What’s the weather like?

MOUNTAINS

SEA

Changeable

weather a Calm se

Cold with low level of humidity

ind Light w

CITY

Heavy clouds

Temperatures above average for the time of year and high level of humidity

Object of the game What’s the weather like? is aimed at learners who are at level A2 - B1 on the CEFR. It has been designed to stimulate logical thinking and to broaden learners’ knowledge of the vocabulary used to talk about the weather and the weather forecast.

Thanks to the weather symbols, players learn the new terminology in a fun and spontaneous way. The game is simple and intuitive and easy to use.

Contents The game consists of: a map of the United Kingdom England: • South East: Brighton and Hove,

• North East: Newcastle • North West: Manchester, Liverpool

Southampton, Oxford • South West: Bristol, Plymouth

• Yorkshire: Sheffield, Leeds, York

Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow,

• East Midlands: Nottingham

Aberdeen

• West Midlands: Birmingham

Wales: Cardiff Northern Ireland: Belfast

• East of England: Cambridge • London: London

Seas: Atlantic Ocean, Irish Sea, North Sea, English Channel Mountains: the Pennines, the Grampian mountains, the Cambrian mountains

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,

,

60 weather symbols 30 weather cards (yellow deck): • sunny

• low temperatures

• cloudy with sunny spells

• mild temperatures

• light clouds

• high temperatures

• heavy clouds

• calm sea

• humidity

• moderate sea

• light rain

• rough sea

• rain

• tornado

• heavy rain

• storm

• downpour

• avalanche

• thunderstorm

Avalanche hazard warning:

• sleet

low risk

• snow

• avalanche

• ice

Avalanche hazard warning:

• hailstones

high risk

• light wind • sunny with some wind • windy and cloudy • strong winds • misty thunderstorm

• foggy

The weather cards help players to become familiar with the most common words used to describe the weather.

Before starting to play, it is a good idea to let the players spend some time looking at these cards.

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70 Mr Breezy cards (blue deck) subdivided into: 33 city cards

31 mountain cards

6 sea cards

The Mr Breezy cards help players to understand word order, broaden their weather related vocabulary, practise talking about the weather and improve their comprehension.

1 instruction booklet with instructions and suggestions.

Games and learning activities 1 • WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE? (yellow deck) Put the map of the United Kingdom and all the weather symbols on the table. The game leader takes one of the 30 weather cards, chooses a location on the map and informs the other players of the weather situation at the chosen location on the map. For example: - It’s sunny in London.

- It’s sunny with some wind in Birmingham.

- Temperatures are low in Belfast.

- There is snow on the Grampian mountains.

- There are heavy clouds over the Pennines.

- There are strong winds in the Cambrian mountains.

- The Irish Sea is rough.

The player whose turn it is then places the weather symbol which corresponds to the description at the place chosen by the game leader.

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If the player chooses the correct symbol, they win one point and it is the next player’s turn.

At the end of the pre-established period of time, the winner is the player with the most points.

2 • WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE? Team version (yellow deck) The players are divided into teams. The members of the team take it in turns to be the spokesperson. The youngest player starts. Each team is given the same number of weather symbols but not necessarily the same symbols. The spokesperson for the first team takes a weather card and tells everyone what the weather is like at a chosen location on the map.

The spokesperson for the other team, after consulting the rest of their team, places the weather symbol which corresponds to the description on the map. If it is the wrong symbol or if the team doesn’t have the right symbol, the team doesn’t win any points and it is the next team’s turn.

At the end of the pre-established period of time, the winner is the team with the most points.

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3 • WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE TOMORROW? (see the explanation for game 2 future time) For example: - It will be sunny in Manchester.

- There will be downpours in Aberdeen.

- Temperatures will be mild in Oxford.

- There will be snow on the Pennines.

- It will be cloudy in the Cambrian mountains.

- There will be strong winds in the Grampian mountains.

- The Irish Sea will be rough.

4 • WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE TOMORROW? Team version (see the explanation for game 2 - use verb forms to express future time) 5 • THE WEATHER FORECAST (blue deck) The game leader decides whether or not to use all the Mr Breezy cards or only some of them and selects the corresponding weather symbols.

Then the game leader puts the map of the United Kingdom and the weather symbols on the table, takes one of the Mr Breezy cards and reads the weather forecast aloud.

For example: - In London there will be sunny spells and it will be cold with low humidity.

- In the Pennines hailstorms and strong gusts of wind are expected.

- The English Channel will be relatively calm with light winds.

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After listening to the weather forecast, the player whose turn it is chooses two weather symbols and places them on the location indicated by the game leader. The player is allocated one point if the symbols and location are correct.

Otherwise no points are allocated and it is the next player’s turn. At the end of the pre-established time, the winner is the player with the most points.

6 • THE WEATHER FORECAST Team version (blue deck) The players are divided into teams and the same number and type of weather symbols are given to each team.

The members of the team take it in turns to be the spokesperson. The youngest CITY player starts.

