The Tale of Desperaux: Simple Present

I love this animated movie. The story is touching and funny. I had to use something from the film, so I used this scene for the simple present tense. Basic learners can perform the tasks easily, but if you think the language used in the segment will scare them away, use it with intermediate students.



I just can't live without animated movies. I love this one. Desperaux is such a cute hero that everyone would like to have that little mouse in their house - I guess!



A. Work with a partner. Choose a holiday you celebrate where you live (Ex: Carnaval, Thanksgiving). Write down 5 sentences saying what people do during the holiday.





Ex: CARNAVAL





1. People wear funny costumes.





2. They dance the samba.




OUR HOLIDAY: ___________





1. _____________________


2. _____________________


3. _____________________


4. _____________________


5. ____________________



B. Now watch the segment and write down 5 things people do during the holiday, Soup Day.

1. ______________________

2. _____________________

3. _____________________

4. _____________________

5. _____________________





C. Now look at the sentences you wrote in exercise A. Do people perform the activities you wrote about your holiday on Soup Day? Write down 3 sentences saying what they don't do.

Ex: They don't wear funny costumes.
They don't dance the samba.


1. _____________________

2. ____________________

3. ____________________



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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE TALE OF DESPERAUX

Footloose: Modal Verbs for Obligation, Prohibition, and Permission

This new version of the 80's Footloose does not have the impact or charm of the original version, but the opening scene is shocking and thought-provoking. It is also controversial, which makes it debatable.





I. Watch the movie segment and say what youngsters must, must not, can, or don't have to do, according to the new rules decided by the City Council of Bomont.





1. Minors _________ obey the curfew.

2. They ______________ dance lasciviously in public places.

3. Minors _______ be home by 10 pm on weeknights and 11 pm on weekends. Youngsters who are above 18 ________ obey the curfew.

4. Individuals ___________ organize public gatherings where minors engage in inappropriate activities, such as consumption of alcohol or unlawful drugs.

5. Minors __________ listen to vulgar or demeaning amplified music.

6.  Adults __________ advise their children of what is good for them if they wish, but they ____________ help them break the law.

7. Minors ____________ to be happy about the new decision, but they _________ respect and accept the decision.





















Discuss:

1. Do you agree with the prohibition?

2. What did the teens do wrongly, in your opinion?

3. Should the City Council decide what people can or can't do to have fun? Explain.

4. What are the possible consequences of such a drastic decision?

WORKSHEET


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - FOOTLOOSE


Answer key:

1. Must
2. Must not
3. Must / don't have to
4. Must not
5. Must not
6. Can/ Can't
7. Don't have to / Must

Johnny English Reborn: Imperative Forms

This is a really funny movie with a lot of scenes that can be used in the classroom. This funny one is wonderful for imperative forms.


I. Before watching the segment, put the words in the right order in order to make imperative sentences:

1. her / shut / up

2. up / lock / it

3. that / maintain / tone

4. confrontation / keep / avoid / eye-contact / and

5. water table / go / the / stand / to / up / and / coffee

6. your / pocket / go /  to / right

7. act / just / natural

8. trigger / pull / the

9. fire / hold / your

10. lose / don't / him


II. Watch the segment now and check your answers.


















III. Make a list with instructions for your partner to perform. Try to use make the scene as close as possible to the one you have just seen. If you prefer, you may make the scene completely different from the original one, but you must use imperative forms to give your instructions.

S1: Drinks the magic potion and does whatever he is told.

S2: Gives the instructions/commands


WORKSHEET


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN

Answer key:



Shut her up

lock it up

maintain that tone

avoid confrontation and keep eye-contact

 stand up and go to the coffee table

go to your right pocket

just act natural

pull the trigger

hold your fire

don't lose him

Megamind: Adversative Conjunctions

This is one of my favorite animated movies. Megamind is a lovely villain, with an incredible background story. I used this scene to practice the use of adversative conjunctions in a contextualized manner.

