My First Day!
Interactive exercises to consolidate your students’ learning.
A short story about feelings. Pupils read how Nadia feels on her first day at a new school, where she meets Rosa, and write how she feels at five moments (nervous, shy, lonely, worried, proud). They then write about their own first day and circle why Nadia is happy, proud and shy. Answer key included.
Documents to download (2)
- Colour version In your teacher account
- Black and white version In your teacher account
Teaching guide
Objective & content
This activity sheet is a short story about feelings. Nadia tells her first day at a new school in the first person, with a picture of her and Rosa at the lunch table. Pupils write how Nadia feels at five moments, write about themselves, and circle why she feels happy, proud and shy. By the end, pupils say She's nervous. and She's proud because the children clap.
Pedagogical guide
Task 1 is Nadia's story, six short paragraphs in the first person, so there is no third-person -s to read: nervous, shy, lonely, worried, happy, proud, tired. The picture shows Nadia (curly hair, red jumper) and Rosa (braids, green jumper) laughing at the lunch table, so pupils can ask "Who is Rosa?" before they read. In task 2 pupils write She's ... at five moments: nervous on her first day, shy in the classroom, lonely at lunch on her own, worried ("Are the children nice?"), proud when she reads her story. Task 3 asks the pupils about themselves, with four starters ("On the first day of school, I'm", "because", "When I'm nervous, I", "When I'm shy, I"); there is no right answer. In task 4 they circle why: happy because Rosa says "Let's play!", proud because the children clap, shy because she doesn't know the children. Page 2 gives the answer key and the teacher notes.
Suggested procedure
- (5 min) Ask the class: "How do you feel on the first day of school?"
- (10 min) Task 1: pupils read Nadia's story, or you read it aloud; they look at the picture: who is Rosa?
- (5 min) Task 2: pupils write how Nadia feels at each moment; check with the answer key.
- (10 min) Tasks 3 and 4: pupils write about their own first day, then circle why Nadia feels each way.
Adaptations
[S] Mime each feeling as you read.
[A] Pupils tell the story as Rosa ("I'm Rosa. There's a new girl ...").
Materials & prerequisites
One copy per pupil of page 1, in colour or black and white. Pupils need a pencil. Page 2 is the answer key with teacher notes: keep it. Pupils should know the feelings words of the faces sheet, How Are You?, or you can mime them as you read.
Possible adaptations
- Lower levels: Offer segmented listening and additional visual aids.
- Advanced levels: Encourage an oral summary and a debate in English on the theme.
- Large groups: Organise group work with differentiated roles.
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