Here's a new ad from McDonald's which could form the basis of whole lesson (see below for some ideas).
SPECULATION
1. Show the first three seconds. Ask students to speculate what the man and woman are going to do.
2. Stop the video after they meet. Get students to speculate what they might do on their date.
3. Stop the video before they part. Get students to speculate what they will do (another date?)
4. Stop the video after they part. Get student to speculate how the ad will end.
DISCUSSION - ABOUT THE AD
1. How do the man and women feel at the start of the ad?
2. Describe the man and woman (character, appearance, looks).
3. How do you think they arranged the date? (online dating site?)
4. How would you describe their meeting? (awkward!)
5. What is the woman's reaction to the museum exhibits? (confused, bewildered)
6. Why does she walk round the ladder? (superstitious)
7. Who's Steve? (her ex)
8. What are they thinking after they part?
9. Will they have a second date? (before the final scene)
10. What will happen next? (second date? love? marriage?)
11. Get students to imagine a backstory for the characters - how old they are, what job they do, why they are going on a date, etc.)
DISCUSSION - ABOUT DATES IN GENERAL
1. Have you ever used an online dating site? Which one? What happened?
2. In what other ways are dates arranged? (you ask someone out, blind date, lonely hearts ad)
3. Describe your first date.
4. Describe the last date you had.
5. Have you ever had a disastrous date?
6. How would you prepare for a date?
7. Where would you go on a date?
8. Who should pay on a first date?
9. What's your opinion of dating/online dating?
ROLE PLAY
Get your students to roleplay a first date meeting, like the one in the ad.
WRITING
Get students to imagine they are the man or the woman and get them to write a 'thank you' email to their date (person) following the date (event).
LANGUAGE
Use the transcript below for intensive language work.
- create a gap fill
- jumble the lines - students have to find correct order
- work on how to say hello goodbye
- note the American influence in 'Hi, can I get a Big Mac ...'
TRANSCRIPT
WOMAN: John?
MAN: Emma.
WOMAN: Hi.
MAN: So nice to meet you.
WOMAN: It's really nice to meet you.
MAN: Yeah, me too.
WOMAN: So, what's the plan?
MAN: There's an art gallery I know around the corner...
MAN: It's inspiring, isn't it?
MAN: Yeah, I love animals.
WOMAN: I've got a dog.
MAN: Great. I've got a cat.
MAN: So do you ...?
MAN: Who's Steve?
WOMAN: Nice to meet you.
MAN: Yeah, it's been, it's been fun.
WOMAN: Fun!
WOMAN: Okay, bye.
MAN: Bye.
MAN: Hi, can I get a Big Mac ... ...
MAN AND WOMAN: ... strawberry milk shake, fries, and some barbecue sauce.
MAN: Hi.
WOMAN: Hi.
