Activity Suggestions

Pronunciation

• Pronunciation Project Assignment: At the end of each unit, the class will focus on a challenging aspect of English pronunciation.  In addition to the pronunciation practice activities done in class, students will choose a pronunciation topic that is particularly challenging, and will write a short story that includes words with these sounds.  Then students will create a shadow puppet to help them practice their pronunciation and showcase their creativity.  Each shadow puppet project should be 1-3 minutes in length and should include 2-3 pictures. 

Reading

• Around the World in 80 Days Assignment: Students will create a Shadow Puppet story summarizing the important events and characters from the first half of Around the World in 80 Days.  Students may work individually or with a partner, but both students should equally participate.  Pictures can be downloaded from the internet, or students can re-enact events from the story and take pictures to include in their Shadow Puppet. Summaries should be no longer than 3 minutes. 

Writing

• Descriptive Paragraph: Students work on writing a descriptive paragraph on a specific location. Students are directed to choose a location and take 3-5 pictures of the place. After the final copy is completed, they are required to make a Shadow Puppet video using their paragraph and pictures. This activity forces the students to make sure they are following the descriptive paragraph organizations: chronological order and spacial order. 

• Apps Suggestion Project: Students write about their favorite apps. After their write ups are revised and edited, they create a Shadow Puppet Ad.  It's a great way for students to share what they consider to be valuable apps. 

• Pros and Cons Activity: Sharing ideas and opinions on controversial issues can be intimidating for many, especially our ESL students. Shadow Puppet allows some students' voices to be heard and others to consider the words they are using in voicing their points of view.  For this project, students share the two sides of controversial issues. They must choose 2-3 views on both sides and create screen shots with the views. Shadow Puppet videos are made with their written views.  

 Vocabulary

• Focus words: Assign students to make videos with any focus vocabulary words. 

 Using Vocabulary Words:  Students create a video, ad, story, using 5 of the focused vocabulary words.  The words need to be visible or emphasized throughout the video. 

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