An Inconvenient Truth: Global Warming

This activity was provided by Vera Babat, from Uruguay. Here are a few words she provided us with about herself. Thanks for your precious contribution.

Our institute's web is www.infusionenglish.edu.uy

I'm a psychologist with 12 years experience teaching teenagers and young adults. I love preparing lessons using authentic materials.

Love films that make students think as it's a great chance to think critically on certain issues.

WORKSHEET The first segment is provided here. I can't have all segments here, though, for copyrights issues. If you want to go through the whole activity, it is best to have the DVD.

An Inconvenient Truth | A global warning

Before watching the film

1. Have you heard anything about this film?
2. Do you know who Al Gore is? What do you know about him?

While watching the film

1^st Part (00’:40 – 11’45’’)

1. How does Al Gore define himself?
2. What is his opinion about his fellow politicians and their actions towards climate change?
3. He tells an anecdote about two of his teachers, what are his feelings towards them?
4. Can you explain what Mr. Gore is trying to say through the saying

“What gets us into trouble

is not what we don’t know

it’s what we know for sure

that just ain’t so”

Can you think of examples in real life where you can apply this thread of thought?

5. How thick is the Earth’s atmosphere?
6. How important is it for us?
7. Without watching... Can you explain the process of global warming? ...Now watch Al Gore and Matt Groening’s version of Global Warming

2^nd Part (11’45– 24:50’)

1. What is “just as clear as day?”




Rephrase in your own words the message that is being conveyed

3^rd Part (41’49’’- 49’:26)

1. What does he mean by the expression “two canaries in a coal mine”?
2. What is happening to the ice caps and North Pole?
3. What are the effects of this?
4. Poor Polar bears! What has happened to them?
5. Which are the planetary effects of this melting?
6. What is a conveyor?

4^th Part (49’28’ – 51’:32’’)

1. What is the theory he is posing?
2. Which effects could this have in Uruguay? Are there any already visible?
3. WATCH FROM 59’15’’ TILL 01:01’15’’

5^th Part (01:07’40’’ – 01:15’)

1. What can be clearly reflected by the map and charts presented?
2. Who is being represented by the frog?
3. What does he say about scientists who disagree with this vision on global warming? What does Al Gore compare it to?
4. What is the basic reasoning Gore exposes?
5. What is there to do then?

6^th Part (01:26’37’’ – 01:28’08’’)

1. Watch and as you listen take notes, by the end try to put them together with your partners and see if you can reproduce this excerpt from the speech!

How did you feel while and after watching this movie?

Discuss on these points:

Why do you think Al Gore did this movie? Is there a particular reason why he focused so much on the United States?

What is Gore accused of by his political opponents?

Where does the film’s name come from?

Follow up:

Write a proposal to your local authorities suggesting steps to be taken concerning global warming. For more info visit: www.climatecrisis.org

An Inconvenient Truth | A global warning

1^st Part (0:40’’ – 11’45’’)

1. How does Al Gore define himself?

2. What is his opinion about how other politicians act on climate change?

3. He tells an anecdote about two of his teachers, what does he want to show?

4. Can you explain what Mr. Gore is trying to say through the saying

“What gets us into trouble

is not what we don’t know

it’s what we know for sure

that just ain’t so”

Can you think of examples in real life where you can apply this saying?

5. How thick is the Earth’s atmosphere?

6. How important is it for us?

7. Without watching... Can you explain the process of global warming?

8. Now watch Al Gore and Matt Groening’s version of Global Warming

2^nd Part (11’30 – 18’:33 – 24’:50)

1. Rephrase in your own words the message that is being conveyed

3^rd Part (01:07:40- 01:15)

1. What can be clearly reflected by the map and charts presented?

2. Who is being represented by the frog?

3. What does he say about scientists who disagree with this vision on global warming? What does Al Gore compare it to?

4. What is the basic reasoning Gore exposes?

5. What is there to do then?

How did you feel while and after watching this movie? Write down a paragraph using adjectives to describe your feelings on this matter.

 MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

The Ugly Truth: Internet Dating, Love

This activity was provided by Renata Bettarello.

I`m a private English teacher and also teach at Know How English school in Franca, S.P., Brazil. I`m TEFL certified and taught English in the U.S.A. Watching movies is my favorite hobby, especially the chick flicks. I can`t help it that I have to think about an ESL activity when I`m watching a movie. What I like the best of teaching with movies is that it brings realia to the classroom. Students can learn real expressions and also culture through a movie, besides getting involved in the subject related to the movie , feeling more comfortable to talk about that topic!

TOPICS: love, dating,

GOALS: 

to discuss about finding a boyfriend or girlfriend through a dating website

to expand vocabulary in the conversation from the video script to comprehend the conversation

to expand vocabulary to describe people

to answer questions related to the topic

to explain about fillers like well, you know

HIGH –INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED CLASS: second hour: 50 minutes

1- ITR 

PRE-LISTENING

T-S: Last class we talked about somebody who went on a TV Show to find a boyfriend, remember?

What about finding a boyfriend or a girlfriend through an online website? Do you think it can work? Why?

Watch the scene from the movie The Ugly Truth, which we discussed when we were talking about movies, and answer the following question:

Pair-work: Does their meeting end up in a happy ending? Why? Explain it to the person sitting next to you.

(10 MINUTES)

2-

LISTENING: INFO-GAP EXERCISE

Ss watch the scene again and fill in the blanks

(5 minutes)

The Ugly Truth

Scene: 9 minutes

Scene 4: Abby went on a date with Larry, a guy she met through a love-match site

Watch the scene from the movie The Ugly Truth, and answer the following question:

Does their meeting end up in a happy ending? Why? Explain it to the person sitting next to you.

