Teacher’s Notes

Columbus Day

Lead-In – Speaking
1. Introduce the topic of the lesson – Christopher Columbus – and find out what your Ss know
about him. Don’t expect too many facts or do not reveal too much at this stage. It is enough to
explain that he is someone famous and that Ss are going to learn some facts about him.

Give your Ss copies of the worksheet (make sure that you have an equal number of Students A
and Students B).

Explain that Christopher Columbus is known under many names in different languages. Ask Ss
to connect the names with the languages. Pay particular attention to his name in your native
language, as some Ss may recognise it and provide some facts.

• If your Ss have problems with choosing which name is Spanish and which is Italian,
give them a clue: Italian names usually finish with a vowel (e.g. Sinatra, Coppola).

Christopher Columbus – English

Cristóbal Colón – Spanish

key
Cristoforo Colombo – Italian

Krzysztof Kolumb – Polish

Then, try to elicit what was Columbus’ main achievement. If they don’t know, ask Ss to read and
complete the rhyme in the box on the right with just one word (actually a number). Explain that
the word should rhyme with ‘blue’.

key The missing word: TWO

Explain the meaning of the rhyme. You can use a map of the world to show that he sailed from
Spain and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Explain that he wanted to get to India but he landed in
America. People in America celebrate the anniversary of his landing on the American continent
on October 12, 1492.

Pearson Central Europe / PHOTOCOPIABLE 1

Information Gap Activity – Reading, Speaking, Grammar
2. Ask your Ss to look at Task 2. Explain that some parts of the text are missing and their task
will be to complete it. Ask them to read the text first. Then, each S has to write three questions,
using the prompts on the right. When Ss have completed the questions, ask each S to work with
a partner with the same worksheet (i.e. A+A, B+B) in order to compare the questions. Solve any
problems your Ss may have with forming correct questions. You should help individual pairs
rather check the answers with all your Ss, otherwise this activity will become pointless.

Then, ask Ss to work with new partners, this time with a student who has a different worksheet
(i.e. A+B). Explain that to complete the text they need to ask and answer the questions they
have just written down. Give them some time to complete the task. Finally, let them compare
the worksheets. Solve any vocabulary questions and ask some comprehension questions if
necessary.

Student’s A questions Student’s A questions

1) When was Columbus born? 2) Where was Columbus born?
3) How old was he when he 4) How old was he when he nearly
became a sailor?
key died?
5) Where did he settle?
5) When did [she / his wife] give birth
to their first son? or When was his
son born?
Answers to these questions are given on the worksheets.

Pearson Central Europe / PHOTOCOPIABLE 2

Reading – Vocabulary
3. Explain to the Ss that in this task they will learn how Columbus got to America. Ask them to
read it and complete it. Ss have to:

• either unjumble the words in the brackets,

• or substitute each picture with one word.
Explain that the same picture can be substituted with different words (i.e. king/queen).

Give them a few minutes to complete this task and check the answers. If your Ss have problems
with finding some words, help them by giving some clues, e.g. say that the second word (sewt >
west) is a direction etc.

Columbus had a great IDEA. He wanted to get to India by sailing WEST.

He asked the KING of Portugal to PAY for the voyage, but he wasn’t
interested. Then, Columbus asked the KING and QUEEN of SPAIN to
PAY for the voyage. They agreed. SEVEN years later, he got THREE
key SHIPS and began his journey.
On October 12, 1492, after 36 days at SEA they found an ISLAND.
Columbus named it San Salvador. It wash is first day in America.
Next year Columbus and his crew returned to Spain, where he became
a HERO.

Homework – Vocabulary
Ask the students to learn a few phrases (rather than words) which they can find in the two texts.
A suggested set could consists of these phrases: a great idea, (to) become a hero, (to) give birth to
sb, (to) settle in (Portugal).

Pearson Central Europe / PHOTOCOPIABLE 3