Contents
=> “Classroom Crosswords” - a game
=> “Crazy Color Crossword Relay” - a more exciting game
=> “Behind Every Successful Woman…” - Woman’s Day Speaking & Writing
=> “Quotations About Women by Women” - suggested activitiues
=> “In the News: ‘U.S. Teaching Methodologist Plans Haircut’”


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“Classroom Crosswords”
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Here’s a warmer–appropriate for all ages and student levels. You can do it as your students are coming into class. Start with a couple words on the board. Like this:

F
O
R
FRIENDLY
V
E
R

Break the class into two or three teams. The first team adds a word:

F
O
R
FRIENDLY
V
E
RICE

The next group has to add a word. (Give them 30 seconds if you want a race-like atmosphere).

Keep going until you fill the board or interest begins to flag.

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Crazy Crossword Relay
by I.M. Poosheesty
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This is the Poosheesty version of Kevin’s above activity. By that I mean it’s more active and fun, but a little chaotic. Okay. Start again with two words written on the board.

Break students into 2, 3, or 4 teams.

Let’s say you have three teams. Give each team a different colored marker or piece of chalk. Team 1 = red. Team 2 = blue. Etc.

Now let each team add as many words to the crossword as they can, and as fast as they can. (In the end the different colors will tell you which team has the most words).

Put the teams in lines facing the board. Only the first person in line uses the chalk/marker. Teammates can coach him/her. When she/he has written a word
s/he passes the pen to the next in line. It’s like passing a baton in a relay race.

It will be a little chaotic–that’s okay. Allow about 7 minutes, or until the board is full, or until students can’t find any place to write a word.

<> FOLLOW UP IDEAS <>

1. Ask students to write ONE sentence using as many of the words on the board as possible (one sentence that makes sense! At least some sense!)

2. Ask groups to write a ONE paragraph story using as many of
the words on the board as possible.

3. Get some coffee for yourself.

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“Behind Every Successful Woman”
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Here’s a March 8th activity. There’s a well-known saying in English: “Behind every successful man is a woman.”

Let your students be witty and make some sayings of their own. Write these unfinished sentences on the board:

Behind every successful man is…
Behind every successful woman is…

Ask students to complete the sentences with several variations. (They can be serious, funny, cynical, or mean).

Then compare them with some real variations…

1. “Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.”
(Maryon Pearson)

2. “Behind every successful woman is a basket of dirty
laundry.” (Sally Poe)

3. “Behind every successful woman is a cat and a fridge
full of chocolate.” (unknown)

4. “Behind every successful woman is a six-pack of beer and a man who’ll pour it for her.” (Kristin Venuti, Poosheesty’s friend and soon-to-be noted author of
children’s books.)

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“Quotations By Women About Women”
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Hey, it’s almost March 8th, one of the most wonderful and expensive holidays for any male teacher of English in Russia. Let’s hear what woman have to say about themselves…

1. “One is not born a woman, one becomes one.”
(Simone DeBeauvoir)

2. “I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house.” (Zsa Zsa Gabor. Zsa had many husbands and many divorces.)

3. “If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.” (Catherine Aird)

4. “Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.” (Charlotte Whitton)

5. “You see a lot of smart guys with dumb women, but you hardly ever see a smart woman with a dumb guy.” (Erica Jong)

6. “When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.” (Elayne Boosler)

7. “I never married because there was no need. I have three pets at home who answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog that growls every morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late every night.” (Marie Corelli)

8. “I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career.” (Gloria Steinem)

<> SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THESE IN CLASS <>

1. Just read them for fun.

2. Print a few on separate slips of paper, then cut each quotation into several pieces. Mix them up. Groups will receive a pile of pieces and they will assemble them, putting the quotations back together.

3. Dictate a few.

4. Do a scramble dictation. For example: You read Quote 3 in this fashion: “If you can’t… “have to be”… “then you’ll just”… “be a good example” … “a horrible warning.” (In doing a scramble dictation separate the phrases
into chunks). Learners are responsible for writing the chunks, then arranging them into the correct order.

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“In the News”
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ELF PLANS HAIRCUT
In a surprise announcement, Senior English Language Fellow Kevin McCaughey declared that he was due for a haircut. This was in response to a recent
NEW YORK TIMES article citing a study that found that “shaggy dog teaching hairdos” could be detrimental to relations between the Russian Federation and
the United States.

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What’s Happening
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KEVIN AT AMERICAN CORNER IN MOSCOW, March 5, 2004. Time: 5.p.m. Kevin’s Presentation “Humor: Can it Cross Borders?” features jokes (both Russian and American), He’ll sing songs in English about Russian life, and songs
in Russian about French life, and generally he’ll make an idiot of himself. Don’t miss it.

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In the Next Issue (around March 13th, 2004)
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Two more games for learners of all ages.

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Copyright 2004 Kevin McCaughey & I.M. Poosheesty
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