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FESTIVAL WORKSHEETS A,B,C,D

April Fool's Day Lesson

Teachers Notes

Level:

intermediate and above

Age:

teenagers and young adults; possibly adults

Skills/Areas:
!

reading for detailed understanding and for gist (matching headings and paragraphs)

!

working with dictionary definitions

!

prepositions

!

speaking and/or writing (reporting hoaxes)

Time:

1 or 2 lessons [+ optional HOMEWORK and PROJECT]

Lesson 1 – steps 1–11
Lesson 2 – steps 11-18

Option:

If you want to devote only one lesson to the topic, skip steps 5-9.

Postpone Homework 1 till the end of the lesson.

Sources:

The Museum of Hoaxes (

www.museumofhoaxes.com

)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English on CD-ROM

Preparation:copies of handouts A-D; one set for each student

Abbreviations used in the glossary sections of the Worksheets:

[C, U] – countable, uncountable (nouns)
[I, T] – intransitive, transitive (verbs)
adj – adjective
esp – especially
sb – somebody

sth – something
usu - usually

AmE – American English
BrE – British English
W1 – top 1,000 words in written language
S2 – top 2,000 words in spoken language

Abbreviations used in the Teacher’s Notes:

L1 – first language, mother tongue
S – student

Ss – students
W-A, W-B – Worksheet A, Worksheet B etc

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LESSON 1

LEAD-IN – speaking 1

(1) Introduce the topic:

•

either play HANGMAN

•

or write April Fool’s Day on the board and have a short brainstorming session. You

can ask the group which words can be associated with April Fool’s Day.

(2) Ask Ss: “Why is April Fool’s Day a special day?”

Elicit the following:
People play tricks on each other without any consequences
and
it is the only day when the media present made-up stories on purpose.

(3) Elicit the meaning of the word HOAX.

•

If your Ss don’t know it, use the definition of the word on W-A.

•

Have a look at similar expressions, too.

SPAGHETTI BUMPER CROP — reading and vocabulary

(4) Read the 1957-box on W-A.

•

Explain that it is believed to be the first time TV was used to stage an April Fool’s

Day hoax.

(5) Distribute W-B.

•

Explain that Ss are going to read some more details about the 1957 hoax.

(6) Ask Ss to read the text in the first box and fill in the gaps.

•

Ask Ss to work individually first.

•

Ss should use the words on the right (anchor—weevil). They shouldn’t worry about

the three phrases below the horizontal line. Sometimes Ss have to change the form
of the words (e.g. plural nouns).

(7) Ask Ss to check the answers with a partner. Then, check the answers as a group and

answer any questions.

1957 – The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest

In 1957 the respected BBC news show Panorama broadcast a

……segment…… on Swiss farmers enjoying a …bumper… spaghetti crop. The
audience heard Richard Dimbleby, the show’s …anchor…, discussing the

details of the spaghetti crop. At the same time they could watch a …rural…
Swiss family pulling pasta off spaghetti trees and placing it into baskets.

The audience learnt that such a bumper year was possible thanks to a very

mild winter and because of “the …virtual… disappearance of the spaghetti
…weevil…, the tiny creature whose …depredations

…

have caused much

concern in the past.” In a tone of absolute seriousness, the narrator explained

that although spaghetti grows on trees, it always comes in …uniform… lengths
as “the result of many years of patient …endeavours… by past …breeders…
who succeeded in producing the perfect spaghetti.” He also expressed the
worries of a spaghetti farmer: “The last two weeks of March are an anxious

time for the spaghetti farmer. There's always the chance of a late frost which,
while not entirely ruining the crop, generally …impair… the flavour and makes

it difficult for him to obtain top prices in world markets.”

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Finally, the narrator concluded, "For those who love this dish, there's

nothing like real, home-grown spaghetti."

(8) Explain that the two paragraphs in the second box on the left report the reaction of

the viewers and show the idea behind this hoax.

•

Ask Ss to read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct prepositions.

•

Ss should work individually first.

•

Some of the prepositions may be used more than once.

(9) Ask Ss to check the answers with a partner. Then, check the answers as a group and

answer any questions.

Huge numbers _of_ viewers were taken _in_, and soon after the broadcast

the BBC received hundreds _of_ calls _from_ their viewers who were eager to
learn how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. _To_ this question, the
BBC diplomatically replied that they should "place a sprig _of_ spaghetti in a

tin _of_ tomato sauce and hope _for_ the best."

