Shall we go to the cinema?

Objective & content

This functional language sheet teaches pupils to make arrangements with a friend: suggest a plan (Shall we go to the cinema? How about going to the market? Why don't we see a film?), say yes (That's a good idea! That's fine.) or not yet (I'm not sure.) and agree on a time and a place (What time shall we meet? Where shall we meet? Let's meet at quarter past three outside the cinema. See you there!). Pupils read a dialogue in which Hiro and Maisie plan their Sunday at school, find the missing words and read the useful phrases, given in a box. By the end, they can suggest a plan, answer a suggestion and agree on when and where to meet.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 is the dialogue, with a picture of Hiro and of Maisie: it's Friday, they are in the corridor at school. Hiro suggests the cinema on Sunday, Maisie is not sure and suggests the market, Hiro went there last week and suggests a new film, Robot Dog. It's on at twelve, half past three and half past six; Maisie has a swimming lesson at twelve and dinner at seven, so they choose half past three and meet outside the cinema at quarter past three. Pupils find eight missing words in lines from the dialogue. Page 2 has the useful phrases in a box, with the key words in bold, five situations to match to a phrase (saying yes, saying "I'm not sure", asking the time, asking the place, giving the time and the place) and six lines with three replies each, where pupils tick the best one. Page 3 has Nina and Gus's messages to number from 1 to 8 (the beach, then bowling because it's going to rain) and a dialogue to complete with five words in a box. It also has the cinema times for Sunday: three films, three times each. The last task is a role-play: pupils cut out cards A and B, each with a Sunday diary, and use the cinema times to find a film and a time they can both do. Only one works: Ice Planet at 4 pm. Every exercise opens with a worked example.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask the class "Shall we go to the cinema on Saturday?"; pupils answer "That's a good idea!" or "I'm not sure."
2. (10 min) Read the dialogue aloud; pupils find the missing words.
3. (5 min) Read the useful phrases in the box with the class; pupils find them in the dialogue.
4. (10 min) Page 2: pupils match the situations to the phrases, then tick the best replies.
5. (10 min) Page 3: pupils number Nina and Gus's messages, then complete the second dialogue.
6. (10 min) Role-play: pupils read the cinema times and their card, then suggest films and times until they find one for the two of them.
7. (5 min) Check with the answer key on page 4.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils read the dialogue aloud in pairs, one as Hiro and one as Maisie, before the tasks.

[A] Pupils write a message to a friend to suggest a plan for Saturday, with a time and a place.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil, and scissors for the role-play cards. Page 4 is the answer key and teacher notes: keep it. The role-play is free speaking: the film and the time are fixed (Ice Planet at 4 pm), the place to meet is free. Pupils need the days of the week and the time (o'clock, half past, quarter past, am and pm). To take it further, pupils plan a class outing with a real cinema or sports centre timetable.