Time for each stage

Stages of the lesson

What a teacher does

What pupils do.

2min

43 min

Preparation before the lesson (home task)

1) Warming-up activities (to make them to be ready for the communication)

2) Role-play

Before the lesson a teacher divided students into two groups – 2 realty agencies (those who sell houses in the country and those who sell flats in the city) and chose two students who played the role of a rich elderly couple who is ready to pay their money for a house or a flat but cannot decide which realty to choose. Students chose the topic that suited them better. Their task was to prepare a small talk and to persuade the buyers to make their choice for the property they offer.

The teacher states: “Today we have an unusual lesson. Let’s stir our imagination. Imagine that all of us are not in school now. We are all now not even in the classroom but in two competing Realty agencies and we have a two very rich clients here.

I want you to represent Mrs and Mr Grandperson. They are going to be the persons who will make their decision. Please, Sirs, you are welcome!”

Mrs Grandperson says: “Dear Sirs, we are no more young, it’s a great pity, of course, but we are rich, let it be our privilege. We don’t want to live with our grownup children anymore and we want to spend our savings for something comfortable and convenient to live in. My husband insists on choosing a penthouse in some new city district. And my preference is a two- or three-storied cottage somewhere in the suburbs. We are almost in conflict as we cannot make a choice, and we ask you to help us make our enormously difficult decision!”

We have addressed to your prominent agencies. Will you please give your best arguments and advertise your best items. At first we are going to listen to your information and ask questions to you to clear up the questions if any, then we are going   to  the best places of living. And, finally, we’ll make our decision.

1)  Please let’s listen to those who offers countryside houses: The students present the prepared speech on the topic.

Thank you for your very detail information. Any questions, my Dear (addresses her man/his wife)? (the students or the clients ask questions)

2) Now another agency takes the floor. You are welcome! (The students present the prepared speech on the topic) (the students or the clients ask questions)

Thank you!

Thank you so much for your contribution to our discussion and now it’s time to come to the next step - the discussion of advantages and disadvantages. It will help us to choose the best place of living for our family. We have made some notes (cards Appendix 2) and now we see all pros and contra.

Cards:

-education and jobs

-health / nature

-law and order

-leisure time

-pollution and traffic

After all the students’s discussions the teacher says:

“I also want to take part in the discussion. Let us make a step apart our scenario and return to our real life.  And my contribution is the video that will show you advantages and disadvantages that will help us to summarize our results. Let’s have a look.”- (The students watch the video) Appendix 3

(The final step):

The teacher says: “Money is the topic of our discussion. But what is money in our lives?

What is easier to be rich or to be poor and why?

Imagine that you are rich! What would you do to the place where you live?” (Students give answers)

The teacher finishes: “Do you know the story of a father and a son, who were rich and one day the father took his son on a trip to a village. He wanted to show him how poor someone can be. They spent time on the farm of the poor family. On their return from the trip the father asked his son How the trip was…What do you think was the answer?”  

After a video a teacher asks students: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

In other words - (Is there any benefits for a person, if he can master the whole world, but his soul suffers)

How can you understand this quotation from the Bible? (Students answer)

Ok, please, return to your roles and let our respected clients make their final decision.

Teacher:  And now we have to sum up.   Please express your opinion and make your choice (the clients make the decision confirming it with some short speech).

(If the city wins)

That is fair that we-people want to improve our lives in everything: it medicine, in technology, in education…and people leave villages trying to find the better life for themselves. That is the idea of today’s society- to be selfish and not to think about others. But improving something we are completely forgetting ourselves, our needs and our true wishes.

Today the world is in the race of achievements. But while building new cities we destroy our nature, while cutting down trees for getting paper or wood, animals disappear with their places of living. Let’s stop it and think what we are doing! Let’s help each other. And let’s build bridges instead of walls. (The teacher stick the bridge to the wall between the two pictures: the city and the village)

(If the country wins)

All is well that ends well. And all our money we spend tp a new country-house.

Teacher: That is fair that we-people want to improve our lives in everything: it medicine, in technology, in education…and people leave villages trying to find the better life for themselves. That is the idea of today’s society- to be selfish and not to think about others. But improving something we are completely forgetting ourselves, our needs and our true wishes.

Today the world is in the race of achievements. But while building new cities we destroy our nature, while cutting down trees for getting paper or wood, animals disappear with their places of living. Let’s stop it and think what we are doing! Let’s help each other. And let’s build bridges instead of walls. (The teacher stick the bridge to the wall between the two pictures: the city and the village)

I want to give you the question that will be a homework for you to all your life “What would you do for your soul if you have enough money?”

Thank you for your work. It was pleasure to work with you today. And thank you, our friends, for your active participation and for your attention.

City

Village

-education / jobs

·         We have more job opportunities

·         There are good and different schools

·         There are universities

·         You can have more chances to be employed

·         You can meet a lot of people who will be important in your future or present work

·         There are schools but few students. They can be taught better

·         We shouldn’t earn much because we grow our own food

·         We can work on the Internet and earn money there

-health / nature

·         Life is easier and we don’t need to work hard. We can buy everything and we are not tired of hard work

·         If you want to admire nature, you can go for a couple of hours outskirts and enjoy it.

·         We plant trees in the city

·         We have parks for those who like to wander among the trees

·         We have pure water

·         Our air is fresh

·         Our health is perfect because of good environment

·         We produce our own food free from chemicals

·         We are constantly working in the air. It is good for our health

·         We enjoy walking in the forests, hunting, picking mushrooms

·         We don’t have too much dust at home and we do housework very rarely

-law and order

·         We have crime but we have policemen who can protect us from danger

·         Life is much easier

·         In rural area the crime rate is low

·         We obey rules

·         Everyone knows each other and we do not need the police but we also have some

·         We are not afraid to leave our children along in the streets

-leisure time

·         City life is exciting

·         You are free after your work and can devote time to different things

·         You can relax and go to the theatres, cinemas

·         You can eat out at the cafes, restaurants and even pubs.

·         Night clubs are at your disposal.

·         You can meet with friends at your home

·         You can walk and admire the beauty of the night city

·         We don’t have a lot of things to do about the house

·         We don’t have cinemas and theatres, but we read books

·         Our neighbors are our friends and we shouldn’t go anywhere just go out and chat with them

·         If we meet friends we can have a barbeque in the garden and listen to the loud music

·         We have beautiful environment and sometimes we need only you go out and sit next to the house and observe it

-pollution and traffic

We have garbage but we have street cleaners

We don’t have traffic jams, rush hours

Our streets are clean

Our air is fresh

education and jobs

health / nature

law and order

leisure time

pollution

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

“What would you do for your soul if you have enough money?”