Lesson Plan : Hobbies (for all levels)

This lesson plan does not follow the usual format. That's because I am teaching the same topic to all my classes this week regardless of the level or age. To that end I'm just listing a number of activities and describing them and will pick and choose between them according to the class that I am teaching.

Topic: My Hobbies

1. Introduction.
   Write several of your own hobbies on the board (mine are “writing poetry”, “travelling”, “reading comics”, :collecting books”)
   Explain them if necessary.
   For each one write a sentence “I like __________ because_________.
   Toss the ball from student to student asking them to make similar sentences.

2. Game.
   For this game you will need a dice and thirty cards containing the name of a hobby in both English and the students' first language.
   My list of hobbies is Acting, Writing, Playing computer games, Cooking, Drawing, Origami, Painting, Playing Piano, Playing Violin, Reading, Playing Ping Pong, Skateboard, Basketball, Cycling,Gardening, Photography, Running, KTV (Chinese Karaoke), Shopping, Tai Chi, Listening To Music, Playing Chess, Dancing, Flying a kite, Climbing, Walking the dog, Horse riding, Watching TV, Going to the Cinema, Playing guitar.
   (Pictures may be used but this can make the drawing task too easy.)
   Write on the board

1,2 Draw it
3,4 Act it
5,6 Answer Yes/no questions.
Class must guess the activity.
Choose a student to begin, roll the dice and choose a card, The student who guess correctly has the next turn.

3. Song.
   This is a song that I have written for use with the class. Guitar chords are included¹. Write a list of the people in the song on the board. Get students to copy the list. Sing the song. For each person they must listen for and write that person's hobby.
   Feedback the answers.

4. Dialogue. Requires recorded dialogue and equipment to play back.
   This dialogue is from Practical Oral English. It should be recorded in advance to play to the class. As they listen they should make a list of all the hobbies mentioned.
   Ask questions about the hobbies and other elements of the dialogue.

5. Put class into groups of four. Put these questions on the board.
   1. What is your favourite hobby?
   2. When do you do it?
   3.Where do you do it.
   For stronger groups add questions
   4. Why do you like it?
   5.Do you need anything special to do it?
   Students survey own group and write answers for each group member.
   Feedback from each group.

Notes.

1.

D                                                       G    A   D

I wish I could play football like my brother does

D                                                G    A   D

I wish that I could cook like my mother does

D                                                       G  A   D

I wish I could do gardening like my father does

D                                                G  A  D

And I wish I could sing like my sister does

A                                          E

I have so many friends and family, it's true

A                                                  E

And I wish that I could do all the things they can do

A                                           E

They all seem to be so much better than me

A                           E            D      E

Why's everybody better than I can be?

I wish I could draw like my best friend Ben

Play basketball and score in every game like Ken

I wish I could play piano like my cousin Fred

Or just play chess like his brother Jed

Chorus

I wish I could take a picture as well as John

Play computer games to compete with Ron

I wish I could skateboard with my pal Mac

Or play ping-pong as well as Jim or Jack

Chorus

I wish I could write a story like Peter can

Or run a hundred metres as fast as Dan

I wish that I could fly a kite as well Kate

Or play a game of volleyball with Billy and his mates

Chorus

I guess I'll just be happy that I can write a song

And pick up a guitar and sing and play along

And as for all the other things my friends can do

I'll try not to be jealous so I won't blue.

Chorus

2. Dialogue

Billy	My cousin Harry is coming to visit next week.
Sarah	Have I met him before?
Billy	Yes, he visited two years ago. Do you remember him?
Sarah	I think so. Is he the one with all the hobbies?
Billy	Yes. He has so many hobbies that he always seems to be doing something.
Sarah	I remember that he likes to play football.
Billy	Yes. He plays every Saturday morning for a local team. And he practises on Sunday afternoon.
Sarah	Doesn't he also play the guitar?
Billy	Yes, and the violin and piano. He's in two different bands. he plays with a rock band on Tuesdays and with a classical group on Wednesdays.
Sarah	What else does he do?
Billy	He's in an art club. He goes every Monday night and paints and draws pictures. He's very good. He paints lots of landscapes. He can also do portraits of people.
Sarah	Anything else?
Billy	When he has spare time he likes to read books. He says he can read a whole book in just two hours.
Sarah	Last time he was here he taught me to play chess. Does he still play?
Billy	His chess club is Friday and right after that's finished he goes to the park to do Tai Chi for an hour.
Sarah	What does he do on Thursdays
Billy	That depends. Sometimes he goes to the cinema. He likes to watch foreign movies, especially French ones. Sometimes he stays at home and writes poetry. He published a book last year.
Sarah	Wow. You must be really proud of your cousin. He's good at everything.
Billy	Well, maybe. But I wish he wouldn't visit us.
Sarah	Why?
Billy	Because when he's here my parents want me to be as good as he is and I'm not. It's really hard when you have a superman for a cousin.