
• What  effect has it had on modern life?
• What would life be today without it?
• Why should your classmates vote for it? 

You can find some help on presentations here Presentations: How to Present Yourself








Now try these posts

Accidental Inventions and Hidden Heroes  FCE, Intermediate, Inventions, Inventors, Listening, Past Continuous, Past Simple, Science, Tenses Review, Upper Intermediate 

Looking to the Future - Activities and Achievements, Discussion Activities, Future, Future Continuous, Future Perfect, Intermediate, Predictions, Targets, Technology, Upper Intermediate

What's the deal? (The Dragons' Den / Negotiating)

You are going to

• watch a video clip from the BBC TV series "The Dragons' Den"
• do a gap-fill exercise practising some business vocabulary
• look at and practise the language of negotiation

1) Discuss

• Do you like puzzles and games?
• Have you ever tried to solve the Rubik's Cube?
• What about the Bedlam Cube?

Bedlam Cube

Rubik's Cube

• Have you ever tried to convince someone that something is a good idea?
• Could you convince some investors to invest money in an idea you've had?
• How would you "pitch" your idea?

You are going to watch Danny Bamping pitching for his company “Bedlam Puzzles” on the BBC TV series Dragons' Den

Dragons' Den is a TV series in which budding entrepreneurs get three minutes to pitch their business ideas to five multi-millionaires willing to invest up to £100,000 of their own money .




Here are the five multi-millionaires (the "Dragons")

The product idea Danny is trying to sell them is the “Bedlam Cube”
Will he be successful?
Will he get the £100,000 he needs?
Watch and find out.

2) Before you watch / Vocabulary

Check you will understand some of the vocabulary in the clip by matching the words with the definitions in this exercise.

3) Watch the clip

• Does Danny reach a deal with the entrepreneurs?
• What is the deal?

Watch the clip on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zBQa2XyvWE





4) Fill in the gaps
Now read this summary of the clip. Fill in the gaps with a word from the list. Watch the clip again if you need to.

5) Read
What happened next?
Find out what happened after the program

http://www.lammo.net/dragons-den/267/dragons-den-where-are-they-now-bedlam-cube/

• Did Danny continue with the deal he made with the Dragons?
• Was the Bedlam Cube a success?

6) Formal language for negotiating

When negotiating or presenting ideas in a business situation it is often best to use polite, tentative and formal language.
Match the expressions on the right to the situations on the left.

Adapted from http://www.sonnerct.com/English_Phrases/7_Negotiations.htm

Printable worksheets here

7) More

BBC Dragons' Den business language glossary
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/business/glossary/a

How to present yourself
http://efllecturer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/presentations-how-to-present-yourself.html

Design your own TV commercial / advert
http://efllecturer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/commercial-break-tv-adverts-commercials.html

The Rolling Stones

You are going to

• read about the Rolling Stones
• look at a video and do a comprehension activity
• read a text and do matching activities
• practise asking questions
• listen to a song and do a gap-fill exercise
• practise the past
• make a presentation about your favourite band / singer

1) Introduction

• Do you like Rock music?
• Who is your favourite rock band?
• 2012 is the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Rolling Stones. What do you know about the Rolling Stones?

2) Read
Look at the presentation below. Click on it to open. 

1. Look at the pages. What can you find out about the Rolling Stones just by looking at the photos?
   
2. Read the text in it (best viewed in full screen) and follow the instructions. The text is the same as in exercise B below.

Vocabulary -  a gig = a show, a concert

Rolling stones from David Mainwood

B) Read the text again. There are 8 question headings for 8 paragraphs.
Read the text and choose the best question heading for each paragraph.

C) Ask Questions

Make questions for the answers from the text.

Listen to one of their most famous songs while you do the exercises - Jumping Jack Flash

3) Video
Watch the clip
1) Listen and find out

• Why have the Rolling Stones lasted so long?
• What has made them one of the biggest rock bands?

Answers - Highlight below

1. They "stayed together" and enjoy it.
2. Unique sound and lively shows 

2) What can you remember?
Do the matching exercises below. Match the year with the event

4) Listen / Song

"Sympathy for the Devil"
One of the Rolling Stones' most famous songs and one that has been used in films and covered by many other bands.

Watch the clip, listen to the song's lyrics and do the gap fill below.

Printable worksheets here

5) Discuss

What do you think of the Rolling Stones?
Who is your favourite band or singer?
Why do you like them?
Are they very popular? Why? / Why not?

6) Presentation / Speaking / Research / Writng (note taking)

Choose a band or singer you like and make a (powerpoint) presentation about them. Tell their story.
Look on the internet for some photos to illustrate your presentation.
Look for information but NEVER copy and paste. Just take notes. Select the important information.
Play some short clips of their music during your presentation.

