Ratatouille: Passive Voice

This is a very funny scene that adults, teens and children will love. It is perfect for the passive voice practice. The movie is a must!

Meet the characters that are on the scene you will just see:

Colette

Remy

Linguini

Watch the video segment and fill in the blanks of the exercise with the correct verb form of the verbs in parentheses.

1) Remy_____________ (distract) the cyclist.
2) The cyclist ______________ (crash) his bike into a car that was parked on the street.

3) Remy______________ (pull) Linguini's hair in order to move his body.
4) Remy _______________ (command) Linguini's body movements.
5) Remy ______________ (open) Linguini's eyes.
6) Colette _____________ (park) her scooter in front of the restaurant.
7) Linguini _______________ (cook) the food when Colette arrived.

8) Colette _______________ (sharpen) the knives.

9) Because Linguini was sleeping, he _____________ (hear) Colette's story.
10) Colette ____________________ (slap) Linguini's face.

Now rewrite the sentences above using the passive voice.Ex:

1) The cyclist was distracted (by Remy).

How to develop your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which a lot of action takes place.

- Write a few sentences with action verbs using active voice to describe the scene.

- The students rewrite the sentences using passive voice.








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Downloading the Movie Segments

Many readers have asked me about downloading the segments. I'm not a technology expert, soI know only one way of downloading them. You can download the videos with real player. Download the free version at www.realplayer.com. After you install it, all you'll have to do is to scroll the mouse over the screen and you'll be automatically offered the choice to download it. That's how I download youtube videos, and you can do it here too. Downloading the segment is easy. If you are not offered the option to download the segment, it is probably your realplayer's settings. You have to allow downloading videos from the web. When you open realplayer, go to Ferramentas (Tools), then Preferencias (Preference), finally Download e gravação (downloading and recording). There you'll have an option to click to activate downloads from the web and to show the button automatically. Just follow the steps and you should be able to do it. The terminology may be a bit different for my version is in Portuguese. If you still don't manage it, it might be the fact that some schools and colleges have filters for downloading. Then I cannot help it. There might be other ways. If you know another one, leave a comment giving instructions, please.

Kung Fu Panda: Comparatives

This is an activity to practice comparatives. This animated movie is fantastic. I love animation and this one is really speacial. The scene is great to compare the main characters, great rivals.

Before you watch the segment:

Take a look at Po and Tai Lung. Then write next to the characters the qualities that best describe them, according to your impressions from the pictures. Make sure you write different adjectives for each of the characters.

This is Po:
Ex:


FAT


FUNNY



This is Tai Lung

Ex:

STRONG

INTELLIGENT

FAT STRONG FRIENDLY HEAVY SMART

FUNNY INTELLIGENT TIRED FAST CONFIDENT

LAZY AGGRESSIVE DANGEROUS UGLY QUIET

After watching the segment:

Take a look at your list again and decide if you would like to change your original guesses by writing sentences comparing Po and Tai Lung.

Ex:

(Po / Funny) Po is funnier than Tai Lung.
(Tai Lung / Strong) Tai Lung is as strong as Po.
(Po) / Fat) Po is fatter than Tai Lung.
(Tai Lung / intelligent) Tai Lung is less intelligent than Po.

How to develop your own activity

- Select a scene in which you can compare two characters

- Choose adjectives that describe the characters

- Prepare a chart for students to fill in with adjectives that describe them

- Select the adjectives you want to assess

- The students write sentences using comparatives

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The 40 Year-Old Virgin: Asking Questions

This segment is very easy for beginners, something really difficult to find in movies. Pre-teach a few words, such as do-it-yourself section, sometimes, looking for, should and your students will be able to perform the assigned tasks.

Asking Questions

BETH

ANDY

Read the answers below. Write the questions using the cues in parentheses.

1) Beth - ________________________________ ? (Can/ help/ I /you)

Andy - I don't know. Can you?

2) Beth - _________________________________? (looking for/ are/ something/ you)

Andy -Is there something I should be looking for?

3) Andy - _________________________________ ? ( do-it-yourself/ like/ you/ do/ to)

Beth - Sometimes...

4) Andy - _________________________________? (name/your/ what/ is)

Beth - Beth.


Now watch the video segment and check your answers.


How to prepare your own video activitiy:



- Choose a segment in which very basic questions are asked.

- Write the dialogs with key words for the students to unscramble.

- The students watch the segment and check their answers.






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Alvin and the Chipmunks: Present Perfect

This is a great, funny scene which is perfect for practicing the present perfect tense. I hope you like it.

Watch the movie segment. Pay attention to the activities the characters have performed during that day. Write CH if one of the chipmunks, Alvin, Simon or Theodore, performed the activity, DA if Dave (the man) did it, BO if both Dave and the Chipmunks performed it, and NO if nobody has performed it during the segment.

1. ( ) Watch TV

2. ( ) Open the food cabinet to steal something to eat.

3. ( ) Skate around the kitchen.

4. ( ) Play tennis.

5. ( ) Pour Cheetos into a bowl.

6. ( ) Hide in the kitchen cabinets.

7. ( ) Remove the kitchen utensils from the cabinets.

8. ( ) Throw a jar at Dave's head.

9. ( ) Faint.

10. ( ) Read a book.

11. ( ) Speak English.

12. ( ) Turn on some kitchen appliances.

13. ( ) Throw the chipmunks out of the house.

14. ( ) Try to reenter the house.

15) ( ) Call the police.

16) ( ) Close the window shades.

17) ( ) Sweep the floor.

18) ( ) Stand in the rain.

19) ( ) Sing songs in the garden.

20) ( ) Dance very happily.

Now write sentences using the present perfect sentence. You CANNOT start the sentence with the word "nobody". You may add "already" or "yet" if it's possible.

EX: Dave has watched TV
The chipmunks have opened the food cabinet to steal something to eat.

How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which the character's day hasn't finished yet.

- The characters must have performed several different activities during the segment.

- Ask students to identify who performed them.

- Ask students to write sentences using the present perfect tense.

- If you don't let the students begin their sentences with "nobody", the students will be forced to use negative statements with "yet".

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