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10-minute LucyinLA activities

Teacher’s Guide

N.B.: You should dowload videos before class.

1. TOPIC: Embarrassing moments

Material: video Lucy In LA “I got a call back” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpQKN0pjCFE),

board, markers

Skills: listening, speaking

Write on the board for students to answer in pairs:

1. What happened to Lucy at the audition? (the director walked in on her in the
bathroom)
2. How did she feel then? (embarrassed)
3. How does she feel now? Why? (exhilarated, because she got a call back)

Then work on vocabulary.

4. call back, audition, actor (for women too), hysterical, unisex bathroom, walk in
on sb, lock the door, dude/guy, swear on my soul, playful

Finally, have them speak and respond to their peers.

5. What was the most embarrassing moment in your life?
6. According to scientists, women are more prone to telling funny, embarrassing
stories about themselves, while men prefer telling stories where they are the
hero. Do you agree with that? Why do you think that is so?

2. TOPIC: Jobs

Material: video Lucy In LA “First Blog” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=MxllylZN_0I&mode=related&search=), board, markers

Skills: listening, speaking

Write on the board for students to answer in pairs:

1. What does she live now? (in LA)
2. Where’s she from? (Georgetown, but she tells everybody she’s from Boston)
3. What does she do for a living? (She answers phones in an accounting firm)
 4. Does she have any benefits? (No)
5. Why does she work there? (To pay her bills)
6. What’s her dream job? (Actor. She wants to be in the movies.)

Then work on vocabulary.

7. a day job, try my hand at, temp (noun and verb), spice things up, save up,
clunker (car), hourly wage, benefits, get credits, actor (for women too)

N.B.: SAG card: “SAG is the abbreviation for Screen Actor's Guild. The Screen Actor's Guild covers all union
films, commercials, videos that are shot on film. Getting a SAG-CARD is very important to a newcomer
wanting to get work in Hollywood or anywhere else union projects are being filmed. Many agents will not take
an actor if he does not have a SAG-CARD. Some casting directors will only see SAG talent for their
projects.”

Finally, have them speak and respond to their peers changing the questions on the Board
to ask about each other.

3. TOPIC: Beauty

Material: video Lucy In LA “Skinny People” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdqOvBfIp70=),

board, markers

Skills: listening, speaking

Tell them they are going to watch a beginning actress talk about skinny people.
Write on the board for students to answer in pairs:
1. What does she think of the female beauty standards nowadays? (She doesn’t
approve of them because she thinks it is bad for women’s health and influenced by
pop culture.)
2. Why does she draw a comparison between hiring an accountant and hiring an
actress? (To point out that acting, like any other job, should put talent before
appearance)
3. According to her, what aspects do casting directors consider when hiring an
actress? (age, body fitness/beauty/appearance, contacts)
4. What do they disregard? Talent.

Then work on vocabulary.

5. bug/ There’s sth really bugging me, skinny, anorexic, chicks, competition,
niche, chubby, curvy, a dime a dozen (UK ALSO be two/ten a penny: to be
common and/or of very little value), things line up

Finally, have them discuss in small groups.

6. Are there any jobs in which physical appearance should count?
7. What do you think of modern female/male beauty standards?
8. Is beauty really in the eyes of the beholder?
9. What does the saying “Beauty is only skin deep” mean? Do you agree with it?
10. Do you know anyone who puts beauty over health?
 11. How worried are you about your physical fitness and appearance? Why do(n’t) you
worry?
12. What do/ should you do to…
a) keep fit?
b) lose weight?
c) gain weight?
d) increase your muscle tone?

4. TOPIC: My City

Material: video Lucy In LA “LA is good too” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=UZpQpNTZK38), board, markers

Skills: listening, speaking

Tell them they are going to watch a beginning actress talk about the city where she lives.
Write on the board for students to answer in pairs:
1. Where does she live? (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
2. What does she like about the city she lives in? (the beaches, though they may
get overcrowded; the weather, which is mild; entertainment/shopping options, the
fact it’s a melting pot; the restaurants, from all over the world; the people, who are
driven, passionate and really talented)

Then work on vocabulary.

3. hang out, overcrowded beaches, mild weather, (ga)zillion, the best of the best,
pockets of communities
4. “There are lot of…people that I’m meeting here, that I never would’ve, had I never
come here”.  draw attention to the grammar of this sentence if it suits you.

Finally, have them discuss in pairs.

5. What are the positive and negative aspects of the city where you live?
6. Why do you live here?
7. Would you live anywhere else? Where? Why?

Alternatively, have a CAE-like activity. Pair sts up. St A will talk for 1 minute about the positive
aspects of the city where he/she lives, while student B times him. Then they swap roles, with st B
talking only about the negative aspects. Then elicit the points in which they (dis)agree with their
partners or which is the best/worst aspect, and then throw question 6 at the students. As a follow-
up, you can ask them to describe an ideal picture to use in an ad to attract tourists for their city or a
picture to put in the cover of a magazine about the problems of their city.