ESL Holiday Lessons.com: Nerd & Geek Pride Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

Nerd Pride Day, also called Geek Pride Day, is a fun and serious day that celebrates nerds and geeks. Anyone around the world can feel proud to be a nerd or geek on this day. The day started in 2006 and takes place on May 25. This is a very special date because it is the world premiere of the first Star Wars movie in 1977. The day is a Spanish creation but crossed the Atlantic in 2008. It is now officially celebrated in America and other countries. Many nerd and geek bloggers hold parades and write special blogs about nerdiness and geekiness. There is a manifesto that contains the basic rights and responsibilities of nerds. This includes the right to be “even nerdier;” to “not leave your house;” and to “have few friends (or none at all)”.

It is hard to find a definition of a nerd or geek on the Internet. perhaps the best clue is; “You know one when you see one.” A few common characteristics of nerds and geeks might include the following: 1. Having dreams of achieving things normal people don’t have. 2. Being unusually interested in technology, especially more unusual hardware and software. 3. An interest in a hobby or pastime others might think is obsessive. Geeks are extremely important to society. It was because they stayed at home, had big dreams and spent hours every day on their hobby that we now have computers. Nerds and geeks tend not to be interested in modern fashions and are not always the best at sports and dancing.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	a fun and serious day that	a.	Star Wars movie
2	feel proud to be a nerd or geek	b.	of nerds
3.	the world premiere of the first	c.	on this day
4.	write special blogs about	d.	celebrates nerds
5.	the basic rights and responsibilities	e.	“even nerdier”
6.	This includes the right to be	f.	nerdiness

Paragraph 2

1.	It is hard to find a definition	a.	achieving things
2	You know one when	b.	in modern fashions
3.	Having dreams of	c.	at sports and dancing
4.	Geeks are extremely	d.	of a nerd or geek
5.	geeks tend not to be interested	e.	you see one
6.	not always the best	f.	important to society

LISTENING GAP FILL

Nerd Pride Day, also called Geek Pride Day, __________________ day that celebrates nerds and geeks. Anyone around the world can __________________ nerd or geek on this day. The day started in 2006 and takes place on May 25. This is a very special date because __________________ premiere of the first Star Wars movie in 1977. The day is a Spanish creation but crossed the Atlantic in 2008. It is now officially celebrated in America __________________. Many nerd and geek bloggers hold parades and write special blogs about nerdiness and geekiness. There __________________ contains the basic rights and responsibilities of nerds. This includes the right to be “even nerdier;” to “not leave your house;” and to “have few __________________”.

It is hard __________________ of a nerd or geek on the Internet. perhaps the best clue is; “You know one when you see one.” A few common characteristics of nerds and geeks __________________ following: 1. Having dreams of achieving things normal people don’t have. 2. Being ____________________ technology, especially more unusual hardware and software. 3. An interest in a hobby or pastime __________________ is obsessive. Geeks are extremely important to society. It was because they stayed at home, had big dreams and __________________ day on their hobby that we now have computers. Nerds and geeks tend not to be interested in modern fashions and are __________________ at sports and dancing.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Nerd Pride Day, also called Geek Pride Day, is a fun and __________ day that celebrates nerds and geeks. Anyone around the world can feel __________ to be a nerd or geek on this day. The day started in 2006 and takes place on May 25. This is a very special __________ because it is the world __________ of the first Star Wars movie in 1977. The day is a Spanish creation but __________ the Atlantic in 2008. It is now officially celebrated in America and other countries. Many nerd and geek __________ hold parades and write special blogs about nerdiness and geekiness. There is a manifesto that contains the basic __________ and responsibilities of nerds. This includes the right to be “even nerdier;” to “not leave your house;” and to “have few friends (or __________ at all)”.

date
crossed
rights
serious
proud
none
bloggers
premiere

It is hard to find a __________ of a nerd or geek on the Internet. perhaps the best clue is; “You know one when you see one.” A few __________ characteristics of nerds and geeks might include the following: 1. Having dreams of __________ things normal people don’t have. 2. Being unusually interested in technology, especially more __________ hardware and software. 3. An interest in a hobby or pastime others might think is __________. Geeks are extremely important to society. It was because they stayed at home, had big dreams and __________ hours every day on their hobby that we now have computers. Nerds and geeks __________ not to be interested in modern fashions and are not always the __________ at sports and dancing.

achieving
obsessive
tend
definition
best
unusual
common
spent

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

Nerd Pride Day, also called Geek Pride Day, is a fun and seriously / serious day that celebrates nerds and geeks. Anyone around the world can feel proud to be a nerd or geek on this day. The day starting / started in 2006 and takes place on May 25. This is a very special date because it is the world / worlds premiere of the first Star Wars movie in / at 1977. The day is a Spanish creation but crossed / crossing the Atlantic in 2008. It is now officially celebrated in America and other countries. Many nerd and geek bloggers hold parades and written / write special blogs about nerdiness and geekiness. There is a manifesto that containers / contains the basic rights and responsibilities of nerds. This includes the right to be “even nerdier;” to “not leave your house;” and to “have few friends (or no / none at all)”.

