My first concert

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write a blog post about an event (Last Saturday, I went to..., We arrived..., but there was already..., While we were waiting..., When the lights went down..., The best moment was when..., The worst part?..., I was so tired that..., Have you ever been to...? Tell me in the comments!). Pupils read Jade's post about her first concert, take its phrases and write their own. By the end, they can write a post of 150 to 180 words with the past simple and the past continuous, a best moment, a worst part and a question for readers.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Jade's post, with a photo of a concert crowd. Jade, fifteen, went to her first big concert, the band Skyline at the Arena in Manchester, with tickets from her aunt. While they were waiting in a long queue, people were singing, and a girl gave her a friendship bracelet. The best moment was when the singer came down into the crowd; the worst part was the trip home on full trains, and she was so tired that she fell asleep in her clothes. The band and the singer are made up. Pupils answer six questions with three options each, then read the useful phrases, set out in the order of a post (start, background, while, best moment, worst part, talk to your readers). Page 2 starts with four sentences where pupils choose an -ed or an -ing adjective (bored or boring). Then pupils write about an event from a card (a big match, a school trip to London, a music festival, a birthday sleepover, each with three ideas) or one of their own, and tick the checklist. The answer key gives a model post about the London trip.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "What's the best event you've ever been to? A concert, a match, a trip?"
2. (10 min) Read Jade's post aloud; pupils answer the questions.
3. (5 min) Read the useful phrases with the class; pupils find the best moment and the worst part.
4. (5 min) Page 2: pupils choose the adjectives.
5. (20 min) Pupils choose an event, write their post and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) Pupils swap posts and write a comment under each other's post.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils write one paragraph for each line of the phrases box.

[A] Pupils add a photo caption and a reply to a comment.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 and 2 per pupil. Page 3 is the answer key, the model post and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need the past simple, the past continuous with while and when, and so... that. To take it further, the class makes a blog of its own events and comments on each other's posts.