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There Should Be a Law!
The activities below provide fun exercises for the entire class when you have extra time. They are designed to be taught with specific exercises in this unit. Click on an activity in the list below or scroll down the page.
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For and against
This activity is designed to be taught with Exercise 4, "Giving Opinions."
Time: 10–15 minutes. This activity involves a class debate.
- Choose a recent controversial government ruling in your city or country and write it on the board – for example:
The city has decided to raise bus fares.
- Divide the class into two large groups. Ask one group to prepare statements that support the ruling (pro) and the other group to prepare statements that oppose it (con). Give them about ten minutes.
- Hold a short class debate. Call on students from the pro and con sides to present their opinions and to respond to one another's ideas. After about five minutes, take a class poll to find out which side won.
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Lawmakers
This activity is designed to be taught with Exercise 6, "Word Power: Social issues."
Time: 15–20 minutes. This creative activity practices making up some humorous "laws."
- Write these five issues (or other topics of your own) on the board:
Pets Cars Children School Television
- Explain the activity: Students work in groups to write down in two minutes as many "laws" as they can about each issue. Point out that the laws should be funny or at least not too serious. Model the task by writing on the board several examples of different laws that might be passed related to each of the issues:
Cats should be taken for a walk once a day.
I think there should be a law against having only one lovebird. People ought to have two.
- Suggest that groups appoint a group secretary to write down each law that they think up. As you walk around, keep track of the time (two minutes per issue) and let groups know when to go on to the next one.
- As a follow-up, have groups report their laws to the class.
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The punishment should fit the crime!
This activity is designed to be taught with Exercise 13, "Reading: Habitat for Humanity."
Time: 15–20 minutes. This activity practices making sentences with tag questions and giving suggestions.
- Tell students that you will write a list of "crimes" on the board. The task is to change the crime into a statement with a tag question and then think of a suitable "punishment" for each one. Encourage students to think of funny or clever "punishments."
- Now write the following list of "crimes" on the board (adding several of your own):
It's a "crime" when someone . . . .
- often arrives late for class
- calls you late at night
- rarely does his or her homework
- always talks too much
- never has change for coffee and always borrows coins
- Model the activity by asking students to add a tag question to the first statement; then have them take turns making suggestions for "punishments" for that particular "crime." For example:
Student 1: It's a crime when a student often arrives late for class, isn't it?
Student 2: Yes, I agree. I think that person should have to bring a box of candy for the whole class each time that happens.
Student 3: Well, that's a good idea, but I think . . . .
- Have students form groups; tell each group to appoint a secretary to write down their suggestions. Set a time limit of ten minutes. Go around and give help as needed.
- Groups take turns reporting their most interesting or clever "punishments." Which group thought of the best punishment for each "crime"?
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