It is hard to find / found a definition of a nerd or geek on the Internet. perhaps the best clue is; “You knowing / know one when you see one.” A few common characteristics of nerds and geeks might include the following: 1. Having dreams of / for achieving things normal people don’t have. 2. Being unusually interested / interesting in technology, especially more unusual hardware and software. 3. An interest in a hobby or pastime others might think is obsessively / obsessive. Geeks are extreme / extremely important to society. It was because they stayed at home, had big dreams and spent / spends hours every day on their hobby that we now have computers. Nerds and geeks tend not to be interested in / at modern fashions and are not always the best at sports and dancing.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Nerd Pride Day, also called Geek Pride Day, is a fun and (1) ____ day that celebrates nerds and geeks. Anyone around the world can feel proud to be a nerd or geek on this day. The day (2) ____ in 2006 and takes place on May 25. This is a very special date because it is the world (3) ____ of the first Star Wars movie in 1977. The day is a Spanish creation but crossed the Atlantic in 2008. It is now (4) ____ celebrated in America and other countries. Many nerd and geek bloggers hold parades and write special blogs about nerdiness and geekiness. There is a manifesto that (5) ____ the basic rights and responsibilities of nerds. This includes the right to be “even nerdier;” to “not leave your house;” and to “have few friends (or (6) ____ at all)”.

It is hard to find a (7) ____ of a nerd or geek on the Internet. perhaps the best clue is; “You (8) ____ one when you see one.” A few common characteristics of nerds and geeks might include the following: 1. Having dreams of (9) ____ things normal people don’t have. 2. Being unusually interested in technology, especially more unusual hardware and software. 3. An interest (10) ____ a hobby or pastime others might think is obsessive. Geeks are extremely important to society. It was because they stayed at home, had big dreams and (11) ____ hours every day on their hobby that we now have computers. Nerds and geeks (12) ____ not to be interested in modern fashions and are not always the best at sports and dancing.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	seriously	(b)	seriousness	(c)	serious	(d)	series
2.	(a)	starting	(b)	started	(c)	starts	(d)	start
3.	(a)	promotion	(b)	preview	(c)	prompting	(d)	premiere
4.	(a)	officially	(b)	officials	(c)	official	(d)	officials
5.	(a)	contain	(b)	container	(c)	contains	(d)	contents
6.	(a)	no	(b)	not	(c)	non-	(d)	none
7.	(a)	definition	(b)	definitions	(c)	definitive	(d)	definite
8.	(a)	knowing	(b)	know	(c)	known	(d)	knew
9.	(a)	achievement	(b)	achieves	(c)	achieving	(d)	achiever
10.	(a)	on	(b)	of	(c)	at	(d)	in
11.	(a)	spending	(b)	spent	(c)	spends	(d)	spender
12.	(a)	tend	(b)	mend	(c)	bend	(d)	send

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	a fun and esiusro day
2.	feel ruopd to be a nerd
3.	a very cespial date
4.	It is now aciiffyoll celebrated in America
5.	write special obslg
6.	the right to be “even nredrie”
Paragraph 2
7.	idnifenito of a nerd
8.	A few comonm characteristics
9.	Being unusually tsernedtie in technology
10.	extremely important to eoticsy
11.	had big smraed
12.	interested in demnro fashions

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	special date because it is the world premiere of the first Star Wars movie in 1977. The day is a Spanish creation but crossed
( )	more unusual hardware and software. 3. An interest in a hobby or pastime others might think is
( )	nerdier;” to “not leave your house;” and to “have few friends (or none at all)”.
( )	dreams and spent hours every day on their hobby that we now have computers. Nerds and geeks tend not to be
( )	It is hard to find a definition of a nerd or geek on the Internet. perhaps the best clue is; “You know one
( )	parades and write special blogs about nerdiness and geekiness. There is a manifesto that contains
( )	world can feel proud to be a nerd or geek on this day. The day started in 2006 and takes place on May 25. This is a very
( )	obsessive. Geeks are extremely important to society. It was because they stayed at home, had big
( )	interested in modern fashions and are not always the best at sports and dancing.
( )	of achieving things normal people don’t have. 2. Being unusually interested in technology, especially
( 1 )	Nerd Pride Day, also called Geek Pride Day, is a fun and serious day that celebrates nerds and geeks. Anyone around the
( )	the basic rights and responsibilities of nerds. This includes the right to be “even
( )	when you see one.” A few common characteristics of nerds and geeks might include the following: 1. Having dreams
( )	the Atlantic in 2008. It is now officially celebrated in America and other countries. Many nerd and geek bloggers hold

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	nerd a be to proud feel
2.	Wars of movie the the first world Star premiere
3.	blogs write about special nerdiness
4.	contains basic a that the rights manifesto
5.	right the nerdier even be to
6.	to definition nerd hard a a is find of It
7.	see You one you one know when
8.	achieving dreams things of Having
9.	extremely are Geeks society to important
10.	not modern to fashions be geeks interested tend in

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE NERD & GEEK PRIDE DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about Nerd & Geek Pride Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Nerd & Geek Pride Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Nerd & Geek Pride Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Nerd & Geek Pride Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Nerd & Geek Pride Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.