Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Make A Difference Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Make A Difference Day happens in the USA and UK towards the end of October. It’s such a good idea that it should take place in every country around the world. In fact, it should be every day, not just one day a year. So what is it? As the name suggests, it is one day of the year when you must do something to make a difference in people’s lives. It was created by the USA Weekend magazine. The original idea was to “celebrate neighbors helping neighbors”. Millions of people volunteer their time and efforts for community projects. You can choose your own project or visit the Make A Difference Day website for ideas. If you register your idea, you could win a special award.
Make A Difference Day is the UK's biggest day of volunteering. The British website says it wants to “create a wave of kindness throughout the UK – to bring people together…and help build stronger, happier and safer communities for us all to live in”. There are “Act of Random Kindness” kits available through the site. These are full of ideas on how you can be kind to total strangers or help the environment. Teachers can also play their part on this day. The US and UK websites have lesson plans to get students into making a difference. There is so much we can do to help others. Making a difference also helps those who make the effort. You feel good about yourself and want to do more next time.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
towards the end
a.
neighbors
2
not just one
b.
your own project
3.
neighbors helping
c.
day a year
4.
people volunteer
d.
award
5.
You can choose
e.
of October
6.
win a special
f.
their time
Paragraph 2
1.
create a wave
a.
communities
2
bring people
b.
about yourself
3.
happier and safer
c.
their part
4.
These are full of
d.
together
5.
Teachers can also play
e.
of kindness
6.
You feel good
f.
ideas
LISTENING GAP FILL
Make A Difference Day happens in the USA and UK _______________ October. It’s such a good idea that it _______________ in every country around the world. In fact, it should be every day, not just one day a year. So what is it? __________________, it is one day of the year when you must do something to make a difference in people’s lives. It was created by the USA Weekend magazine. The __________________ “celebrate neighbors helping neighbors”. Millions of people volunteer their _________________ volunteer for community projects. You can choose your own project or visit the Make A Difference Day website for ideas. If you _______________, you could win a special award.
Make A Difference Day is the UK's _________________ volunteering. The British website says it wants to “create a wave of kindness throughout the UK – to bring people together…and _______________, happier and safer communities _______________ in”. There are “Act of Random Kindness” kits available through the site. These are full of ideas __________________ kind to total strangers or help the environment. Teachers can also _______________ on this day. The US and UK websites have lesson plans to get students into making a difference. There is so much we can do to help others. Making a difference also helps those who _______________. You feel good about yourself and want to do more next time.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Make A Difference Day happens in the USA and UK ____________ the end of October. It’s such a good ____________ that it should take place in every country around the world. In fact, it should be every day, not just one day a year. So what is it? As the name ____________, it is one day of the year when you must do something to make a difference in people’s ____________. It was created by the USA Weekend magazine. The ____________ idea was to “celebrate neighbors helping neighbors”. Millions of people ____________ their time and efforts for community projects. You can ____________ your own project or visit the Make A Difference Day website for ideas. If you register your idea, you could win a ____________ award.
lives idea original choose towards special suggests volunteer
Make A Difference Day is the UK's ____________ day of volunteering. The British website says it wants to “create a ____________ of kindness throughout the UK – to bring people together…and help build stronger, happier and ____________ communities for us all to live in”. There are “Act of Random Kindness” ____________ available through the site. These are full of ideas on how you can be kind to total strangers or help the environment. Teachers can also ____________ their part on this day. The US and UK websites have lesson ____________ to get students into making a difference. There is so much we can do to help others. Making a difference also helps those who make the ____________. You feel good about ____________ and want to do more next time.
play wave effort safer yourself biggest plans kits
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Make A Difference Day happens in the USA and UK towards the ends / end of October. It’s such a good idea that it should take / make place in every country around the world. In fact, it should be every day, not just one day a year. So what is it? As the name suggestion / suggests, it is one day of the year when you must do something to make a difference / different in people’s lives. It was created by the USA Weekend magazine. The original / origin idea was to “celebrate neighbors helping neighbors”. Millions of people voluntary / volunteer their time and efforts for community projects. You can choose / choice your own project or visit the Make A Difference Day website for ideas. If you register your idea, you could win a special award / reward.
