ACTIVITY - MYP 2 - UNIT 2

Objetivo: Provocar reflexão e antecipar o tema a ser debatido, cai muito bem como warm up.

Estágio: MYP 2; Unidade: 2; Costumo usar na seção Getting Ready, mas pode ser usado entre as seções finais de MYP.

Procedimentos: Como sugerido no livro, apresento a música Another Brick on the wall com o vídeo do filme The Wall disponível no Backoffice, depois mantemos uma breve discussão sobre as impressões dos alunos, sem aprofundar muito uma vez que essa discussão será feita durante toda Unidade 2, a seguir entrego o handout (em anexo) e apresento o vídeo (ou apenas a música) de Lulu cantando To Sir With Love (o vídeo eu posso disponibilizar, mas também pode ser encontrado no YouTube - atenção o vídeo é bem antigo, os alunos podem reagir bem e achar super engraçado, ou até não gostarem. Normalmente, eu sou o primeiro a fazer a piada. Vale a pena pois é rapidinho e serve ao propósito de comparar passado e futuro na educação). Após a exibição peço aos alunos para estudarem as letras e faço as perguntas que estão no fim da atividade.

thadeuvinicius@hotmail.com / thadeu@yazigi.com

Activity > Explaining the unexplainable

Level: MYP 3
Skill: Fun activity
Topic: The paranormal
Unit: Unit 5
Author: Karen DeJean
Challenge: Have students discuss their personal paranormal activities and they they believe in.

Procedures:During Class

1. Explain to students that they’ll be watching a movie in order to confirm what they believe in concerning the paranormal or that they will have to refute.
2. Ask students if they have had (or know anyone who has had) any sort of paranormal experience and how they felt about it. Provide vocabulary and accurate information (using the active board and Google) if necessary.
3. Ask them to play close attention to details in the movie and to relate the story to any similar story they have heard in the news.

4. Play the “The Fourth Kind (2009)” movie with Milla Jovovich. You may choose a few key parts after watching it yourself.
5. Have them debate the movie’s story to what they have experienced or seen in the news before.

Accountability:Discussion in step 4 functions as accountability.

Activity > New Trends in Traveling

Level: MYP 3
Skill: Reading and Speaking
Topic: Backpacking Europe
Unit: Unit 4
Author: Karen DeJean
Challenge: Provide students with information concerning alternative traveling.

Procedures:During Class

1. Start out asking students what they would consider alternative traveling. Ask them was the most adventurous trip they took. If they haven’t traveled before or at least not to an exotic destination ask them if they intend to do so, where would they go and why.
2. Brainstorm possible destinations and related activities/ experiences. Place them on the board.
3. Ask students about what they think would be necessary to backpack around Europe.
4. Have them go to the Resource Center or print out the following link as a text: http://www.travelpunk.com/blog/?tag=12-things and have students relate their initial ideas to the ones present here. Have students read out loud before discussing each topic. What were the differences?

Accountability:Step 4 may be used for accountability.

Activity > Prejudice and Intolerance

Level: MYP 3
Skill: Writing
Topic: Current Social Issues
Unit: Unit 3
Author: Karen DeJean
Challenge: Raise students’ awareness on social issues and forms of prejudice.

Procedures:During Class

1. (This can be done after a MYP activity). Start out by debating the following issues: What can I do to help others? Awareness of the issues is not enough. Translate your awareness into action. Have I been involved in a matter in which prejudice or intolerance were present?
2. Ask students what they see as the most pressing social issue. What are its causes and consequences? What can they do as individuals or as a group?
3. Brainstorm as a group. Have each student choose one idea that is realistic for him or her.
4. Assign essays. In their essays, have students create a scenario in which their idea is enacted to address the issue. Have them recognize current social issues in their own life experiences and their role in influencing these issues.

Accountability:You may read some excerpts of the students’ essays once you have them and conclude general thoughts.

Activity > The world of the Press

Level: MYP 3
Skill: Speaking
Topic: How Media works
Unit: Unit 2
Author: Karen DeJean
Challenge: Promote awareness on how media means work.

Procedures:During Class

1. Explain to students that they’ll be watching a movie in order to fully comprehend how a newspaper goes from a journalist hunch to printing a story that may change the world.

2. Have them take notes on that process and pitch in their insights on what is morally acceptable and what is not.

3. Play the “State of Play (2009)” movie with Russel Crowe. You may choose a few key parts after watching it yourself.
4. Have them answer the handout with the information from the movie and questions about mainstream media and how it influences people’s lives.

Accountability:Discussion after step 4 functions as accountability.

Activity > Humor in Our Lives

Level: MYP 3
Skill: Vocabulary
Topic: Humor Interactive
Unit: Unit 1
Author: Karen DeJean
Challenge: Vocabulary input

Procedures:
At the Resource Center

1. Carry out the History of Humor section on http://library.thinkquest.org/J002267F/. Ask students to read and check text comprehension.
2. Go then to the Art of Humor (types of Humor) and check vocabulary comprehension.

3. Ask students to Humor Interactive and have them take the survey. Challenge them to submit a joke in English. First prepare them by taking a look at another website http://www.jokes.com/funny/ so they have something to relate to. Browse categories.
4. Finally ask them to take the Humor Quiz to check the vocabulary they’ve acquired.

Accountability:
Step 4 can be used as accountability. You may also ask them about what is funny for Brazilians and what may not be for Foreigners and vice versa as well as why that happens (cultural differences, day-to-day reality).