Unit 1 Laughter is good for you

南京九中 陸昕

Teaching aims:

(1).Make students participate in a discussion about which event they think is the funniest and most enjoyable.

(2) Encourage students to talk about their favourite comedians and the reasons why people like funny things.

(3).By talking about the posters and discussing, students’ spoken English can be practised.

Important points & difficult points:

(1).Students are expected to express their own opinions by talking about the posters and discussing.

(2).Encourage students to speak freely.

Procedure:

Step 1: Lead-in

(1) Life consists of laughter and tears. People around the world love to laugh. Which do you think is better for you, laughing every day or an apple per day?

(2) Show students some pictures of Mr. Bean. Ask them how they feel when they see him.

(Proper answers: silly, stupid, strange, funny…)

(3) Show students some pictures of Chen Peisi, Pan Changjiang, Zhao Benshan, Niu Qun, Feng Gong, Da Shan. Ask students who they are and how they feel when they see them. (Comedians)

Step 2: Brainstorming

What makes people laugh?

(Proper answers: jokes, comedians, funny movies, humorous stories, …)

Step 3: Picture talking

Choose one picture, and have a free talk.

(1). Grim Reaper has a sense of humour.

(2). To keep a balance…

(3). Where is my cola?

Step4: Observation

(1) Do the four posters share something in common? If so, what are they?

(2) Which of the events do you think will be the funniest? Why?

(3) Why do people like funny things?

Step 5 Further discussion:

How can we put more laughter in our lives?

read funny stories, watch funny movies and …

surround yourself with funny people

develop your own sense of humor

…

Step 6 Reading

(1) Humour: What would you say? A British would say: “It’s a little damp outside.”

(2) Joke: A: Where do you wash? B. In the spring. A. I didn’t ask when. I asked you where.

(3) Do you like British sense of humour? Would you like to learn more about it?

(4) scanning and skimming

(5) Game: Who is the best joke-teller?

Step 7 Homework

(1) Do relevant exercises in Assessment Book.

(2) Read Ronald Reagan on page 105 in Workbook.

(3) Preview reading.