Lesson 2

What things do you do when you travel?

1. Read this diary entry and in pairs discuss and answer the questions. 1. What is the diary writer describing? 2. How does the things described by the writer make you feel? 3. How can you identify the things that the writer did?

Write Pairs

Dan Wilson’s Diary entry Monday 15th We‘ve just spent a week in Mexico! We spent two days in Mexico City before going to the beach. The first day we went to the Papalote children’s museum. It’s a hands-on museum and you can do a look of cool things like technological experiments. We saw a film there about the Big Bang – you know about the beginning of the universe. After that we went to Chapultepec Park which is really close. There’s a lake there. Dad took us rowing on the lake. There’s a zoo there, too but we didn’t have time to visit. We did go on the Big Dipper. It’s called the Montaña Rusa there. The next day we went to a place on the outskirts of the city called Tio Pepe’s farm. You learn about farming there and there’s a petting farm with baby chicks and little lambs. We made our own lunch. We made pizzas and they tasted really good. On the night of the 2ndwe went to Xochimilco. Every year they have a celebration for the Day of the Dead on the canals there. Xochimilco is beautiful - full of trees and flowers

2. In small groups write some sentences about places of interest to visit in your area. Include places of natural beauty, places of entertainment and places of cultural interest.

3. Share your ideas with the class. Which places sound best?

Write Group

4. Now scan this diary entry and determine what are the natural aspects the writer talks about and what are the cultural ones. Then, exchange ideas with a partner.

Have you visited a similar place? Share your experience.

Pairs

Dairy extract from Rodrigo Rodriguez Sunday 5th

Just got back from New York this morning. What did I like best? Well, the American Museum of natural history was really great. I liked the 28 meter long model of a blue whale best. Then we went to the Wildlife Center in Central Park. It’s a conservation zoo. I liked the seal exhibit best. And I like the way they didn’t have large animals because keeping large animals in captivity is cruel! I think that’s so right! After the Wildlife Center we went on the vintage carousel in Central Park. All the horses (57 of them) are hand-painted. It’s really beautiful! Of course we went to see the Statue of Liberty before we came back. But there were a lot of people there. You couldn’t get near it! The statue I really liked was the Alice in Wonderland statue. You climb all over that one and it’s a lot of fun. I particularly liked that because I’ve read the book and seen the movie!

On the 4th we watched the Independence Day celebrations! There were lots of flags and parades!

And then we had a great barbecue. 5. Read through both diary entries again, and underline the personal comments that say something about the feelings and opinions of the writers. Exchange ideas in groups and explain your answers. 6. In groups, complete this comparative chart to compare the diary writer's trips.

Group Group

Museums Places with animals Places of natural beauty Festival of cultural interest Statues and carousels Water activities

Mexico City

Papalote

New York

Step 2

Comparative Diagram

• Let's go on with the next step to create your comparative diagram.

Get into your teams. Take out your work from the previous session. Look at the list of places and decide which two you can compare. Research these two places to find out more information about them. Make a set of notes for each place.

Make sure your notes describe the places. Put your work away for the next product session.

Reading

Time

Facts

Track 30 Four Days in July Read pages 108 to 112. Why do you think there are guides to different places? Why do people take buses? At a new place, what do you think is better, asking a local person or reading a guide? Why?