Skydiving Over Pyramids
WORKSHEET
1. Suggested Use
Activity and culture focus, followed by A2-level vocabulary and grammar activities.
2. Suggested Activities
A. Project-based learning
Students plan a short adventure activity that people could do in their country, that is unique to their country and shows visitors an amazing side of it, like in the video. They come up with their own idea if it doesn’t exist already. They describe what the activity is, where it happens, how people feel when they do it and why visitors should try it. Students can present their ideas as a short description or an adventure brochure.
B. Mediation task: Facilitating collaborative interaction with peers
Have students decide whether they would like to do this activity and also visit the area, based on the information in the video. Ensure students are taking different points of view (i.e. some say yes, some say no). Have students use the information in the video and their own ideas to justify their opinions. Ensure there is a ‘discussion leader’ who invites quieter students into the conversation to share.
C. Pronunciation task: Schwa /ə/
Explain to students that the schwa sound /ə/ is the most common vowel in English. It’s short, weak, and unstressed. They identify the sound in the words in the script. Model, drill and practise the sound, e.g. around, about, together, special, forget. Have them find other words from their notebooks that contain the same sound.
3. Vocabulary
Activities
skydive (r)
festival
pyramids
monuments
jump
fly / flying
Adjectives
incredible
special
excited
free
beautiful
impressive
strong
Different
Verbs
come
glide (above level)
bring together
describe
feel
see
try
grow
forget
4. Grammar
Present simple:
Skydivers from around the world come to Egypt; The festival brings together over 200 people.
Present perfect:
I’ve been doing this for 30 years.
Infinitives of purpose:
Skydivers come to Egypt to glide over the pyramids; He wants everyone to try it.
Comparatives and superlatives:
Jumping here in Egypt has to be one of my favourite places; It’s more impressive than on the ground.
TRANSCRIPT
Skydiving Over Pyramids
NARRATOR:
Skydivers from around the world come to Egypt to glide over the famous pyramids at Giza. The International Skydiving Festival brings together over 200 people from more than 30 countries. Omar, a skydiver from Saudi Arabia, says skydiving over Giza is something special.
SOUNDBITE - Omar al-Hujailan:
"It is just an incredible feeling. I've been doing this for 30 years and I have done so many different jumps. And I can definitely tell you that jumping over the pyramids, jumping here in Egypt has to be one of my favorite places."
NARRATOR:
Another skydiver, Stephane from France, says it is hard to describe the feeling — but he wants everyone to try it.
SOUNDBITE - Stephane Zunino:
"That’s incredibly difficult to explain what you feel, flying above these big monuments that you see from the top. I wish everyone to see it from the top because this is more, more impressive than on the ground.”
NARRATOR:
From the sky, the pyramids look beautiful. But the best part for the skydivers is the feeling when they jump: excited, free, and full of joy. Doing something new can give us strong emotions. These moments help us grow and make memories we never forget.