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As usual, this lesson is not recommended for uptight or super-”by-the-book” type classes and cultural situations.  Highly appropriate for most Western, university-aged students.  (Although a lot of EU residents may be unfamiliar with what exactly “customs” is.)

“Do You Have Anything to Declare?” Travel English / Customs Roleplay Lesson Plan

level: intermediate / upper-intermediate

aims: practice “travel english” and customs situation; noun and verbs forms

materials:

Mr. Show “Shampoo” video

do-you-have-anything-to-declare (MS Word document, 38 KB)

STAGE ONE – Discussion / Warm-up

Dictate the following six questions to the students.

1. Have you ever been abroad? Where have you been?
2. Describe the best trip you’ve ever been on.
3. Did your class in high school go on a trip together? If so, where did you go? How long did you stay? How did you get there?
4. What is your favorite method of travel? Train? Bus? Boat? Bicycle? Plane?
5. Describe the worst trip you’ve ever been on.
6. Are you planning on going anywhere for your next vacation? If so, where? Who with? How long will you stay?

Put Ss in pairs A and B.  The As ask questions 1-3 to the Bs, and the Bs ask questions 4-6 to the As.  Go around and check spelling and writing as the Ss do the speaking task.  Collect / supply vocabulary to discuss in feedback.

STAGE TWO – Discussion / Lead-in

1. While they are discussing questions 1-6, put this question on the board (or on a PowerPoint slide or whatever).

What are the three most annoying or difficult things about flying?

2. Get feedback from the students from Part One, then put them in groups and have them discuss the question.  In feedback, elicit “customs”.  Explain that students are going to watch a video of some people going through customs.

STAGE THREE – Video

1. Give students the handout and show them the first part of the video (from 0:30-1:00) and have them answer the questions.  Get the answers in feedback. (Answers: 1 b, 2 c, 3 b)

2. Focus on the phrases in “part b” of the handout.  Ask Ss if they know what the phrases refer to.  If they don’t know most of them, play part one (0:30-1:00) again.  (“a bummer”=being back in the US, “awesome”=being in Amsterdam, “baggies”=little plastic bags, “a fool-proof plan”=putting drugs in the shampoo bottle)

3. Focus on “Part Two” of the handout.  Ss put a circle around the phrases that they think the customs officer will say to David.

Then show part two of the video (from 1:00-the end).  Check answers–which phrases did he say? (Answers: he says all of them except “Are you carrying drugs?”, “Do you have any weapons?  Any liquids?”, “License and registration, please”, “Please come this way, sir”, and “I’m sorry, sir, you’re under arrest”)

STAGE FOUR – Grammar

1. Focus on “Part Three” on page two of the handout.  Ss look at each instance of the word “shampoo” in the quote and identify it as noun or verb.