Make A Difference Day is the UK's biggest day of volunteering. The British website says it wants to “create a wave / waive of kindness throughout the UK – to bring people together…and help build stronger, happier and safely / safer communities for us all to live in”. There are “Act of Random Kindness” kits available though / through the site. These are full of ideas on how you can be kind to total / totally strangers or help the environment. Teachers can also play their part on this daily / day. The US and UK websites have lesson plans to get students into making a difference / different. There is so much we can do to help others. Making a difference also helps those who make the effort / effortless. You feel good about yours / yourself and want to do more next time.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Make A Difference Day happens in the USA and UK towards the (1) ____ of October. It’s such a good idea that it should (2) ____ place in every country around the world. In fact, it should be every day, not just one day a year. So what is it? As the (3) ____ suggests, it is one day of the year when you must do something to make a difference in people’s lives. It was created by the USA Weekend magazine. The (4) ____ idea was to “celebrate neighbors helping neighbors”. Millions of people (5) ____ their time and efforts for community projects. You can choose your own project or visit the Make A Difference Day website for ideas. If you (6) ____ your idea, you could win a special award.
Make A Difference Day is the UK's biggest day of volunteering. The British website says it wants to “create a (7) ____ of kindness throughout the UK – to bring people together…and help build stronger, happier and (8) ____ communities for us all to live in”. There are “Act of Random Kindness” kits available through the site. These are full of ideas on how you can be (9) ____ to total strangers or help the environment. Teachers can also play their part on this day. The US and UK websites have lesson plans to get students (10) ____ making a difference. There is so much we can do to help (11) ____. Making a difference also helps those who make the effort. You feel good about (12) ____ and want to do more next time.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
endings
(b)
ended
(c)
end
(d)
ending
2.
(a)
take
(b)
make
(c)
fake
(d)
bake
3.
(a)
naming
(b)
name
(c)
named
(d)
names
4.
(a)
origin
(b)
origins
(c)
originally
(d)
original
5.
(a)
volunteer
(b)
voluntary
(c)
volunteers
(d)
volunteered
6.
(a)
registering
(b)
registered
(c)
registration
(d)
register
7.
(a)
surf
(b)
crest
(c)
wave
(d)
tidal
8.
(a)
save
(b)
safest
(c)
safely
(d)
safety
9.
(a)
kindly
(b)
kind
(c)
kindness
(d)
in kind
10.
(a)
onto
(b)
up to
(c)
to
(d)
into
11.
(a)
other
(b)
others
(c)
another
(d)
the other
12.
(a)
you
(b)
yours
(c)
yourself
(d)
your
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
otarwds the end of October
2.
take aepcl in every country
3.
The nolirgai idea
4.
people tuoelnvre their time
5.
choose your own oectjpr
6.
win a special rdaaw
Paragraph 2
7.
the UK's bsgtieg day
8.
create a wave of snnedksi
9.
iaerpph and safer communities
10.
full of saedi
11.
lesson lsapn
12.
feel good about oyefrusl
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
neighbors”. Millions of people volunteer their time and efforts for community
( )
ideas. If you register your idea, you could win a special award.
( )
we can do to help others. Making a difference also helps those who make the
( )
place in every country around the world. In fact, it should be every day, not just one day a year. So what is it? As the name
( )
effort. You feel good about yourself and want to do more next time.
( )
all to live in”. There are “Act of Random Kindness” kits available through the site. These are full of ideas on
( )
how you can be kind to total strangers or help the environment. Teachers can also play their
( )
Make A Difference Day is the UK's biggest day of volunteering. The British website says it wants to “create a wave
( )
of kindness throughout the UK – to bring people together…and help build stronger, happier and safer communities for us
( 1 )
Make A Difference Day happens in the USA and UK towards the end of October. It’s such a good idea that it should take
( )
lives. It was created by the USA Weekend magazine. The original idea was to “celebrate neighbors helping
( )
suggests, it is one day of the year when you must do something to make a difference in people’s
( )
part on this day. The US and UK websites have lesson plans to get students into making a difference. There is so much
( )
projects. You can choose your own project or visit the Make A Difference Day website for
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
the the October in towards of Happens USA end.
2.
take should It country every in place.
3.
to a something make difference Do.
4.
neighbors celebrate to was idea original The.
5.
own can your project You choose.
6.
biggest UK's volunteering The of day .
7.
kindness Create throughout a the wave UK of.
8.
us all Safer to communities live for in.
9.
kind of how be Full on can ideas you.
10.
good about yourself and want to do more You feel.
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
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 Make A Difference Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Make A Difference 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 Make A Difference Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