 I. Watch the segment and decide if the sentences below refer to Evil (Megamind) or Mr. Goody Two-Shoes. Write (M) if it is about Megamind or (G) if it about Mr. Goody.



Mr. Goody Two Shoes (G)

Evil - Megamind (M)


















1. Landed in the White House ( )
    Landed in a the Metro City Prison for the Gifted ( )

2. Was adopted by the presidential family ( )
     Was adopted by the prisoners ( )

3. Had life handed to him on a silver platter ( )
    Was taught the difference between right and wrong by the prisoners ( )

4. Had the power of flight, invulnerability and and great hair ( )
    Had his amazing intellect. ( )

5. Had already amassed an a gigantic army of soft-headed groupies ( )
    Was given an opportunity to better himself. ( )

6. Is sent to quiet time in the corner. ( )
    Receives all the praise, adulation. ( )

7. Was destined to be a super villain. ( )
    Was destined to be Megamind's rival. ( )


II. Connect both sentences with one of the adversity conjunctions below. Mind punctuation. Try not to repeat the conjunctions.

BUT / HOWEVER / IN CONTRAST / WHILE / WHEREAS / ON THE OTHER HAND / THOUGH (FINAL POSITION)

Ex: Goody landed on the White House whereas Megamind landed on the Metro State Prison for the Gifted.
or
Whereas Megamind landed on the Metro State Prison for the Gifted, Goody landed on the White House.

2. ___________________________________
3.___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ___________________________________
7. ___________________________________

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MEGAMIND



Answer key:

I.

1. Landed in the White House (G)
    Landed in a the Metro City Prison for the Gifted (M)

2. Was adopted by the presidential family (G)
     Was adopted by the prisoners (M)

3. Had life handed to him on a silver platter (G)
    Was taught the difference between right and wrong by the prisoners (M)

4. Had the power of flight, invulnerability and and great hair (G)
    Had his amazing intellect. (M)

5. Had already amassed an a gigantic army of soft-headed groupies (G)
    Was given an opportunity to better himself. (M)

6. Is sent to quiet time in the corner. (M)
    Receives all the praise, adulation. (G)

7. Was destined to be a super villain (M)
    Was destined to be Megamind's rival (G)

II. Answers will vary.

27 Dresses: Present Perfect

Romantic comedies are not my cup of tea, but they are wonderful sources of activities. 27 dresses is no exception. This scene is great for practicing the present perfect tense.

I. Talk to a partner:


1. Have you ever had insomnia? How often does it happen?


2. What do you do when you just can't sleep?


3. What makes you lose your sleep?


4. When you can't sleep, do you insist on trying to sleep or do you get up and do something else until you fall asleep?



II. Look at the activities below. Check the ones you usually do when you have a hard time to fall asleep.


1. ( ) read a magazine

2. ( ) read a book

3. ( ) use the computer

4. ( ) moisturize your hands with cream

5. ( ) work out

6. ( ) clean the stove

7. ( ) speak to yourself out loud

8. ( ) talk to your sister (or someone else)

9. ( ) dance

10. ( ) eat


III. Watch the movie segment and check what the main character has done during her insomnia.


IV. Now write sentence in the present perfect tense saying what she has (not) done during the whole night.


Ex:


1. She has read a magazine.

2. She hasn't read a book.


Answer key:

III. Don't check 2, 9, 10


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MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - 27 DRESSES

Home on the Range: There + to Be

Animated movies are just great. This one is not an exception. I used this scene with beginners, practicing the use of THERE TO BE with farm animals and food items. I hope you like it.

