Weather Dance

Materials:
Different types of music (slow, fast, quiet, loud), Weather Symbols cutouts.
Directions: Play different types of music and hold up different Weather Symbols cutouts. Encourage students to perform actions that reflect the corresponding weather and music.

Clothing Poster

Clothing Poster
Materials: Scissors, crayons, paper, glue, old fashion magazines or clothing catalogs, construction paper (1 per group).
Preparation: Divide the contruction paper into three columns. Draw a sun at the top of the first column, a snowman at the top of the middle column and a cloud with rain at the top of the third column.
Directions: Divide the class into groups of four or five and give each group a sheet of construction paper. Have students identify the weather symbols at the top of each column. Distribute crayons, paper and magazines or catalogs. Have students cut out and glue or draw pictures of clothing in the columns that correspond to the type of weather. Then have groups bring up their posters one at a time and talk about the clothing.
T: What are these?
SR: They're blue sandals.
T: Are they for hot, cold or rainy weather?
SR: Hot.
Display the posters around the classroom.

Making Clouds

Materials: Large glass jar, hot water, small cloth, ice water.
Directions: Soak the cloth in ice water. Fill the jar halfway with hot water. Wring out the cloth and place it over the mouth of the jar so that part of the cloth falls into the jar. As the warm air rises and cools, little clouds will form near the cloth. Explain to students that this is how rain is made.

Snowball Toss

Materials: 2 pairs of white socks, 2 waste paper baskets, masking tape.
Preparation: Roll the socks into "snowballs." Place two lines of masking tape on the floor one meter away from the waste paper baskets.
Directions: Divide the class into two teams. Have teams line up in single file behind each line of masking tape. Make sure the waste paper baskets are at equal distances from the lines. Have the first member of each team come up and try to toss the "snowball" into the basket. Repeat the procedure until all the students have had a turn. Every time a student tosses a snowball in the basket he or she wins a point for his or her team. The team with the most points at the end wins.

Controlled practice game

If students need more controlled practice of a structure try this. Divide the class into groups. One student says two sentences about another student in the group; e.g., Manuela has blue eyes. She doesn't have black hair. The next student repeats the sentences and adds two more of his own. The next student repeats all the sentences so far, and adds another two. If a student forgets or makes a mistake, students go back to the beginning.

Making project work meaningful

The display stage is very important in project work. If nobody looks at projects once they are finished, they lose their value. Once projects are finished, display them on the bulletin board and schedule time for students to look at each other's work. Give them task; e.g., Which project do you like the most? Why? If possible, invite other classes, other teachers, or even the school principal to look at the projects while the students are there. With this kind of attention, students will soon strat trying to do their best.

Open and closed pairs

An open pair is when a student asks a question and another student answers while the rest of the class listens. Use open pairs to check that students can produce the language correctly. A closed pair is when the class is divided into pairs and all the students ask and answer with their partner at the same time. Use closed pairs to give intensive practice, once you are sure that students are clear about the language.