MICROTEACHING

Reading

To: Dr. Nazife Aydinoglu

Nurana Jorayeva
Jemal Ovezova
Shohbek Mamatkulov
[Email address]
Topic: April Fools’ Day
Time: 45 min
Proficiency level: B1
Goal: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to read and comprehend a text about April Fools'
Day, use a range of reading strategies to improve their comprehension, expand their vocabulary related to
the topic, and engage in critical thinking and discussion about the cultural traditions associated with the
holiday.
Objectives: at the end of the lesson students will be able to:

 make a prediction related with topic by looking picture clues and answer the questions;
 choose some words that are going to be in the reading text;
 match 7 words from the text with their meanings;
 improve vocabulary and language skills through a fill-in-the-blank activity using words
provided in a box ;
 distinguish between factual information and false statements in a reading passage about a
given topic;
 scan the text before they read intensively;
 skim the text and choose the right answer;
 complete charts and missing parts according to text.
 locate and identify specific words within a given puzzle by thoroughly scanning and
analyzing the puzzle grid in order to complete the task accurately and efficiently
 fool other players by making up believable lies about April Fools' Day traditions from
around the world.
 engage participants in a critical analysis of the traditions associated with April Fool's Day
.
Steps Activities Materials Timing
 Make a predictions 8-10minutes
Pictures,
 Talking about pictures activity text,
Pre-reading handout 1
 Answering the questions

 Brainstorming

 Vocabulary

 Bottom-up / Top-down -Reading text 20 minutes.

 Text attack (handout 2)

 Scanning -Activity text

(handout 3)
While- reading
  Skimming

 Micro-skills reading

 Word-attack Play cards 15 minutes

 Clasroom debate
 Game ‘’Fool me once’’ Word Puzzle
Post- reading
 Wordsearch

Pre -Reading

A. Look at the pictures given below and try to make predictions about the topic.
B. Answer the following questions.
1. Is April Fools' Day celebrated all over the world?

2. What are some common April Fools' Day pranks?

3. How do you say "April Fools' Day" in other languages?

4. What are the best pranks to play on April Fools' Day?

5. Is it considered bad luck to play a prank on someone on April Fools' Day?

6. What are some ways to avoid being pranked on April Fools' Day?

C. Put a tick ( ) if you think the word is going to be in the reading text and put a cross ( ) if it is
not.

Hoax Audience Kooky Gag Mask

Spoof Trick Mischief Broadcast Victim

Eggnog Jester Bells Ghost Shoelaces

D. Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–7).

Vocabulary Definition

1.Victim a) To transmit a message or program to a wide audience, typically via radio,

television, or the internet.

2. Shoelaces b) A humorous or malicious deception, often perpetrated on a large group

of people.

3. Broadcast c) Showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way; playful in a

naughty or annoying way.

4. Audience d) A clever or skillful action or deception intended to deceive or amuse

someone.
5. Mischievous e) A person who has been harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime,
accident, or other event.

6. Trick f) A cord or lace used to fasten a shoe or other footwear.

7. Hoax g) The group of people who are watching or listening to a performance,

speech, or other event.

h) (especially of a person) strange in his/her appearance or behavior,

especially in a way that is interesting.
 While Reading
A. Read the text and fill in the blanks with suitable words in the box

Victim Broadcast April Fools’

Shoelaces Audience Day
Trick Mischievous Hoax

April Fools’ Day

1. April Fools' Day is about more than playing jokes, tricks, and pranks. That's just the most fun part of
the day! Check out why we're all so mischievous on April 1st. The History In the 16th century,
France celebrated the New Year just like we do today, except they partied on April 1st. In 1562, Pope
Gregory changed the calendar to the one we use today and from then on, the New Year began on
January 1st. Lots of people didn't know about the new calendar, or they ignored the new calendar and
kept celebrating on April 1st. Everyone else called them April fools and played tricks on them.

2. In the UK, jokes and tricks can be played up until noon on 1st April. After midday, it's considered
bad luck to play a trick. Anyone who forgets this and tries a joke in the afternoon becomes an 'April
Fool' themselves.

3. So, what kind of jokes do people play? Well, a simple example would be telling your friend that
their shoelaces are undone. Then, when they bend down to do them up, you shout, 'April Fool!', and
they realize their shoelaces are fine. Maybe it's not your kind of humor, but watch out, there's always
someone who will find it hilarious! In Ireland, a popular prank is to send someone on a 'fool's errand'.
The victim is sent to deliver a letter, supposedly asking for help. When the person receives the letter,
they open it, read it, and tell the poor messenger that they will have to take the letter to another
person. This continues and the victim ends up taking the message to several different people until
someone feels sorry for them and shows them what the letter says: 'Send the fool to someone else.'