I. Watch the segment. Read the items below and check the ones you managed to see during the scene.

( )  a black cow


( )  chickens

( ) chicks

( ) bananas

( ) apples

( ) a goat

( ) corn

( ) a dog

( ) a duck

( )  bees

( ) grapes

( )  pigs

( )   a rooster

( ) eggs

( )  a brown cow

III. Now write sentences about the items in exercise A, using There is (isn't) or There are (aren't). Remember that you may use Any and Some in your sentences


Ex: There is a black cow.
      There are some chickens

WORKSHEET


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - HOME ON THE RANGE

Answer key:

You won't see bananas, a dog, and grapes


OPTION 2 - MOVIE SEGMENTS TO TEACH CHILDREN GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY

I.              Brainstorm names of animals.

II.             Slides with farm and zoo animals. Give each student a letter, F (farm) or Z (zoo). Tell students to stand up and say the name of the animal they see projected on the board if the animal corresponds to the category they have (farm or zoo animal).

III.            Students watch the movie segment.

I.             

Project on the board the following chart and ask students to say what they have seen in the segment (T: Is there a black cow?...)

	A black cow		A duck
	Chickens		Bees
	Chicks		Parrots
	Cats		Pigs
	A Fish		A rooster
	A goat		A Dog
	A Horse		A brown cow

II.             Slides with the animals in IV. Tell students to make a line to participate in a game. The T projects the pictures and vocabulary from the chart in IV. The first student in line chooses the ball that corresponds to the scene they’ve watched (red – there is, green – there isn’t, blue – there are, yellow – there aren’t) and tries to throw it into a basket. When he/she hits the basket, he/she has to say a complete sentence (e.g. There is a chicken.).

III.            Ask students to write sentences about the items in IV, using There is (isn’t) or There are        

(aren’t).

Planet 51: Passive Voice with Present Perfect

This has been one of the animated movies that I have laughed most. Its humor is clever and extremely attractive to both adults and children. I strongly recommend it. I used this scene to practice the passive voice use with present perfect statements, because the astronaut day's hasn't ended yet, so we can contextualize the grammar point easily.






A. Watch the movie segment and check what has happened to the astronaut since he landed on Planet 51. Fill in the blanks with the present perfect tense of the given verbs. Decide if you will use affirmative or negative forms according to the segment.

1. The astronaut ______ (place) a flag on Planet 51.

2. A boy ______ (ask) him an autograph.

3. A strange pet _________ (attack) him.

4. The pet ______ (chase) him.

5. The astronaut ________ (scare) a boy and his mother at lunch time.

6. A boy on a bike _________ (run over) him.

7. He _________ (find) other humans.

8. He ________ (take off) his suit.


B. Now rewrite the sentences above using passive voice.

Ex: 1. A flag has been placed on Planet 51 (by the astronaut).


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - PLANET 51

WORKSHEET

Answer key:
A. 1. has placed / 2. has asked / 3. has attacked / 4. has chased / 5. has run over / 6. hasn't found / 7. hasn't taken off
B.
2. He has been asked for an autograph (by a boy).
3. He has been attacked by a strange pet.
4. He has been chased (by the pet).
5. He has been run over by a boy on a bike.
6. Other humans haven't been found.
7. His suit hasn't been taken off. A peer of mine said that he had used a slides presentation with links to my passive voice activities. I was sent the link and came across this really cool and thorough class on passive voice. I'm glad Simon Friend used my blog for his video activities. His slides are effective, fun and constructive. Thanks Simon Friend for these really cool slides. Thanks for linking my site to it.

Merry Xmas!

Dear Friends,

I'm having a vacation break now. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a Happy 2013. Brand new posts will come out in mid-January. Thanks for your constant support.


Claudio Azevedo

Water for Elephants: Possessives ('s), Vocabulary Practice - Circus & Colors

This is one of the best romantic films that I saw last year. I used this scene to talk about circus and possessives ('s)



I. Check the artists/activities you can see in the segment.


 Acrobats


 
 Trapeze swinger


 

 Contortionist


 

 Stilts walker


 

Juggler


 

 Daredevil








Clowns





Human cannonball


 



Fire eater



 

 Magician






 Animal acts




Tightrope walker

 

Lion tamer

 

Ringmaster





II. Look at the character's clothes and animals. Decide which color they are.

The acrobats:

The clown:

The dog:

The horses:

The Ringmaster:

The trapeze swingers


III. Write sentences saying the colors. Follow the example:

The ringmaster's clothes are red.


