Two museums, one rainy Saturday

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write a review that compares two places or things (Looking for...?; Both are..., but which...?; without doubt, the more... of the two; lives up to the hype; The downside is...; by contrast; Where X asks you to look, Y lets you try; If you're..., X is hard to beat. But if you'd rather..., Y is the clear winner; Had I known..., I'd have...). Pupils read Noah's review of two London museums, take its structure and phrases and write their own. By the end, they can write a review of 200 to 250 words that compares, weighs up and recommends.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Noah's review, with a photo of the Natural History Museum's main hall. On a rainy Saturday, Noah visits two free museums that stand side by side in South Kensington. The Natural History Museum is the more beautiful, with the blue whale skeleton in its hall and the moving T. rex, but the queues and crowds spoil it; the Science Museum is more relaxed and hands-on, with the Wonderlab gallery (ticketed) and the real Apollo 10 capsule. He recommends the first for families and fossil lovers and the second for people who would rather do than watch. All the facts have been checked. Pupils answer six questions with three options each, read the useful phrases, set out in the order of the review, and match five words from the text to their meanings. Page 2 starts with four sentences to complete with by contrast, whereas, far and the clear winner. Then pupils compare a pair from a card (the train or the plane to Paris, a book or its film, a city break or camping, an app or a class to learn a language) or a pair of their own, and tick the checklist. The answer key gives a model review of the train and the plane.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "Museum, cinema or shopping on a rainy day? Which is better, and for whom?"
2. (10 min) Read the review aloud; pupils answer the questions.
3. (10 min) Read the useful phrases with the class; pupils do the word match and find the comparisons.
4. (5 min) Page 2: pupils complete the sentences.
5. (25 min) Pupils choose a pair, write the review and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) Pupils read their recommendation; the class says who it would suit.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils write one paragraph for each place, then a short recommendation.

[A] Pupils add a table of scores and comment on it.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 and 2 per pupil. Page 3 is the answer key, the model review and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need comparatives and superlatives, would rather and the third conditional. To take it further, pupils review two places in their own town for visitors.