STEP-BY-STEP PROJECTS 1

UNITS 7&8 Keep a diary

1 Work in pairs. Answer the questions. Then read the Introduction to check your answers.
1 What do people write about in a diary?
2 How can a diary help you to plan the next few days?
3 What’s the difference between a diary and a blog?

Introduction
A diary (or journal) is a book in which you write about your experiences
each day. You can also write about your thoughts, feelings, and
opinions. People sometimes keep special diaries to write about their
dreams or to describe a trip. You can also use a diary to make notes
of things to do in the next few days, weeks, or months. These things
can include tasks to complete. This type of diary is called a planner.
People don’t usually write diaries for other people to read. They
use social networking sites or blogs to share their experiences and
opinions with other people.
2 Work in groups. Follow the steps to create your own diary. Take turns making notes.

Step 1 Make your diary Step 2 Make a list of special days

and tasks to do
■ Choose a start and end date for your diary. How long
■ What’s happening at your school – a school play, a
will your diary be – a week, two weeks, a month … ? sporting event … ?
■ Use a notebook or fold pieces of paper to make your In your group, make a note of the dates and events.
diary. Each student in the group will make a diary. All
■ Make a note of any special days – holidays, birthdays
members of the group make the same type of diary. of friends or classmates, festivals …
■ Check that all the diaries have the correct number of
■ Make a list of interesting and fun tasks to do on
pages or spaces. Write the date and day of the week different days – write a poem in English, be extra
at the top of each page or space. nice to everyone, sing a song in English …
There’s the school play next week.

And there’s a full moon on Wednesday.

I think Rosie’s birthday is on Wednesday too.

Do you have any ideas for tasks?

How about writing a poem in English?

One of the tasks could be saying

hello to everyone in English.

We could have a “be extra nice to people” task.

That’s a great/good/fantastic idea.

Let’s start the diary on Monday.

How about making it for two weeks?

OK. So it needs to have 14 pages

plus a front and back cover.

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillangobeyond.com

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© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.
STEP-BY-STEP PROJECTS 1
UNITS 7&8 Keep a diary

Step 3 Design the pages

■ Transfer the information from the notes to your diary.
Leave enough space on each page for the person to write about his or her day.
■ Give your diary a name – My Secret Diary, My Memories, My Life …
■ Design the cover using the name of your diary.

Wednesday, October 15
Full moon and
Rosie’s birthday.
Secret

Task of the day

Sing a song in English!

Step 4 Exchange your diary Step 5 Share your diary

■ Exchange your diary with a student from another
group.
Write your name on the front of the new diary and
the other person’s name on the back of the diary.
■ Look at your new diary and read some of the tasks.
■ Keep the diary. Each day …
■ read the information for the day.
■ try to complete the task. (If you complete the
task, put a check mark next to it.)
■ write about your experiences, thoughts, feelings,
and opinions.
■ After completing the diary, return it to the student
who gave it to you. (His or her name is on the back
of the diary.) The other student returns your original
diary.
■ Read the completed diary.
■ Did the student complete your tasks?
■ Did he or she write about each day?
■ Discuss the diaries with the other students.
What did you think of the tasks in the diary?
They were fun/easy/difficult.

Today the weather was terrible. It What did you write about?
rained all day and I was bored. I saw
my friend Alex. She’s … I wrote about the weather and my friends.

Did you like keeping a diary?

Yes, it was fun. / No, it was difficult.

I agree. / I don’t agree.

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillangobeyond.com

2
© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2015. This sheet may be photocopied and used within the class.