Listening:

A) Fill in the blanks:

Abby: Hi

Hostess: Hello

Abby: I`m looking for a guy with sandy brown hair, athletic build, blue eyes.

He`s 5’9’', which I know you’re thinking is short… but he`s read the Great Gatsby…

Larry: ……………….., technically 5’8’’ and a half but I could read the Great Gatsby again if it makes it any better.

 Waiter: Hi, can I get some water for the table?

Larry: Yeah, a bottle of flat water, please.

Abby: Just one second. I`m sorry. Did you know they`ve done studies that show… tap water and bottled water are basically the same thing? They passed a law where restaurants have to filter their tap water… so it`s not really tap water… so it`s filtered water, which is the same as bottled water… except you don`t have to pay 7 dollars for it.

Larry: I like the way it tastes better.

Can I get a scotch on the rocks, too?

Waiter: Oh Yeah.

Abby: I thought in your profile it said you- you like to drink red wine.

Larry: You printed out my profile?

Abby: My associate producer did.

She doesn`t like me not to be prepared. Not that I`m ever not prepared.

Kudos, by the way, on your comprehensive car insurance plan…

Larry: That wasn`t in my profile.

Abby: No, but it`s in your background check.

 So tell me about yourself.

Larry: …………….., what`s left to talk about that you don`t already know, right?

Abby: Good point .

…………………………, well, you know… I actually took the liberty of printing out some talking points… in case this happened.

Larry: I take it has happened before?

Abby: No. No.

But you have 9 out of 10 of the necessary attributes on my checklist. 

Larry: Oh, dear god. Okay.

Abby: Oh, this is a good one.

Let`s start with three, okay?

3- POST-LISTENING

 

-Teacher explains about fillers

-Ss underline the fillers in the dialogue

- Teacher calls Ss` attention to some words in bold in the conversation such as: flat water and then explains flattered; tap water, on the rocks, background check, 5’8’’. What about you? How tall are you?

(10 minutes)

DEBATE about the scene:

Teacher divides the Ss in 2 groups. 1 group is in favor of finding a boyfriend online, the other group is against it. 1 group have to convince the other one that they are right. Ss have to use the fillers while they are discussing.

(15 minutes)

Discussion Questions:

What about dating somebody your family doesn`t approve?

SS have to discuss in pairs about some questions that is in attachment.

(10 minutes)

Video script

Abby: Hi

Hostess: Hello

Abby: I`m looking for a guy with sandy brown hair, athletic build, blue eyes.

He`s 5’9’', which I know you’re thinking is short… but he`s read the Great Gatsby…

Larry: Well, technically 5’8’’ and a half but I could read the Great Gatsby again if it makes it any better.

Waiter: Hi, can I get some water for the table?

Larry: Yeah, a bottle of flat water, please.

Abby: Just one second. I`m sorry. Did you know they`ve done studies that show… tap water and bottled water are basically the same thing? They passed a law where restaurants have to filter their tap

water… so it`s not really tap water… so it`s filtered water, which is the same as bottled water…

except you don`t have to pay 7 dollars for it.

Larry: I like the way it tastes better.

Can I get a scotch on the rocks, too?

Waiter: Oh Yeah.

Abby: I thought in your profile it said you- you like to drink red wine.

Larry: You printed out my profile?

Abby: My associate producer did.

She doesn`t like me not to be prepared. Not that I`m ever not prepared.

Kudos, by the way, on your comprehensive car insurance plan…

Larry: That wasn`t in my profile.

Abby: No, but it`s in your background check.

So tell me about yourself.

Larry: Well, what`s left to talk about that you don`t already know?

Abby: Good point .

All right, well, you know… I actually took the liberty of printing out some talking points… in case this happened.

Larry: I take it has happened before?

Abby: No. No.

 But you have 9 out of 10 of the necessary attributes on my checklist.

Larry: Oh, dear god. Okay.

Abby: Oh, this is a good one.

 Let`s start with three, okay?

TEACHER'S SHEET

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE UGLY TRUTH 

The Ugly Truth About Men and Women

By Nathalie Himmelrich

Since the release of the latest comedy 'The Ugly Truth' the male-female intimate relationship structures are again under observation. Even though it is a comedy revisiting the old and well-known cliche of male and female differences it still leaves couples and singles going home and re-thinking the gender differences.

Here are the film's quotes: The Ugly Truth about Men:

1. Stop trying to win a man's heart. Aim lower.

2. Men are visual creatures.

3. If you want a relationship, here is how you get one: It's called a Stairmaster.

4. Laugh at whatever a man says.

5. No man is saying 'I love you' without expecting something in return. And by something, it's not a home-cooked meal.

6. Women, you have to be two people in order to lure your man: the saint and the sinner, the librarian and the stripper.

Let's have a look at the truth behind some of the points mentioned above:

It is known that 'men feel love when they are being intimate and women are ready to be intimate when they feel loved'. In a study of more than 100 couples this statement was agreed upon in 100% of the cases. One of the main points of challenges in the relationship between the genders is that both sides expect the other to play on their turf (point no 1 and 4) and speak their language.

It is proven that men are stimulated by visual input (point no 2). How else would the 'magazines for men' industry make millions of dollars every year? This leads us into the area of exercise (point no 3). It is a fact that men and women put more effort into exercise and being fit when summer is on our door step. So really, who are they shaping up for, themselves or the opposite sex? And yes, women also prefer a six pack to a beer belly...

Men and women are equally looking for affirmation. Laughing at whatever the man says has more to do with being in rapport with each other than anything else (point 4). Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group, in this case the couple - it signals acceptance and positive interactions with others. Isn't that what we want with our mate?

And what about point no 6? Well I guess you have to find out for yourself...