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This is a lesson plan I designed for Valentine’s day so it’s a bit late but who’s to say you can’t learn about love any day of the year? Download the teacher’s notes and student handout below:
A Love Story – Teacher’s notes
Preparation
Print out enough copies of the students’ handout for each student and enough copies of the pictures for students to work in pairs.
Step 1: Guess the Story
Give each pair a set of pictures and have them guess the order of the story. Tell them “this is the story of a relationship, you have to put it in order” you might want to put some simple sequencers on the board: “First, and then, afterwards, in the end etc.”
When they’ve finished choose a pair to tell their version of the story to the class, ask other groups if their version is different.
Step 2: Listening
Tell students that you are going to tell them the real story and they have to listen and put their pictures in the correct order. Read the story.
Step 3: Reading
Give out the handout but fold the paper so student cannot see the language focus exercise. Students read the story and check that they have the pictures in the correct order.
Step 4: Meaning from context
Have students try to guess the meaning of the expressions in bold from the context in pairs. Then go through the meanings on the board:
- love at first sight – fall in love when you first see someone
- check sb out – look at someone to decide if you’re attracted to them
- pluck up the courage – be brave
- chat sb up – flirt with sb
- ask sb out – arrange a date
- have a lot in common – have shared interests
- be made for each other – a perfect match/couple
- fall head over heels in love – fall madly/deeply in love with sb
- go out with sb – be in a relationship
- have a row – argue
- have a thing for sb – be attracted to sb
- break/split up – end a relationship
- get back together with sb – repair a relationship
- get down on one knee – kneel on one knee
- pop the question – propose to sb
- tie the knot – get married
- be in the doghouse with sb – your partner is angry at you
- worried sick – v. worried
- on the rocks – in trouble, danger
Step 5: Language focus
Students turn the handout over and try to complete the expressions from memory; they mustn’t look at the text.
Students then unfold the paper to check their answers.
Step 6: Retell the story
Students turn the handout over and attempt to retell the story, using all the expressions, using the pictures as prompts.
Step 7: Personalising
If appropriate, students describe a real relationship from their lives: How did you meet your wife/husband? etc.
The Story
Work with a partner, look at the words in bold, what do you think they mean?
Tony and Tina met at a party, it was love at first sight, they were both checking each other out for a while until Tony plucked up the courage to go and talk to Tina. He chatted her up for a while then at the end of the night he asked for her number. He called her the next day to ask her out and she said yes. They went out for coffee and discovered that they had so much in common, they were made for each other! They fell head over heels in love and started going out with each other straightaway. One night, they had a huge row because Tony thought that Tina had a thing for his best friend. It was a horrible argument and they broke up but it wasn’t long before they got back together because they just couldn’t stay apart.
2 years later Tony got down on one knee and popped the question to Tina, she said yes and 6 months later they tied the knot in front of their friends and family. A few years later Tony was in the doghouse for a few weeks because he got really drunk with his friends and didn’t come home, Tina was worried sick. For a few days it looked like the marriage might be on the rocks but she forgave him eventually and they both lived happily ever after.
Language Focus
Over the story and try to remember the missing words from the expressions.
- It was love ____ first sight
- They were both c_________ each other out
- He chatted her _____ for a while.
- He called her the next day to _____ her out.
- They had so much in ______________.
- They were made ______ each ___________.
- They fell __________ over _________ in love.
- Tina had a _____________for his best friend.
- They ____________ up but it wasn’t long before they got ___________ together
- 2 years later Tony got __________ on one knee and ____________ the question to Tina,
- 6 months later they _________ the knot in front of their friends and family.
- Tony was in the ____________ for a few weeks
- Tina was worried ______________.
- It looked like the marriage might be on the _____________ but she forgave him.