Wrap It Up!

With the 2013 Academy Awards almost upon us, and the Grammy Awards this Saturday, I decided to try a new warm-up activity with my students. When actors and directors win an Oscar and give an acceptance speech, they are only allotted 45 seconds to share their thank-yous with the audience. So, I set up the timer on my cell phone for one minute. The students had to answer one of the questions below, using complete thoughts and sentences. If they weren’t finished, a piano riff played when the time elapsed.

Laida: I had a friend who was very, very funny. He could make anyone laugh about anything. He got along with everybody. One time, we were driving somewhere, to the beach I think, and he was telling me jokes and I was laughing so hard that we had to pull over on the highway so I could use the bathroom! The car only had two doors and my friend was a big guy. It took so much for me to climb over him and out the door so I could get outside. I felt so much better after I relieved myself. He was so funny. I miss my friend.

Keiko: If I could start my life over, I would learn how to dance when I was a child. Dance in Japan is traditionally very slow and not like it is here in the United States. I love dancing now, but I’m probably not the best dancer and I think it’s because I never learned how.

Yumiko: If I could start my life over, I would learn how to snowboard as a child. I think it’s easier to pick up hobbies like these in your childhood. I just went snowboarding last week and twisted my leg. Snowboarding is very fun but difficult to learn.

Haruna: If I could start my life over, I would have liked English when I was in junior high school. When in junior high, I hated English and didn’t try very hard. But now, I like English so I enjoy coming to class.

Has anyone ever told you a story that seemed like it’s gone on forever? What did you do or say to get him or her to “wrap it up?”