Plan

• Introduce them - Who are they?
• Career - Give a short outline of their career
• Conclusion - Why are they popular / important / interesting / good..?

Advice

• This is a speaking activity so don't put too much written information in the presentation. 
• Never read text from the presentation. You should explain what your audience can already see.
• You can use notes to speak but the presentation should be mostly visual. 

See here for more http://efllecturer.blogspot.com.es/2011/05/presentations-how-to-present-yourself.html

More

Official site  http://www.rollingstones.com/

Learning / practice activities on the Beatles 

Shakira and Beyonce / Contrasting / Writing a Biography. 



Finally
Watch the Rolling Stones at their primitive best. Live at the Marquee club in London in 1971

Air New Zealand All Blacks Flight Safety Video

You are going to

1) Discuss flying and air safety procedures
2) Watch a flight safety video and do some comprehension activities
3) Look at and practise the following grammar points;
   a) the zero conditional with an imperative
   b) "should" and "were to" in conditionals to express improbability eg "If something should / were to happen..."
   c) language for advice, instructions and obligation
4) Write an instruction / advice leaflet
5) Adapt your leaflet into a powerpoint presentation or film

Teacher's notes; 

1. Answers are in the powerpoint presentation at the bottom of the post

2. The All Blacks are the New Zealand rugby team.

1) Discuss

• How often do you fly?
• Do you pay attention to the flight safety demonstrations?
• Do you know what to do in an emergency?
• Make a note of any vocabulary you need to explain what to do. For example; take off, land, exit, signs, seats, fasten, seat-belt, life-jacket, oxygen mask, overhead compartments, evacuate

2) Video 
a) Do you know..?
You are going to watch a flight safety video. How many of these questions do you know the answers to?

1. Where should you store your baggage?
2. What should you do if the seat-belt sign is switched on?
3. If an oxygen mask should drop down in front of you, what would you do?
4. What should you make sure of before you help anyone?
5. If an emergency were to happen during take-off or landing, what should you do?
6. How do you put on the life-jacket?
7. Where can you smoke?
8. How will you find the exit if there is no light?
9. What should you count?
10. What should you do with your mobile phone?

2b) Watch the video to check your answers

Air New Zealand - 'Crazy About Rugby' Safety Video from CDow on Vimeo.

2c) After you watch. How much can you remember? 

Finish the sentences.

1. Even if you fly with us often, please keep your eyes on the briefing.
2. Make sure all your baggage is stored away…
3. Whether you’re in the front row or the back…
4. We recommend you keep your seat-belt fastened throughout the flight, but…
5. If the seat-belt sign is switched on…
6. If an oxygen mask should drop down in front of you…
7. If there are young ones around you…
8. If an emergency were to happen during take-off or landing…
9. If you find yourself needing to smoke on this flight…
10. If you need to find your way out even if it’s All Black…
11. Should we need to evacuate…
12. Mobile phones can interfere with aircraft systems and mustn’t be used in flight unless...

Can't remember them all?

Try the matching exercise below

3) Discuss Grammar

1. What do these sentences have in common?
2. What's the difference between them?

   A) If an oxygen mask drops down in front of you, use it to breathe.

   B) If an oxygen mask were to drop down in front of you, use it to breathe.

   C) If an oxygen mask should drop down in front of you, use it to breathe.

   D) Should an oxygen mask drop down in front of you, use it to breathe.

3. Which 3 are the most unlikely? 

Practise
If + "were to... "  http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/wereto.html
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditional11.htm

Conditionals - Alternative forms http://esl.about.com/cs/advanced/a/gr_cond_alt_2.htm

4) Writing

Use the information from the video to write a flight safety advice leaflet.
or
Write a leaflet advising people what to do in an emergency
For example - A fire
Does your school or college have fire drills?
Do you know what to do and where to go if there was a fire?

Use some of the language from the video

• If the alarm were to ring...
• If the alarm should ring...
• Should the alarm ring...
• Make sure you...
• All students must...
• We recommend (that) you + verb

5) Speaking

Turn your leaflet from part 4 into a presentation or film.
Make a powerpoint presentation
or
direct and act in an instructional film telling people what to do in an emergency

6) Sporting vocabulary

This Air New Zealand video features the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team. There are many sporting expressions in the video. Read the transcript here http://lybio.net/air-new-zealand-crazy-about-rugby-safety-video/travel-events/  or watch the video again. How many can you find?