The spokesperson from the first team takes a card and Blue skies chooses a location on the map and then reads the weather forecast for that location aloud.

Temperatures above avera ge for the time of year The spokesperson for the other team, consults the other team members and then places the weather symbols which correspond to the forecast in the correct position on the map. If the symbols are not correct no points are allocated and it is the next team’s turn.

At the end of the pre-established period of time, the winner is the team with the most points.

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7 • TV WEATHER FORECAST Players take it in turns to be the weather forecaster. The player whose turn it is chooses some weather symbols and places them on the map of the UK. The player then tells the other players the weather forecast for the day in the various parts of the country. The player should try to organise their forecast the way the weather is read on the television e.g.: The weather forecast for the UK today is: In the north west…

In the south east…

In Wales…

The sea will be…

Temperatures will be mild / high / low.

Winds will be strong / light.

The players take it in turns to allocate points (from 1-5) on the basis of the language used, with an extra point given for the best delivery.

Once the first player has read the weather forecast and has been allocated points, it is another player’s turn. At the end of the game, the winner is the player with the most points.

NB: This game can also be played in teams.

8 • TV WEATHER FORECAST - Written version The game leader chooses the weather symbols and places them on the map of the UK. The players are given a specified time to write the forecast on a piece of paper.

The game leader allocates points (from 1-5) on the basis of the language and word order.

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9 • TV WEATHER FORECAST (yellow deck) The player whose turn it is takes 5 weather cards and begins describing the current weather situation in the UK or the forecast for the following days (the game leader should indicate whether the player should use present or future time).

The other players give points (from 1 to 5) on the basis of the language used and they can also award an extra point for the best or funniest delivery. Once the player has finished his weather forecast, it is another player’s turn. The next player takes other cards and gives the forecast. At the end of the game, the winner is the player with the most points.

10 • GUESS THE WEATHER The weather symbols are placed in a box. Then the game leader takes one and, without showing it to the other players, puts it face down on a location on the map. If the symbol is on Newcastle, the game leader will ask the player whose turn it is: “What’s the weather like in Newcastle?”

The player has to guess the weather and answers by saying for example: “I think it’s raining in Newcastle.”

NB: The question and answer can refer to today, yesterday or tomorrow.

For example: “What was the weather like in Newcastle yesterday?” “I think it rained in Newcastle yesterday.”

Or “What will the weather be like in Newcastle tomorrow?” “I think it will rain in Newcastle tomorrow.”

The player is awarded a point if the guess is correct and the game leader turns over the weather symbol, otherwise it is the next player’s turn to guess. At the end of the game, the winner is the player with the most points.

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11 • WHAT SHOULD I PACK? (blue deck) This game is ideal for stimulating creativity as well as practising the vocabulary for the weather and clothes.

The Mr Breezy cards are shuffled and the whole deck is placed face down in the centre of the table.

The player whose turn it is takes a card and, depending on the place and the weather forecast on the card, tells the other players what clothes should go in the suitcase.

For example: “Since there will be clear skies and a rapid increase in temperature in Oxford, I will pack a T-shirt, a pair of shorts and sunglasses in my suitcase.”

The other players award points (from 1 to 5) on the basis of the language used and an extra point for each item of clothing that the player lists. The winner is the player with the most points.

CITY SEA

Sunny spells

es

Moderate sea with wav of up to one metre

Cold with low hu

midity

Grey, windy day

MOUNTAINS

Sunny spells

Mild temperatu

res

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12 • WHAT SHALL WE DO? (blue deck) This game is ideal for stimulating creativity and practising vocabulary for the weather and free time activities.

The Mr Breezy cards are shuffled and the whole deck is placed face down in the centre of the table.

The player whose turn it is takes a card and, depending on the weather forecast, tries to organise a day with friends.

For example: “Today there will be violent storm with lightning and strong gusts of wind, so let’s stay at home and watch a film.”

“Today it will be slightly overcast with mild temperatures, so we can go cycling in the park.”

The other players award points (from 1 to 5) on the basis of the language used and an extra point for each free time activity the player lists. The winner is the player with the most points.

These are only some suggestions for games and activities using What’s the weather like?. The game leader can use the game in different ways, depending on the language level of the players and their language objectives. It can be used as a basis for many other activities and is an effective teaching aid which stimulates and encourages the English language learning process.

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A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

Beginner Elementary Intermediate Upper Intermediate Advanced Proficiency

What’s the weather like?

by Letizia Pigini © ELi s.r.l.

P.O. Box 6 - 62019 Recanati - Italy Tel. +39 071 750701 www.elionline.com

What’s the weather like? - 80878 - V70361

CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

English Version: Karen Mackie Art Director: Letizia Pigini Editorial Dept.: Gigliola Capodaglio and Francesca Bugiolacchi Illustrations: Matteo Gaggia Production Manager: Francesco Capitano Graphic Design and Layout: Gianni Caputo Printed in Italy by Tecnostampa Pigini Group Printing Division - Loreto - Trevi ISBN: 978-88-536-4018-5 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of ELi s.r.l.