(CEFR A1-A2)

Leap Years Age: 9 – 12

45 – 50 Minutes
Daniel Brayshaw

February 2012
Starting off

Discuss the following in groups.

1. How old are you? What year were you born in? When is your birthday?
2. How old are the people in your family? Can you remember when their birthdays
are?
3. What do you and your friends and family usually do on your birthdays?

Vocabulary 1

Match the words and the meanings.

everyone calendar extra celebrate choose invent

use this to check dates all people

decide which one do something fun on a special day e.g. have a party

more than usual to make, design or think of a new thing

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Vocabulary 2

Now use the words above to complete these sentences.

1. We have a _________ in the kitchen. Mum writes all our family birthdays on it
....so we don’t forget.
2. How are we going to _________ your birthday this year? Last year we went to
bb the zoo and had a great time.
3. I’ll buy you an ice-cream. You can _________ any flavour you like.
4. Alexander Graham Bell _________ (in the past) the telephone in 1876.
5. Take some_________ socks. You’ll need to wear two pairs because it’s cold
....in the mountains.
6. _________ needs food, water and air to stay alive.

Before you read

Discuss in pairs. What is special about the date the 29th of February?

First Reading

Read the text quickly to check your ideas.

Second Reading

Read the text again and answer the questions below.

1) 2012 is a leap year. When is the next leap year?

2) Why do we have leap years?
3) In which country were leap years invented?
4) When do people born on the 29th of February celebrate their birthdays?

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Language Work

1. The text contains lots of days and dates. Use it to help you fill the gaps.
Choose either in or on:
2. Complete the rules with
1) _____ February the 29th
either in or on:
2) _____ the 29th of February
3) _____ 29.02.96
1) We use _____ with days
4) _____ February
2) We use _____ with months
5) _____ a leap year
3) We use _____ with years
6) _____ 2012
4) We use _____ with dates
7) _____ February

Speaking

Work in groups. Discuss the following questions:

1. Would you like to be born on the 29 th of February? Why? Why Not?

2. Work in pairs. Imagine a fantastic birthday party. Make a list of all the good
things. Think about:

What music? What food? What drinks? What games?

Who’s there? What presents do you get? Where do you celebrate?

Tell your group about your ideal birthday e.g.

At my fantastic birthday party, we listen to pop music and eat pizza. We drink
orange juice and we play...

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Extra Activity

These months are all mixed up. Can you work out what they are?

1. bercmeed ____________
2. tagusu ____________
3. yam ____________
4. bootrec ____________
5. charm ____________

Write some more puzzles like this for other students. Your teacher will give you a
topic e.g.
Animals, Furniture, Transport, Food, Drinks

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 Leap Years

Everyone knows that there are 365 days in a year, right? Well, usually yes, but
this year is special because in 2012 there are 366 days. 2012 is a leap year.

Leap years happen every four years. In a leap year, there is an extra day on the
calendar. This extra day is called Leap Day and it is always on February the 29 th.
The extra day helps to keep our calendars working properly.

Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians invented the Leap year and hundreds of
years later, the Romans decided that the extra day would be on February the
29th.

4 million people celebrate their birthdays on February the 29th. When it is not a
Leap year, people born on February the 29 th can choose when their birthday is.
Some people choose the day before, and some people choose the day after.

The year 2000 was a leap year so if you were born on 29.02.00 you will be 12
years old this year, but only 3 Leap years old!

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