Lesson Plan Marriage

1. Introduction
2. Necessary traits to survive the ordeal  (Worksheet 1)
3. Weird traditions – Reading exercise (Worksheet 2)
4. Just for fun (Worksheet 3)
5. One minutes talk – PowerPoint presentation

1. Introduction

Welcome students to class.  Start by introducing yourself and encourage students to do the
same.

Start by asking students what they think is essential for a long lasting relationship. Develop this
issue for a couple of minutes and then write on the board the following quote:

Board:

“Marriages are made in heaven. But, then again, so are thunder, lightning, tornadoes and hail.”

What about:

“Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right and the other is the husband!”

Ask students: Do you agree with these quotes?

What do you think is behind this necessity people have of expressing themselves so
amusingly?

Which one of these do you like the most? Why?

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Tell students they are going to hear statements relative to marriage and relationships and they are
to express their personal opinion about whether they agree or disagree with them. Write up on
the board:

Board:

I agree. NUMBER 1
I disagree. NUMBER 2
I am not sure. NUMBER 3

Read out these statements quickly and tell the students they should write on a separate piece of
paper the number corresponding to their opinion. For example, if they don’t agree with the first
statement they write NUMBER 2 on their piece of paper.

Don’t give them too much time to think, because you want to get their first reaction to the
statement.

When you have read all the statements, go around the room and ask your students what their
opinion is and why. Remember to get all your students involved in this discussion:

The statements are:

- It’s important to date for a long time before getting married.

- People don’t take marriage seriously nowadays.
- Weddings have become a lucrative business.
- Co-habiting is becoming more usual.
- Divorce is the easy way out.

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 2. Necessary traits to survive the ordeal
Material needed: Worksheet 1

Tell students: Having discussed about what is necessary for a long lasting relationship; I
want us now to develop this issue even more.

- What positive characteristics do you think are necessary to have a happy marriage?
- What negative traits can stand in the way of you “touching” real happiness?

Distribute Worksheet 1.

Put students in groups of 3 or 2 and ask them to rank these characteristic in the order of
importance: what they dislike in a partner (1 rating what they most dislike, 10 rating what they
can most tolerate in a partner). Go over some vocabulary with them that they may have
difficulties with. First they should focus on the first part of the exercise.

Board:
1 – what they most dislike
10 – what they can most tolerate

Are all of the characteristics necessarily negative?

Next, on the same Worksheet, they are to rank, in order of importance, what they like in a partner
(1 rating what they most like, 10 rating what is least important for them).

Board:
1 – what they like the most
10 – what is least important for them

Are all of the characteristics necessarily positive?

Discuss a bit as a group.

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 3. Weird traditions
Material needed: Worksheet 2

Tell students the following:

As a foreigner in this lovely Portugal, I try to get accustomed to various traditions, because
I do believe they embody the soul of a country. Related to marriage, do you have specific
traditions that have to be followed with strictness?

For instance:

- Is it tradition to throw rice at the couple as they leave the church?

- Does the bride always wear white?
- Do they wear .something old, something new, something borrowed something blue?
- Is it unlucky for the groom to see the bride’s wedding dress before the ceremony?
- Does the groom carry the bride over the threshold?

I want us now to read an extremely interesting text, entitled: Strange Wedding Traditions.

Distribute Worksheet 2.

Allow students a couple of minutes to silently read the text, and then start discussing it.

Possible questions:

- Which one of these, do you consider to be the most surprising?

- Why do you think people create all these traditions?
- Which one do you like the most?
- Do you think there is a logical explanation for all these traditions?

Tell them to turn the page!

As you can see, you have on this page, 7 questions related to the text. I want you be very
attentive and in group try to find the solution that best fits the context.

( The answers are: Answers: 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B, 5-D, 6-C, 7-B, 8-A )

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 4. Just for fun
Material needed: Worksheet 3

As a perfect ending for a perfect lesson, I have prepared a list of amusing quotes about
marriage. I want us to read them together and each of you should choose one you consider
to be most accurate and hilarious.

Distribute Worksheet 3.

Discuss freely if the time allows it.

5. One minutes talk – Powerpoint presentation

If time permits and if students are particularly talkative, tell them that they will play a little game
called:

ONE MINUTE TALK

- In one minute they are supposed to talk about the provided questions
- They are only to talk about it for one minute
- They are to change partners
- They are to organize their speech so that they properly express their thoughts and
ideas in such a short time!
- They are to have fun!
- GOOOOO!

Put the PowerPoint presentation and start! 