Costumes and disguise

Objective & content

This sheet on costumes and dressing up teaches about 25 words for costume things and characters, such as mask, wig, cape, witch, pirate and spy. Pupils name pictures, read Amir's text about dress-up day at his school in Bristol, then use the words in new sentences. By the end, they can name costume things and characters and describe a costume: "She's a witch: she has a black dress and a broom."

Pedagogical guide

The sheet goes from recognising the words to using them. Page 1 names six costume things and eight characters; each word box holds extra words, so pupils must choose. Page 2 is Amir's text about World Book Day, when British pupils come to school dressed as a book character, with eight multiple-choice questions, then a task matching each character with what it needs (a witch, a broom). Page 3 has twelve sentences to complete from a word box, then a word search of 20 words across, down and diagonally: the unused letters spell a hidden message, so pupils can check their own grid. Every task tests words only; the grammar stays on the present simple of be, have and wear.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Show a hat, sunglasses or pictures of costumes; the class names what it knows in English.
2. (8 min) Page 1: pupils write the words under the pictures alone, then compare in pairs.
3. (10 min) Read Amir's text aloud; pupils answer the questions and match the characters.
4. (8 min) Page 3: pupils complete the twelve sentences.
5. (10 min) The word search; pupils who finish write the hidden message.
6. (5 min) Check with the answer key on pages 4 and 5.

Adaptations

[S] Tell pupils which words in the word search go diagonally.

[A] Pupils describe a costume for a partner to guess: "I have a black hat and an eye patch. Who am I?"

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil. Pages 4 and 5 are the answer key and teacher notes: keep them. Pupils need the present simple of be and have and a few clothes words (hat, dress, coat). To take it further, pupils design and label their own costume for a book character, then present it.