The notebook

                                                The notebook

A2-B1

Overview 

This EFL lesson is designed around a beautiful short film by Greg Gray and the theme of household chores. You are going to learn and practise vocabulary related to household chores, talk about household chores and watch a short film. 

What are household chores? 

 They are tasks or duties that have to be done regularly at home such as cleaning and cooking. 

Step 1
In pairs you have to think of as many household chores as you can. Write them on the board. 

Step 2

Write on the board:

Do 

Make 

Take 

Ask your students to connect as many of the chores they mentioned as they can with one of the verbs. 

Step 3

You may get something like this:

Do the cooking, the cleaning, the washing, the washing up, the dusting. 

Make the bed, breakfast / lunch / dinner, a snack, a cup of tea / coffee.

Take the thrash / rubbish out, take the dog for a walk.  

Step 4

Work in small groups and discuss the following questions: 

What household chores do you do? 

Do you think you should do more?  

Step 5

We are going to watch a short film. As they watch, their task is to notice the different household chores they see. Show the film until 01:39.

Stop at 1.39

mopping, doing the washing, doing the cooking, looking after a toddler, doing the cooking, doing the washing up, making a bed, taking out the thrash, doing the washing, hanging out the washing, doing the ironing, watering the plants, sweeping, feeding the dog, tidying a room, putting away toys, doing the vacuuming, and taking the dog for a walk.  

Step 6

Pair the students and ask them to discuss the following questions:

Why is the boy doing the household chores?

What is he writing in his notebook?

Step 7

They can watch the film again and  think about the two questions. 
Show until 01:39. 

Step 8

Ask the students to answer the two questions.Tell the students they are going to watch the film again, but this time they are going to see a little more of it. Show the film and pause at 01:45. 

Step 9

What has the boy written in his notebook?

Why do you think he has written 120 minutes?

Step 10

Now show the film until 02:06. Were you correct?

The boy says “I’ve been saving you time so you can come to my play”, and that he did the tasks so that his busy mother would have time to come to see him act in his school play.

Step 11

Discuss the following questions in pairs: 

How does the film make you feel? 

How does the mother feel? 

How would you describe the boy?  

The film is actual an advert for an insurance company. Ask them if this changes the way they feel about the film. 


Lesson plan                  

Adapted from: http://film-english.com/2015/02/13/the-notebook/