Make a note of any other vocabulary in the film that you find useful


 
More air safety videos http://www.carhire.org/blog/funny-flight-safety-videos


Powerpoint presentation (containing answers)
Click to start

Air safety from David Mainwood

More

• 3 Things I learned while my plane crashed by Ric Elias, Conditionals 1 and 2, Discussion Activities, IELTS, Listening, Reading, Upper Intermediate, Writing
• The very honest Austrian bus driver 2nd Conditional, Conditionals, Intermediate,
  Upper Intermediate
• What would happen if..? (2nd Conditional) Conditionals, Intermediate, Reading, Upper Intermediate, Webquest 
• What would have happened if..? 10 Inventors Killed by their own inventions (3rd Conditional).3rd Conditional, Advanced, Upper Intermediate Conditionals, Inventions, Inventors, Technology

 

 

Your City - Past and Present (a powerpoint project)

This is a student activity project which can be done with all levels and practises various grammar points including present and past tenses and the language of comparing and contrasting.

Teacher's notes

1. Find some old photos of your city or town from 50 -100 or more years ago
2. Go out and have students take photos of the same locations today
3. Students then prepare a powerpoint (see below) to compare and contrast the photos
4. Students should write a short descriptive paragraph describing each pair of photos (present and past). See below for structures to practise.
5. The powerpoint can then printed and turned into a booklet (ie a  souvenir for foreign students on a summer course) or class posters. It could also done as a presentation in class.
6. Students can also research online and write an introduction outlining some local history and points of interest.
7. Students can also write a conclusion stating whether they think there have been many changes and improvemets.

Language to practise

Elementary > Pre-intermediate 

• Adjectives
• Using present simple and continuous tenses and past simple and continuous tenses
• There is / are / was / were (n't)
• Some / any
• Countable nouns
• Articles
• Comparatives

Intermediate > Upper Intermediate

• Same as above plus
• Expressions to compare and contrast - both / also / however / on the other hand / although / moreover...
• Present perfect
• Passive
  
• Descriptive adjectives
• Stating opinions

Powerpoint Template

Here is a powerpoint template I prepared for a project on Southampton in the UK with a pre-intermediate class. The contemporary photos were mostly taken by the students on a group excursion (however google supplied one or two) and are occasionally a little dark but you get the idea...

• It's probably best to use google to find historic photos of your area but here is a site which is good for the UK http://grumpystumpy.com/
• If you can't get students to take photos then contemporary UK photos can be found here  http://www.geograph.org.uk/
• BBC's Turn Back Time is a similar idea and can be seen here

Southampton - Past and Present from David Mainwood

Discussion Ask students which photos they prefer - the past or the present. Why?
Is there anything good that we have lost from the past?
Would they like to travel back in time? When? Why?
What would they miss from the present?  





Writing (IELTS) - People nowadays work hard to buy more things. This has made our lives generally more comfortable but many traditional values and customs have been lost and it is a pity. To what extent do you agree or disagree?





Now try this post
Describe a city - Superlative Southampton Comparatives and Superlatives, Describing a place, Intermediate, Reading, Southampton, Upper Intermediate, Webquest 

A Commercial Break: TV Adverts / Commercials - Make and present your own advert / commercial

You are going to 

1. Watch some TV commercials and answer some questions
2. Discuss advertising
3. Make an ad of your own
4. Write about advertising

1) Intro - Watch this TV ad.

• How does it make you feel? 
• Is it scary, funny or both? 
• Is it memorable? 
• Do you think it's a good ad?
• What is the ad telling you about the car?

2) Discuss

• Do you watch adverts on TV?
• Do you like them?
• Can you remember any? Can you think of any funny ones?
• What do you think makes a succesful ad?
• What's a slogan? What examples can you think of?
• What makes a good slogan?
• What do ads usually have to make them memorable?

Answers (highlight here) = Music, Slogan, Humour, Images...

3) Watch the clip of TV adverts and answer the questions

1) How many of the ads are for

• shops
• electrical items
• central heating
• films
• insurance
• cameras

2) What nine products or businesses do they advertise?

Answers (highlight here) =

1) How many of the ads are for

• shops 3 - Wickes, Currys, M&S
• electrical items 3 - TV Recorder, 02, Currys,
• central heating 1 - Worcester
• films 1 - The King's Speech
• insurance 1 - Churchill
• cameras 1 - Cannon

2) What nine products or businesses do they advertise?

1. Wickes Kitchen units shop sale
2. Freeview plus box TV recorder
3. O2 phone network
4. Cannon cameras
5. Currys and PC World shop Sale
6. Worcestor home heating
7. Churchill home insurance
8. The King's Speech film
9. M&S shop Sale

 
3) Watch again. How many of the ads have slogans?
What are they?

Answers (highlight here) =
6 have slogans
1. It's got our name on it  
2. Buy today. Watch today. Free forever
3. We're better, connected
4. -
5. -
6. Thank Worcester for that.
7. Count on Churchill
8. -
9. Quality worth every penny

Watch these ads. Are they funny? Why do you think so many ads try to be funny?

