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Barack Obama Writes Children’s Book (17th September, 2010)

U.S. president Barack Obama has written a children’s book. It is called "Of Thee I Sing" and is about 13 of President Obama’s American heroes, including baseball great Jackie Robinson and President George Washington. The book has a sub-title: “A Letter to My Daughters”. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the book is "an inspirational book about the country [Obama’s daughters] live in, and about their ability and the ability for children throughout [America] to…dream big and accomplish whatever they want to."

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The book is addressed to President Obama’s two daughters Malia and Sasha, but they will not be part of its release on November 16th. The front cover of the book has a painting of the two girls taking their dog Bo for a walk. President Obama does his best to keep his children out of the spotlight. He wants them to grow up normally. It must be worrying for a parent to think that the world’s photographers want to take photos of their children. It’s a good thing President Obama is keeping his girls out of the public eye.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

13 of President Obama’s

a.

title

2

baseball great

b.

book

3.

The book has a sub-

c.

secretary

4.

White House press

d.

they want to

5.

an inspirational

e.

American heroes

6.

accomplish whatever

f.

Jackie Robinson

 

Paragraph 2

1.

part of its release

a.

normally

2

two girls taking their

b.

of their children

3.

grow up

c.

for a parent

4.

It must be worrying

d.

the public eye

5.

take photos

e.

on November 16th

6.

keeping his girls out of

f.

dog Bo for a walk


LISTENING GAP FILL

U.S. president Barack Obama _________________ book. It is called "Of Thee I Sing" and is about 13 of President Obama’s American heroes, ___________________ Jackie Robinson and President George Washington. The _________________: “A Letter to My Daughters”. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the book is "___________________ about the country [Obama’s daughters] live in, and _________________ the ability for children throughout [America] to…dream big and accomplish _________________ to."

The book is addressed to President Obama’s two daughters Malia and Sasha, but they _________________ its release on November 16th. The _________________ has a painting of the two _________________ Bo for a walk. President Obama does his best to keep his children out of the spotlight. He wants them to _________________. It must _________________ a parent to think that the world’s photographers want to take photos of their children. It’s a good thing President Obama is keeping his girls out _________________.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

U.S. president Barack Obama has (1) ____ a children’s book. It is called "Of Thee I Sing" and is about 13 of President Obama’s American (2) ____, including baseball great Jackie Robinson and President George Washington. The book has a (3) ____-title: “A Letter to My Daughters”. White House    (4) ____ secretary Robert Gibbs said the book is "an inspirational book about the country [Obama’s daughters] live in, and about their (5) ____ and the ability for children throughout [America] to…dream big and accomplish whatever they want (6) ____."

The book is (7) ____ to President Obama’s two daughters Malia and Sasha, but they will not be part (8) ____ its release on November 16th. The front cover of the book has a painting of the two girls (9) ____ their dog Bo for a walk. President Obama does his best to keep his children out of the spotlight. He wants them to grow up (10) ____. It must be (11) ____ for a parent to think that the world’s photographers want to take photos of their children. It’s a good thing President Obama is keeping his girls out of the public (12) ____.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

writing

(b)

written

(c)

write

2.

(a)

hero

(b)

heroes

(c)

heroism

3.

(a)

sub

(b)

pub

(c)

rub

4.

(a)

iron

(b)

push

(c)

press

5.

(a)

able

(b)

ability

(c)

ably

6.

(a)

to

(b)

so

(c)

by

7.

(a)

mailed

(b)

written

(c)

addressed

8.

(a)

off

(b)

from

(c)

of

9.

(a)

taking

(b)

walking

(c)

talking

10.

(a)

normality

(b)

normally

(c)

normalize

11.

(a)

worrying

(b)

worried

(c)

worry

12

(a)

ear

(b)

mouth

(c)

eye


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

ietrntw a children’s book

2.

Obama’s American  seorhe

3.

The book has a sub- lteit

4.

White House  rspse  secretary

5.

about their  liitbya

6.

drema  big

 

Paragraph 2

7.

its  arseele  on November 16th

8.

The front  cvreo

9.

out of the  liposhttg

10.

grow up  larmolny

11.

It must be  nigoyrrw

12.

out of the  plibuc  eye


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

"an inspirational book about the country [Obama’s daughters] live in, and about their ability and the ability

(    )

walk. President Obama does his best to keep his children out of the spotlight. He wants them to grow up

(    )

The book is addressed to President Obama’s two daughters Malia and Sasha, but they will not be part of its release

(    )

normally. It must be worrying for a parent to think that the world’s photographers want to

(    )

The book has a sub-title: “A Letter to My Daughters”. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the book is

(    )

take photos of their children. It’s a good thing President Obama is keeping his girls out of the public eye.

1  )

U.S. president Barack Obama has written a children’s book. It is called "Of Thee I Sing" and is about 13

(    )

for children throughout [America] to…dream big and accomplish whatever they want to."

(    )

of President Obama’s American heroes, including baseball great Jackie Robinson and President George Washington.

(    )

on November 16th. The front cover of the book has a painting of the two girls taking their dog Bo for a


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

children’s has a book Obama written.

2.

book The title - sub a has.

3.

book the inspirational about country An.

4.

The Obama’s live country daughters in.

5.

whatever Accomplish to want they.

6.

part They of will its not release be.

7.

walk girls dog a Two their for taking Bo.

8.

his Keep spotlight the of out children.

9.

must It parent a for worrying be.

10.

his girls out of the public eye Obama is keeping.


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about children’s books for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. CHILDREN’S BOOKS: Search the Internet and find more information about children’s books. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about President Obama’s book. Include imaginary interviews with Obama and his children. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. HEROES LETTER: Write a letter to President Obama. Ask him three questions about his book. Tell him about three of your heroes. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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