t2 reading

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 2

Hello, I've just jumped off the Empire State Building

Welcome to English class

You need a pen and your laptops.  Please log into LessonUp.  Keep the padlet open, once you click on the link.

Today's goals

- I can predict what a text will be about using limited information

- I can analyse a text I have read for it's deeper meaning

At the end of class:

You will read a story and then answer questions about it in padlet and LessonUp

(Tip: see the next page for the link, keep the padlet open in your browser)

padlet.com

Discuss with your neighbour. Think of explanations for the mans survival.....

Here is the headline from a short newspaper article about a man who jumped off the Empire State Building, one of the highest buildings in New York:

Hello, I've just jumped off the Empire State Building

How could someone who has just jumped off the Empire State Building possibly be alive to tell the tale?  Work in pairs to think of as many explanations as you can.  You have 4 minutes to discuss and put your answer into the padlet (don't post anything rude!)

Here are some words and phrases taken from the article.  They appear in the same order here as in the article.  Look up the words you don't know.

All alone in New York – decided to kill himself - the 86th floor - held on to the safety fence -over 1,000 feet below –a narrow ledge - offices of a television station –the strong wind  –poured myself a stiff drink –had a great Christmas 

Work in your pairs to decide what happened.  Try to include information from as many of the clues as possible. You have 5 minutes. Put your answers in the padlet and be prepared to discuss.

Read the article - 3 minutes

Were your predictions correct?

  Jim Burney, aged 24, was out of work and out of money and all alone in New York over Christmas.  He decided to kill himself by jumping off the Empire State Building.

  

  He took the lift to the top floor, the 86th, where he held on to the safety fence for a moment.  He said a quick prayer, then threw himself off and fell towards the hundreds of cars moving along Fifth Avenue, over 1,000 feet below.

  When he woke up half an hour later he found himself on a narrow ledge on the 85th floor, outside the offices of a television station, where the strong wind had blown him.  The young man was so relieved that he decided to give up the idea of committing suicide. 

  He knocked on a window of a the offices and crawled in to safety.  Mike Wilson was on duty there at the time.  'I could believe my eyes', he said. 'It's not often you see someone coming in through the window of the 85th floor, I poured myself a stiff drink, and one for Jim too.'

  Jim Burney himself not only survived.  He had a great Christmas - he got a lot of invitations to Christmas dinner!

Why did Jim Burney want to kill himself?

What saved Jim's life and caused him to land on the narrow ledge?

What would your reaction have been if you were on duty at the time instead of Mike Wilson?

Do you think Jim Burney is happy he survived? Why/Why not? Discuss with your neighbour & then put your joint answer into LessonUp. (2 min)

Think of a different title for the story.
Discuss with your neighbour and then put your joint answer into LessonUp. (2 minutes)

What do you think the moral of the story is?
Discuss with your neighbour and then put your joint answer into LessonUp. (2 minutes)

Today's goals achieved?

- I can predict what a text will be about using limited information

- I can use reading strategies to understand a text better.

- I can write a short thank you note using simple language

At the end of class:

Homework

Write a 40-50 word thank you postcard to Mike (see handout). Tell Mike how your life has changed for the better since the day you tried to commit suicide & why you are happy you survived. This is homework, please bring it to class next Tuesday