Bonfire Night

This activity is a jigsaw reading about the history of the Gunpowder Plot. As a follow up learners take part in a pyramid discussion talking about similar festivals in their own country.

Activity type: Jigsaw reading and pyramid discussion

Learning outcomes: Practise reading for specific information, question formation and speaking skills through a discussion

Preparation: 

1. Bonfire Night Jigsaw Reading text – Cut up into A and B
2. Bonfire night discussion questions – Cut up so each pair has a set of questions

Procedure:

• Depending on the level of your group, decide how much of the vocabulary to pre- teach. Make sure all students know the meaning of the following, before they begin the reading: blow up, a plot, gunpowder.
• Divide the students up in half. Then make pairs or small groups within each half.
• Give all learners in one half text A and all learners in the other half text B
• Tell learners work together to write questions to find out the missing information from their text. Monitor and support as needed.
• Then re-group the learners into pairs so that As are with Bs Tell learners not to show their text to their partner
• Each learner asks and answers their questions to complete the texts.
• Get feedback on the task and mention any common errors.
• Before moving on to the discussion elicit or give the meaning of fireworks display
• Give pairs the discussion questions. Monitor and support with language. Write any useful language on the board
• After five minutes discussion join two pairs to make a group. Pairs share their ideas.
• Finally ask groups to share their ideas with the whole class.