To be fair _to_ the viewers, _in_ the 1950s spaghetti was very exotic _in_

Britain, so for many people its origin must have been a mystery. Charles de
Jaeger, one _of_ the cameramen, later revealed that the idea _of_ this
segment occurred _to_ him when he remembered his school days. One _of_
his teachers often chided him _for_ being “so stupid he would believe
spaghetti grew _on_ trees.”

OPTIONAL STEP
If you have computers with Internet access, you may decide to watch a fragment of the
show.

•

The actual broadcast is available on the BBC’s website:

news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/70000/video/_70980_aprilfool_vi.ram

•

You need the RealVideo player to see it.

SPEAKING 2

(10) Ask Ss whether they remember any of the hoaxes from 2003 and/or 2004. The exact

date depends on the day the lesson takes place.

•

If the lesson is on or before April 1

st

, ask about the hoaxes last year.

•

If the lesson is after April 1

st

, ask students about the hoaxes this year.

(11) Ask Ss to bring W-A and W-B for next lesson.

HOMEWORK 1 – speaking or writing
Ask Ss to watch the evening news, have a look at Internet news services and national
newspapers to find this year’s hoaxes. Decide whether you want them to discuss a
chosen hoax orally in the classroom, or write a short description.

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LESSON 2

LEAD-IN – speaking 3

(12) Depending on the format of the homework chosen last lesson:

•

either ask a S to report the hoax s/he has chosen,

•

or ask S(s) to read their description of a chosen hoax.

TIMELINE – reading for general understanding, vocabulary

(13) Ask Ss to look at W-A:

•

Explain what a TIMELINE is.

•

Explain that Ss are going to read a number of short texts and they will have to

match them with their headlines on the timeline.

•

Use the headlines for 1993 and 1994, and the texts X and Z as examples.

(14) Distribute W-C and ask Ss to skim the texts and match them with the headlines.

•

Do not give Ss too much time to complete the task.

(15) Ask Ss to compare their answers with a partner.

•

After a while, ask about the differences in their choices. However, do not go into

details. Just find out whether they have more or less the same answers or not.

(16) Distribute W-D.

•

Explain that at the top they will find the most important and/or difficult words

which appeared in the texts.

•

Give Ss a few minutes to read some of the definitions and change their answers if

necessary.

(17) Check the answers as a class.

1994 – Chewy Vodka Bars – text 1
1995 – Lenin in France? – text 9
1996 – Safer Beverages – text 5
1997 – Internet Spring Cleaning – text 4
1998 – Burger King’s Innovation – text 3
1999 – United Europe – text 7

1999 – True Age of Celebrity – text 8
2000 – Sox Diet – text 10

2001 – Titanic in England – text 2
2002 – Whistling Carrots – text 6

(18) Hold a feedback session.

•

If necessary, go through the definition and give the equivalents of the words in Ss’

L1.

•

Explain any other words that Ss don’t know, e.g. sox = socks.

HOMEWORK 2 – reading for general understanding
Ask Ss to look at the lower part of W-D. Explain that there are 6 short texts which are
similar to the text in the second box on W-B. They show people’s reactions or explain

the jokes. Present O as an explanation to Z, a text on W-A. Ask Ss to read the remaining

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texts at home and try to match them to texts 1-10. Explain that definitions of some
words are given on the right, below the horizontal line.

Remember to check the answers next time.

OPTION: If you still have plenty of time, start doing HOMEWORK 2.

Text A – Text 5 (Safer Beverages)
Text B – Text 8 (True Age of Celebrity)

Text C – Text 2 (Titanic in England)
Text D – Text 4 (Internet Spring
Cleaning)

Text E – Text 7 (United Europe)

OPTIONAL PROJECT:

•

Working in small groups (preferably 3-4 ), your Ss should make up their own hoax in

English. For example, they could advertise a new product, announce the
introduction of a new law, write a short note about a celebrity etc.

•

It could be an advertisement (to be published in a magazine or broadcast on the

radio), an e-mail, a short article etc.

•

Be very careful when matching students. An ideal group should consist of a student

with a good knowledge of English, a student with manual skills, a creative student
(source of ideas).

•

Give your Ss enough time to complete the task: 2 weeks should be enough for them

to come up with an idea and implement it.

•

Needless to say, the best hoaxes should be rewarded: a szóstka will be appreciated

by every student.