4. In France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and French-speaking areas of Canada and Switzerland,
the 1 April tradition is known as the 'April Fish'. A common joke is to try to stick a paper fish onto a
victim's back without being noticed.

5. Some newspapers, TV channels, and well-known companies publish false news stories to fool
people on the 1st of April. One of the earliest examples of this was in 1957 when a program on the
BBC, the UK's national TV channel, broadcast a report on how spaghetti grew on trees. The film
showed a family in Switzerland collecting spaghetti from trees and many people were fooled into
believing it, as in the 1950s British people didn't eat much pasta and many didn't know how it was
made! Most British people wouldn't fall for the spaghetti trick today, but in 2008 the BBC managed
to fool their audience again with their Miracles of Evolution trailer, which appeared to show some
special penguins that had regained the ability to fly. Two major UK newspapers, The Daily
Telegraph, and the Daily Mirror published the 'important story' on their front pages.

6. On April Fool's Day 1998, the American hamburger chain Burger King announced that it had
created a left-handed hamburger. The advert for the 'new product' explained that all the ingredients
had been rotated 180 degrees so that it was more comfortable for left-handed people to pick up and
 eat. The following day, Burger King admitted that this advertisement had been a hoax, but said that
thousands of customers had gone to restaurants across the USA asking for a left-handed burger.

B. Scan the text to complete the following chart.

History: The reason of sending a letter:

“April Fools “playing time: Popular jokes:

C. Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F).

1. In the UK, you can play an April Fool's Day trick all day on 1 April. T/F
2. In Ireland, the 'fool's errand' joke usually involves two people. T/F
3. Very few people believed the 1957 April Fool's story about spaghetti growing on trees. T/F
4. In 1998, a lot of people in the United States wanted to try the left-handed hamburger. T/F
5. Some people say that April Fool's Day can have positive health effects. T/F
6. TV channels and well-known companies publish false news stories to fool people on 1 April. T/F

D. Skim April Fools’ Day. Circle what each paragraph is about.

Paragraph 1 a. Sending fool's errand b. History of ‘’ April Folls’ Day’’

Paragraph 2 a. April Fools’ Day in UK b. Symbol of “April Fool “
Paragraph 3 a. Which jokes people play b. Gregory’s calendar
Paragraph 4 a. Practical jokes for April b. April Fools’ Day around the world
Paragraph 5 a. April Fools’ Day in the media b. April Fools traditions
Paragraph 6 a. Degree of cooking burger b. A history of left-handed hamburger
 Post- Reading

A. Read the sentences and then write the correct form of the word in brackets.
1. April Fool's Day is a where people play tricks on each other.
(celebrate)
2. The victim of the 'fool's errand' joke is the (message)
3. In French-speaking areas of Canada, 1 April is known as the 'April
Fish'. (tradition)
4. Thousands of customers went to Burger King after seeing an for a
new burger. (advertise)
5. Burger King said that its new hamburger was more  for left-
handed people. (comfort)
6. Fun and on April Fool's Day can reduce stress levels. (laugh)
7. Many people find April Fool's Day very . (enjoy)
8. After receiving thousands of prank calls, a for Dublin Zoo said
staff had 'lost their sense of humour'. (speak)

B. Classroom Debate. Share your opinion about ‘’Is April Fools' Day (1st April) a good or bad
thing?’’

April Fools' Day, also known as All Fools' Day, is celebrated on 1st April every year. On this day,
people play pranks, hoaxes, and practical jokes on one another. While some people enjoy the
humor and lightheartedness of the day, others argue that it promotes deceit and encourages
people to be untruthful. In this debate, we will explore the arguments for and against April
Fools' Day as a cultural phenomenon.

Arguments in favor of April Fools' Day Arguments against April Fools' Day:
C. ‘’Fool Me Once’’

Divide the class into three groups. Each group takes a turn and makes up a believable lie
or true statement. For example, a group might say that in Japan, people play pranks on
their bosses on April Fools' Day to show their dissatisfaction with their job. After the
group shares their statements, the other groups have to guess if it's true or false. They can
ask questions to clarify any details. Once everyone has guessed, the group reveals if their
statement is true or false. The group that correctly guesses the most number of true and
false statements wins the game.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

D. Find the following words given below in the puzzle.