Lesson 1, Junior High School Life! Fancy school?

Listen to what the kids are saying
and matchthe photos (A-C) with
their words (1-3).

UNIT 2
Junior High School Life!

This text will be replaced

READ a magazine quiz teenagers' e-mails a school timetable a poster about school clubs blurbs of novels for teenagers	TALK ABOUT your student type your ideal school routine your preferences in school clubs current activities the plot of a book
LISTEN TO teenagers talking about school clubs a radio programme about teenagers' favourite books and authors	WRITE an e-mail about your ideal school a school club poster
LINK TO Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Literature Art

Lesson 1

1	We're in Magda's Junior High School, in Nafplio. Magda and her friends are doing a quiz in an English magazine. What do they want to find out? Do the quiz to find out about yourself.

DO YOU WORK HARD OR DO YOU TAKE IT EASY? FIND OUT!
START

I always do homework at the last minute.

Teachers have sent me to the
head's office at least once this year.

The Ancient Greeks? Who cares?

I know exactly where
my maths book is.

I often watch the Discovery and
History channels.

I know what I want to study
at university.

Modern Greek is great!
I love reading books.

There is one subject
that I'm ace at.

I always dread parents' evenings.

‘Bookish' type

You love school and learning,
but make sure you find time
for some fun too. Rest and
relaxation are essential.

‘Sometime' student

You enjoy certain lessons and
hate others. Just take care not
to let yourself fall too far behind
in the subjects you don't like.

School ‘struggler'

Maybe you just need to put in
more effort. But if you really
find school tough, ask your
teacher for help.

2	What type of student are you? Do you agree with the quiz? Why / Why not? The quiz says I'm a ‘sometime student' but I don't agree because I'm ace at maths.

Fancy school?

3	What type of student is your partner? Ask him/her to find out and tell the class (if your partner agrees).

- Do you know where your maths book is?
- No, I don't.
- I think my partner isn't a bookish type because s/he doesn't like reading books.

4	Magda sent an e-mail to her friends from the camp and attached the quiz. Read their e-mails to find out what student type they are.

Guys, do this quiz to find out your student type. Can you guess
mine? I don't spend hours studying but I'm ace at English and History.
I enjoy reading English girls' mags and learning about women's life in
ancient Sparta. Mum doesn't agree at all. She says I don't try hard.
The truth is I always study Geography during the break. Anyway, I like
school but I mostly like hanging out with my friends.
Magda, from Nafplio (Greece)

Hi Magda! Great quiz! OK, I love Maths so much that I solve
problems even at the weekends. Geography is one of my faves, too.
I'm not saying that I find all subjects interesting but I study them all
because I want to get high marks at the end of the term. I enjoy
learning new things. My classmates say I study TOO much. Do you
think so?
Jean Paul, from Tours (France)

Still crazy about magazine quizzes? Well, for me, the only good
thing about the first day at school is that I meet my friends again. At
home, I always fight with my parents because I don't study and I'm
often late for school. But I can't help it. I never know exactly what we
have for homework. Which subject do I enjoy? Working on computers
is OK, I guess. I also love it when we play football. My PE teacher is
super!
John, from Manchester (UK)

UNIT 2

Lesson 1

5	This is John’s school timetable. What is his favourite day of the week at school? What would be Magda and Jean-Paul’s favourite day if they spent a year in the UK? Why?

School Timetable

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8.00 - 9.30	R.E.	History Languages (French/German)	Maths Science	English	English R.E.
9.45 - 11.15	Maths English	English	Biology Health	Maths History	ICT Art
11.30 - 12.55	Biology	Library	Art	Home Economics	P.E.
13.05 - 13.45	Science	Music	Library	Geography	P.E.

6	Look at your timetable. Which is your favourite day of the week at school? Why?

Guessing words from context

1	Find words in the e-mails that mean:

a. very good at
b. magazines
c. going out with friends
d. find the answer to a problem
e. favourites
f. a 3-month period at school
g. shout at each other
h. I can't do otherwise

………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….
………………………………….

Fancy school?

‘School’ Collocations

2	Work in pairs and complete the sentences to make true sentences about your school routine. Do you think that your school makes you work hard or not?

Lessons start at … and finish at …
We have an English lesson twice / three times a week.
We usually / often / sometimes / never take tests.
We have / don't have exams at the end of the year.
We have two / three breaks every day.
I want to get high / low marks.
I usually spend …….. hours on homework.
I go to school on foot / by bus / by car / …….
We usually have loads of / a little homework to do.

Collocations
words that go together

e.g.
take a test
have a break
high marks
by car

Find more in
‘At my school'
(Task 2)

Dictionary Skills

3	Use your English - English dictionary to complete the table. Which one doesn't exist?

Verb	Noun
	life
	truth
fight
solve

4	What are these symbols for?

Adj. adv. [U] [C]
[pl.] AmE n v

Find an example for each.
Find two more symbols and explain them to the class.

UNIT 2

Lesson 1

Present Simple

1	Study the example sentences and complete the Grammar table.

I like some subjects.
I don't study ancient Greek much.
Which subject do you enjoy?
Mum helps me with my homework every day.

She doesn't fight with me.
Does your mum help you with your homework?
Yes, she does / No, she doesn't

Present Simple

Habits and states

Form

Statements
I / you /..... / they + verb
He /..... /..... + verb-s/es/ies
Questions
Do I / you / we / they+ verb
............. he/she/it + verb
Negatives
I / you / we / they don't + verb
He / She / It .......... + verb

REMEMBER:

Do / Don't add -s/-es/-ies to the verb when you makequestions and negatives in the 3rd person singular.
After When / What time / How often / How many etc keep the question form of the verb

don't = do not
doesn't = ......... .....

see Grammar Appendix, page 161

Adverbs of frequency

2	Study these example sentences and complete the Grammar box.

I always fight with my parents about homework.
I never know exactly what we have for homework.
I'm often late for school.

The adverbs of frequency (always / usually / often / sometimes / never) normally come:

before / after the main verb
before / after the verb 'to be'

see Grammar Appendix, page 161-162

Fancy school?

3	What is your ideal school like? Answer the questions and write two more.

How often do you
take tests?
………………

How many breaks do
you have every day?

…………………………

Do you work in groups in class?
………………

Do you choose the subjects
you study each term?

…..........................

What kind of teachers do you prefer?
……………………………

a. …………………….......……

Does the student council decide
about school trips or events?

………………
b. …………………….......……

4	Ask your partner about his/her ideal school.

In your ideal school, what
time do lessons start?

At 10.30. And they finish at
At 12.00. In yours?

UNIT 2

Lesson 1

Fancy school?

My ideal school

1	Write an e-mail about your ideal school and send it to your e-friends. Start like this:

Hi, everybody,
This is .... from ...... and I'll tell you about my ideal school.
Lessons start at 10.30 and finish at 12.30. We never … We
always get…

When you finish:

Get comments from your teacher and
classmates and write your 2nd draft.
Ask your ICT teacher to help you type it,
format it and send it.

My Portfolio
Your teacher will help
you to organise your
portfolio.

The organisation “Compassion Beyond Borders” organises courses for 350
women and girls who live in poor villages in India. They learn how to read and
write and the basics about health care and then they can study at public schools.
The cost is $35 for each woman per year.