Classroom activity 1

Departure date:

When are you going? / When are you planning to go?

(I’m going on [date]. / I’m planning to go on [date].)
Destination: Where are you going?

/ Where are you planning to go?

(I’m going to [place]. / I’m planning to go to [place].)
Cost: How much will your ticket cost?

(My ticket will cost [amount].)
Number of people: How many people are going with you?

6. Have students stand up. Tell them that they will form a

line according to information they have written down, and that

they must ask one another questions in order to find their

place in the line. If you begin with the date of departure, the

student with the earliest departure date will stand at the

beginning of the line (show students where the line will begin),

and other students will line up in order, with the last student

being the one with the latest departure date.

7. Once the line is formed, ask students when they are going

on the trip—or have students ask one another, so that the whole

class can hear.

8. Pupils can use it in the past simple tense about a past journey.

5. Ask each artist to stand or sit so that his or her back is facing

the group and so that everyone in the group can see the artist’s

back.When everyone is ready, give each artist a blank piece of

paper to draw on.

6. Go to each group and, using tape, affix the picture, photocopy,

or drawing of the train to each artist’s back. Be careful to make

sure that the artists do not see the picture.

7. Each group must now describe the picture to the artist,

making use of the train vocabulary. Group members should

take turns providing information. Artists may ask for clarification

as needed. At first, it can be helpful for the artist to receive a

general overall understanding of the picture rather than a lot of

details all at once. For example, the describers might begin with

an overview: This is a picture of a train with an electric locomotive, three passenger cars, and a caboose.  The locomotive has eight wheels—four are in the front, and four are in the back.

The artist can also ask questions to get more detail and

clarification:

Artist: How many windows are in the passenger car?

Describer: There are eight windows in the passenger car.

8. When artists have finished drawing, have the groups compare

the artist’s drawing with the original. They should notice details that were missed, added, or changed, and they should try to figure out

how they could accurately describe those details.

4. Make sure each member has a clear understanding of what

will be expected of him or her in the group. You might want to

circulate around the class and ask students to tell you their

roles and responsibilities. Make it clear that all students are

expected to participate in the group discussion.

5. Tell the students that they are conductors on a train, and they

will need to solve a problem. The cashier has sold too many

tickets, and now there is not enough room for everyone who

wants to be on the train.

6. Give each group the Passenger List of ten passengers who

are waiting to get onto the train, or write the list on the board.

Tell students that ten people want to ride, but there is room for

only five more passengers. Each person has a valid reason for

wanting to ride, but the conductors must choose only the five

people they think have the best reasons. People who do not

board this train will have to wait three hours for the next one.

The Passenger List has a simple description of the reason each

person has for riding the train.

7. Give students about five minutes to think about the list

individually and to choose the five people they think should

be allowed to board the train.

8. Students share their own decisions with other members

of their groups.

9. Tell students that in 20 minutes.The Presenter should be

ready with:

A list of the five people chosen to ride on the train
A short description in the group’s own words of why the