Answer = It's a way of getting your attention and making you remember the product
Humour is one way advertising gets your attention. What other ways are used?
Suggested Answers = Excitement, appealing to the emotions, sex, music, glamour, making you feel happy...

More TV Ads here  http://www.tellyads.com/index.php

4) Group Presentation Activity - Make an Advert

Make an advert and present it to the class. Choose what you want to advertise eg a drink, a holiday, your school.... The ad can be video or audio. You should have a slogan and it should be short and memorable. You must present your ad to the class.

Think of what kind of language you can practise in the ad.  

• direct speech - "..... "
• imperatives - Buy one, get one free!, Hurry!
• conditionals - If you....
• superlatives - It's the best, the fastest, the cheapest....
• adjectives - new, modern, clean....
• typical phrases - (Up to) 15% off,  Offer ends 15th March, Save £50, Half price,

When you have finished

1.  Describe the product you are advertising.
2.  Explain why you chose to advertise your product in the way you did. 

Answer these questions to help you plan and reflect

What is your product?
What kind of an ad is it? (Radio or TV) Why did you choose to advertise the product in this way?
What is your target market? Old, young, teenagers...? (If you have any experience of marketing or business can you explain the best way to approach your chosen market?)
Do you have a logo or slogan? How / why did you choose it?
Is the Ad convincing? Does it appeal to people’s emotions or something more intellectual or both?
What presentational style did you choose (is the advert funny / informative / does it tell a story / has it got music / what kind?)
What kind of language did you use in the ad (formal / informal, direct speech, imperatives, conditionals, superlatives, adjectives…? Why?)
Did you use music? What music did you choose? Why?
Do you think your ad has the qualities to be successful? - is it memorable, persuasive, funny…?
What difficulties did you encounter when designing the ad?
What skills do you think you have learned from this challenging activity?
What should you remember to do next time you do a presentation activity?

5) Discuss

• Where do you see advertising?
• Do you think advertising is a good thing or a bad thing?
• Does it help you or annoy you?
• Do you think advertisers always tell the truth?
• Is some advertising informative?
• Should advertisers be allowed to advertise to children?
• Do you think advertising encourages stereotypes? 
• Do you think advertising encourages people to buy things they don't need?
• What effects does advertising have on business, people and society?

6)Write

Choose one

1) Advertising is all around us, it is an unavoidable part of everyone's life. Some people say that advertising is a positive part of our lives while others say it is negative. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. You should write at least 250 words. (IELTS)


2) Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree? You should write at least 250 words. (IELTS)

Presentations: How to Present Yourself

You are going to

• discuss giving presentations
• watch 2 videos giving advice on doing presentations
• do some comprehension activities

It's quite common to have to do powerpoint presentations nowadays. You may have to do one for study, work or in a job interview. In some EFL or ESOL exams you may have to talk on a topic for 1 or 2 minutes. It's always best to plan first.  

Watch these videos and answer the questions to help you plan your presentations.

 

1) Discuss - Presenting Yourself

• Do you like giving presentations? 
• How do you feel when you give a presentation?
• Do you have any advice for giving presentations?
• In groups see how much you can find out from each other in a minute
• Write a list of tips. Then watch the clips to check your ideas and answer the questions.

 

2) Watch "Presentational skills" by Doug Jefferys

Answer these questions.
1. What are the top 3 fears?
2. What is interesting about "death"?
    He says that at a funeral "The person giving the eulogy would rather be __ ___ ____.
3. What do we associate eye contact with?
4. Why should we pause?
5. What examples of body language does he give?
6. What does he say about planning effective content?

Answers (in black). Highlight here
1. Speaking to a group of people, heights, insects and bugs
2. Its low place on the list. It's second from bottom.
    in the box
3. Veracity / telling the truth
4. To ingest the last thing you said
5. Don't put your hands in your pockets, rules are broken by people who "can" (= because they have charisma)
6. - 1) Tell them how you are going to bore them.
      2) Bore them.
      3) Tell them how you bored them.

 

3) Watch  "How To Give A Good Presentation"

What are these students' 5 steps to giving a good presentation?
Make notes.

Answers (in black). Highlight here.

1) Planning; make sure you know who your audience is
Is your aim to inform entertain or persuade your audience?

2) Dealing with nerves; you never look as nervous as you think you do, breathe deeply

3) Structure; Intro, Main body and conclusion

4) Body language; eye contact, move around, no hands in pockets, don't speak too loud or too quiet, smile, use appropriate humour

5) Visual Aids; Powerpoint, Video or real objects to make it more interesting. Don't bore the audience 

Can the advice here be used for any other activities you do when studying?  -  
Answer  =   Numbers 1 and 3 can be used for planning writing

Discuss 

What advice the 2 videos have in common?