WORKSHEET


MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Burlesque: Simple Past x Present Perfect

I love Cher and this movie. Tho movie has great dancing and musicals. It is worth seeing, for sure. The opening scene is wonderful to contrast the use of the simple past and present perfect tenses.




I. Watch the movie segment and decide if the activities refer to to her past - finished actions - (PA) or if they are still in progress in her present days unfinished actions - (PR).


















1. ( ) Practice on the bar stage

2. ( ) Pack her bags

3. ( ) walk away from her hometown

4. ( ) buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles

5. ( ) travel by bus to LA

6. ( ) look for auditions in LA

7. ( ) stay in a small hotel room

8. ( ) have a hard time with the auditions

9. ( ) be happier in LA than in her hometown


II. Rewrite the sentences below in either the simple past or present perfect tenses. Mind whether the actions are finished or unfinished to justify your choices.


WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BURLESQUE

Answer key: ITEMS 1 - 5 - PAST
                  ITEMS  6 - 9  - PRESENT


II.

When she lived in her hometown,


1. She practiced in a bar stage
2. She packed her bags
3. She walked away from her hometown
4. She bought a one-way ticket to LA
5. She traveled to LA by bus

 Now that she is in Los Angeles,


6. She has looked (has been looking) for auditions in LA
7. She has stayed in a small hotel in LA
8. She has had (has been having) a hard time with the auditions
9. She has been happier in LA than in her hometown

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Modal Verbs for Advice - Should

This used to be one of my favorite childhood movies and the remake is absolutely fabulous. I used this scene to have students practice modals for advice in a contextualized manner.


I. Watch the movie segment and make a list of 4 inappropriate behaviors these children have. Observe both  Veruca and Augustus to come up with sentences.


VERUCA:

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

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

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

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


AUGUSTUS:

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

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

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

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


II. Rewrite your sentences above, using modals for advice.


III. Imagine you are supposed to give these children's parents advice. Pair up with a partner. One of you is Veruca's mother and the other one is Augustus' s mother. Role play a situation, giving each other advice for better behavior.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Order of Adjectives

This is one of the best romantic comedies of all times. The cultural conflict, good humor, and clever plot make it stand out the others. It is full of scenes you can use in your classroom.

A. Watch the movie segment and choose the best order for the given adjectives.

1. They are wearing (resistant / beige) stockings

2. The bridesmaids are polishing their nails with a (gorgeous /orange / nail) polisher.

3. They are putting on some (elegant / silver / high heels) shoes.

4. All the bridesmaid are wearing similar (blue / silk ) dresses.

5. The bride is wearing a (beautiful /white / wedding) dress.

6. The bridesmaids are (excited / young) gals.

Answer key:
Here the answers are in the correct order. Use the worksheet for mixed alternatives.




WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING

Silent Hill: Modals for Possibility - MIGHT COULD MUST

The first scene of the movie is intriguing. You have a lot to speculate about. Ask your students to use their imagination doing the exercises.

I. Watch the movie segment and write 3 sentences for the questions below.

Use MIGHT and COULD (slight possibility), MUST (great possibility) or CANT (impossibility).

1. What happened in Silent Hill?

a .............................................

b ............................................

c ............................................

2. What kind of city is Silent Hill?

a ...........................................

 b ..........................................

 c ..........................................

3. What will happen if they go to Silent Hill by themselves?

a ..........................................
 

b .........................................

c .........................................

4. How will the child's father react when he finds out his wife and child went to Silent Hill

without him?

a .........................................

b ........................................

c .........................................

II. Work with the class as a whole. First, read your sentences with MUST out loud and decide which is the most plausible explanation for each of the questions.

III. Now read your sentences with the other modals and decide which one is the most far fetched for each of the questions.

WORKSHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - SILENT HILL